What is the hottest Large Pistol primer?

[TargetTerror]

I'm looking to try some full house 44 Magnum loads in a Blackhack that I just acquired. I plan to use either H110 or Win 296, as I have some on hand already. These 2 powders are very hard to light, and benefit from a hot, magnum primer and a full house load.

The load manuals I have use a variety of primers, some magnum, some not. Given my experience with H110 being hard to ignite (I had a squib with .357 mag using standard primers), I'd like the hottest primer I can get, if possible. Anyone know which brand runs hottest?

Many of the load recipes in the manuals call for the Winchester WLP primer. I've heard that Winchester's WSPM is the hottest primer in that size. Winchester claims that the WLP are suitable for standard AND magnum loads. How can this be? Are they really suitable for reliably setting of H110 yet still capable of safely igniting 2400 (one of my manuals SPECIFICALLY said not to use magnum primers with 2400 b/c pressure increases dramatically). How hot are they compared to other LP magnum primers?

 

[Wil Terry]

This Depends Entirely On How You Define The Word " Hottest."

I have burned up kegs of H110 and HP295 and 296 over the decades with out using a single magnum pistol primer in 32H&R MAG, 357MAG, 41MAG, 44MAG, and 45COLT, just to name a few cartridges.
If you had a squib with one of those propellents in the 357MAG you also have something else to look for because those three propellents are NOT difficult to ignite if you are using them correctly in the proper application.
Oh, by the way, the W-W primer designated WLP is most definately a magnum pistol primer that just happens to work pretty well with standard pistol propellents--that is to say non ball propellents-- also.

 

[zxcvbob]

LP primers are already hotter than SP primers just because they are bigger. Even the wimpiest LP primers should be marginally-OK with those powders if you are loading them to the proper density. WLP will be fine.
In cold weather with 296 or H-110 you might want to use something that says "magnum" (I use Federal 155M's that I bought on sale a year ago)

 

[rcmodel]

I agree that a squib loaded .357 had another cause then standard primers & H110.

Unless you are shooting them at 20 below zero, standard primers will light it off nicely.

With that said, any brand Magnum primer will work just fine if you feel strongly about using mag primers.

But, if the load recipe calls for Win WLP, then that is the primer you should use.


rcmodel

 

[dmftoy1]

Just to throw in my personal experience . ..

I've had total crap luck with WLP primers in my early reloading for .50 S&W with H110. Switching to Federal Magnum LP COMPLETELY eliminated the issue.

FWIW

 

[TargetTerror]

The squib load in my .357 I'm pretty sure was the result of a mid range charge of H110 combined with a standard primer and cold indoor range (heat was broken). So yes, I don't blame the primer alone, as I've shot hundreds of other .357 rounds I loaded with H110 and standard primers. But getting a squib out is a real PITA, and I want to ensure that I'll light the powder each time, regardless of temperature.

I've had total crap luck with WLP primers in my early reloading for .50 S&W with H110. Switching to Federal Magnum LP COMPLETELY eliminated the issue.

What exactly do you mean by "crap luck," rcmodel?

 

[ArchAngelCD]

wow, I just answered this on the Handloader forum lol

I feel that Winchester Primers are the hottest and use Winchester WSPM for all my .357 Magnum rounds loaded with H110/W296.

 

[RyanM]

Any primer will be fine. I never had any problem using CCI primers in .357 magnum with various powders, even in the winter.

If you really want the strongest darn primers there are, though, Federal 215 large rifle primers are about as hot as it gets. They're also the shortest large rifle primers on the market. They'll stick out something like .004", but that will still work in most firearms. You'll probably need an increased power mainspring to set them off, though.

 

[GaryL]

I've never had a problem lighting off H110 with WLP primers, even at -20* F. Yes, I do venture out and shoot when it gets that cold, just not for a long time.

 

[TargetTerror]

I've never had a problem lighting off H110 with WLP primers, even at -20* F. Yes, I do venture out and shoot when it gets that cold, just not for a long time.

Thanks for the empirical evidence, and for braving the cold to give it to me

 

[dmftoy1]

I've had total crap luck with WLP primers in my early reloading for .50 S&W with H110. Switching to Federal Magnum LP COMPLETELY eliminated the issue.

In my case I was loading right at the minimum recommended loads for H110 and I would say that 1 out of every 20 rounds was having the primer fire, the bullet pushing up into the forcing cone and that was it. The powder would not ignite or only a very small portion of it was igniting. Since switching to Federal LP (Magnum) primers I have shot probably 400 rounds without a single hitch. It might have something to do with case volume etc as all of the brass mfg's went away from LP primers in .50 S&W brass about this time and went to LR primers.

Have a good one,
Dave