Opinions on small rifle primers in pistol ammo?

[Rustyzx9]

This topic came up recently while I was doing some research on 9mm major load data.

My question is this... Is there any reason not to use small rifle primers in place of small pistol primers for general reloading? If the price is the same or supplies become hard to get as they have in the past, I'm thinking that buying one primer in place of two would be a good idea especially if you are like me and load rifle and pistol ammo on an ongoing basis. I'd like to get some of your opinions of this with regards to possible problems that could arise.

Thanks in advance.
Rusty...

 

[jtischauser]

Hmmmmm

 

[Spiff]

I think there's a bunch on Enos about doing it. If rifle primers are substantially harder than pistol primers, some handguns may have a hard time setting them off. I know the revo guys with lightened guts prefer federals for that reason.

 

[Scott Hearn]

Rusty as long as you work up your load accordingly and your gun sets them off, that's exactly what I'd use. 9 major is not far off from .357 mag velocities and all the help you can get is a good idea. Like I said, they don't interchange pressure wise with pistol primers so adjust your powder charge accordingly.

 

[Rustyzx9]

Rusty as long as you work up your load accordingly and your gun sets them off, that's exactly what I'd use. 9 major is not far off from .357 mag velocities and all the help you can get is a good idea. Like I said, they don't interchange pressure wise with pistol primers so adjust your powder charge accordingly.

I've read that the rifle primers are popular for 9mm major, I'm more curious about using rifle primers in my .40 major limited ammo... How far down would you adjust the load for the hotter primers as a start?

 

[Lance Jensen]

I've heard up to 40fps

 

[Scott Hearn]

I've read that the rifle primers are popular for 9mm major, I'm more curious about using rifle primers in my .40 major limited ammo... How far down would you adjust the load for the hotter primers as a start?

In your .40? If you are still loading short, I'd probably back off about .3 grains and see where you are at, you might only end up down .1 grain from where you are now. If you are loading long I might drop .5 grains to start.
EDIT: If you are loading short you are already using less powder to reach the same velocity as I am loading long, so it stands to reason that you will have to reduce less.
In .40 you really aren't anywhere near being as over pressured as you are in 9mm.

In 9 major I have no idea, but I would think I would be at least .5 grains lighter to start off.

 

[technetium-99m]

I shot 15,000 wolf small rifle primers through my limited gun. They worked fine and I saw no significant velocity changes. Some guns have a hard time setting them off though.

 

[KurtM]

I,ve done it forever with Winchester small rifle. I don't think there ever was a time that I didn't use Small rifle primers. Heck I have even used Wolf and CCI with no problem. That is all I use Rusty....except for now, as My good friends at Federal gave me 20,000 small Pistol primers, instead of the small rifle I asked for...but hey it will still work, but it will be the first time ever. KurtM

 

[Rustyzx9]

Outstanding guys! Thank you very much for the info... My current loads for both 9mm major and .40 are about 167pf, so I'm thinking that the addition of rifle primers might be about right.

 

[Rob1]

I dont think the rifle primer will really change your speed, it was my understanding that the rifle primer has a harder case to keep from flatting out. Now magnum primers are supposed to increase the speed some but I've never checked it on a chrono.

 

[Ksmirk]

AWESOME! I have been wanting to try this just new to loading pistol and still a touch iffy about what I can get away with. I shoot only Federal primers so things should be great and I'd only have to buy 2 types of primers hehe. Later,

Kirk

 

[Rustyzx9]

I dont think the rifle primer will really change your speed, it was my understanding that the rifle primer has a harder case to keep from flatting out. Now magnum primers are supposed to increase the speed some but I've never checked it on a chrono.

Rob, do you think the open pistol would have any problems setting off the rifle primers with the light trigger pull?

 

[mike cyrwus]

any info on whether rifle primers might cause more breechface erosion? I think in theory a harder primer would allow less sealing

 

[Wall]

Rob, do you think the open pistol would have any problems setting off the rifle primers with the light trigger pull?

Rusty,
I think it's going to depend on the pistol. The mainspring weight, the length of firing pin, dist. to breech face, etc. You could prep about 10 cases with only the primer and test them in your pistol.

 

[KurtM]

I have never noticed any breach face errosion and the Fat Free is on it's 3rd barrel. You would think that by 110,000 rounds or so something would show up if it were a problem.

 

[Spiff]

Any of you guys ever used wolf small rifle magnums in .40? That'd be flippin' sweet if I could use nothing but those.

 

[technetium-99m]

Any of you guys ever used wolf small rifle magnums in .40? That'd be flippin' sweet if I could use nothing but those.

My limited gun will set them off, but not the singlestack.

Wolf has maggnum SRP's and "magnum" SRP's. I used the harder but not hotter variety for AR's. I didn't see any erosion around the firing pin when I was using them.

 

[Rob1]

Rob, do you think the open pistol would have any problems setting off the rifle primers with the light trigger pull?

No, your gun and mine are built with the same springs etc. I have run rifle primers before with no bad results when I ran out of pistol.
Load some up and try them,I really doubt that you will see any diffrence

 

[Rustyzx9]

That was what I was hoping to hear Rob! I've got about 6,000 small pistol primers to use up before I make a decision on the rifle primers. This whole thought actually came up when I picked up the last 5k. lol... What I am gathering from this discussion is that the rifle primers are a viable option and also a good way to consolidate supplies. Thank you very much to everyone participating in this thread!