Primers

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PeteH
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Location: Tidewater Virginia, USA

Primers

Post by PeteH »

Not exactly a gunsmithing question.

What are the likely consequences of using "Large Rifle" primers (not magnums) in pistol cases ?

Thanks.
Pete in NJ
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ken572
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Re: Primers

Post by ken572 »

Pete,

You might want to call or write to the company that made
your hand gun and ask them if it is built well enough for
your new home load. I know back in the 1970's I would only
shoot Super-Vel ammo. In the State of Wisconsin, the gun
stores would not sell them to you without having you bring
your gun into there gunsmith to examine the gun, and check
the manufacture’s ammo to gun safety sheets they had. The
liability was to great not to. You don't want to be shooting
your own hand held grenade.. :roll: :lol:

Ken. :)
Last edited by ken572 on Tue Feb 05, 2013 9:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
One must remember.
The best learning experiences come
from working with the older Masters.
Ken.
DeMaxx
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Re: Primers

Post by DeMaxx »

I was always told that rifle primers were made from slightly thicker metal and some pistols would have trouble hitting hard enough. For my 45-70 pistol I always used large pistol magnum primers and never had a problem even with very heavy loads.
PeteH
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Re: Primers

Post by PeteH »

I rooted around a bit, and on several other forums (fora?), people said that in addition to being made of somewhat thicker metal, LR primers are about 0.010" deeper (or higher) than LP primers, so they may stand proud of the brass; which would make them prone to "slam-fire" in an autoloader, or maybe do a "roman-candle" in a tubular magazine. Conversely. LP primers being shallower, they'll just seat a bit deeper, but being thinner metal, they might perforate if used with hot loads in a rifle.

I don't know if any of this is really true; it's just other people's ramblings and ravings on the Internet. There IS, however, a certain consistency w.r.t. the height/depth/whatever.
Pete in NJ
DeMaxx
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Re: Primers

Post by DeMaxx »

I have to backtrack a little bit, I also used LR primers in that same pistol (Ruger Blackhawk action)with no misfires.
A picture of it when it was still in white metal (can't pass up an opportunity to post a pic of it):
Image
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warmstrong1955
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Re: Primers

Post by warmstrong1955 »

If you are shooting a stock handgun, I doubt there would be any problems with misfires.

I do know, that in something with some trick action work, like my PPC gun, misfires are the norm. Found out the hard way years ago.
Friend & myself were reloading, and I asked him to grab another box of primers. I should have looked before I slipped 'em in the tube.
We figured it out after we got back from the range from a little practice, which turned out to be more dry-fire practice. :cry:

They are thicker. At least we didn't reload a thousand.......

Super-Vel.....there's a name I haven't heard in a while. :D

Bill
Today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.
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ken572
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Re: Primers

Post by ken572 »

warmstrong1955 wrote: Super-Vel.....there's a name I haven't heard in a while. :D

Bill
Yup :!:

Those were like Cor-Bon's and/or Buffalo-Bore's on Steroids :lol:

I saw quite a few examples of hand gun's with split barrels,
split cylinders and/or cases, that had to be pressed out of
cylinders, just because their handgun's were not tough enough.
They were not designed for the pressures that Super-Vel's
would produce.

Ken. :)
One must remember.
The best learning experiences come
from working with the older Masters.
Ken.
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warmstrong1955
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Re: Primers

Post by warmstrong1955 »

I saw a K-frame 19, that split the forcing cone. Only one I ever saw. Story was, sustained use of Super-Vels, and other hi-power reloads, was more than a K-frame Smith could stand.

I know that they were spectacular in my 2-1/2" Model 19 round-butt at night. :)

Bill
Today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.
bedwards
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Location: Birmingham, Al

Re: Primers

Post by bedwards »

DeMaxx wrote:I was always told that rifle primers were made from slightly thicker metal and some pistols would have trouble hitting hard enough. For my 45-70 pistol I always used large pistol magnum primers and never had a problem even with very heavy loads.
I believe this is correct. I have a 454 Casull takes small rifle primers because of the pressures generated.



bedwards
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ken572
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Re: Primers

Post by ken572 »

bedwards wrote:
DeMaxx wrote:I was always told that rifle primers were made from slightly thicker metal and some pistols would have trouble hitting hard enough. For my 45-70 pistol I always used large pistol magnum primers and never had a problem even with very heavy loads.
I believe this is correct. I have a 454 Casull takes small rifle primers because of the pressures generated.

bedwards
I was told the same, but I was also told that the primer charge
is also Hotter which changes the recipe of the cartridge
over all and could pose a pressure problem. To High

Ken. :)
One must remember.
The best learning experiences come
from working with the older Masters.
Ken.
redneckalbertan
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Location: South Central Alberta

Re: Primers

Post by redneckalbertan »

Found this chart comparing the size of primers via a search engine. I thought it may be helpful.

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh4 ... nsions.png
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warmstrong1955
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Re: Primers

Post by warmstrong1955 »

Today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.
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