Primers for subs....Magnum pistol?

[RockyRiver]

I use magnum pistol primers pretty much interchangeably with small rile primers. Six of one, half dozen of the other. You'd have to try pretty hard to convince me they aren't the exact same thing. Been doing it for years with 10's of thousands of rounds. There is no difference

[rebel]

Wow, this has been revisted 4 million times here. Someone finally posted specs of all primers. There was a difference between mag small pistol and small rifle. I couldn't quote what that was because I only use them as intended and was rather amazed that this was having to be posted to settled the argument.

[RockyRiver]

It was me that actually measured it. The small mag pistols were constructed of thicker steel than the small rifle . The horror. Ive never had a small mag pistol primer fail on me so I'm not crying over here.

Whatever they have at the local shop. Small rifle or small mag pistol. Usually they're out of the small rifle. Really doesnt make a difference unless you believe it does. Belief systems are funny things.

[RDA]

I use magnum pistol primers pretty much interchangeably with small rile primers. Six of one, half dozen of the other. You'd have to try pretty hard to convince me they aren't the exact same thing. Been doing it for years with 10's of thousands of rounds. There is no difference

It was me that actually measured it. The small mag pistols were constructed of thicker steel than the small rifle . The horror. Ive never had a small mag pistol primer fail on me so I'm not crying over here.

So which is it, are they exactly the same thing or does one have thicker steel?

By the way, primer cups are made of brass, not steel and yes, small magnum pistol and small rifle are not the exact same, they have a number of dimensional differences. Can you use them interchangeably? Some apparently do.

[RockyRiver]

Its a minor difference if I remember right. .005" metal thickness difference or something like that not overall cup thickness. And yes it brass. My bad. In any case I don't load any small pistol primer cartridges. Just 5.56 and 300BLK at the moment besides the large pistol stuff. Generally the subsonic stuff which is 90% of what I load I just grab whatever is handy. Ive even used small pistol primers if nothing else was available . To be honest a subsonic 300BLK isnt much more than a glorified pistol round anyway. Low Pressure. You can feel otherwise if you like. Supersonic, I usually stick with the small rifle primers but I really don't load much of that stuff. Maybe 1500 rounds total in the last year of 147-150 grain 2000 FPS supers. 10X as much in subs. All the small rifle,pistol,magnum etc are the same dimensionally or at least enough so that the cups sit flush loaded. Never had a blown primer. Only pressure signs Ive ever had with 300 blk were from Nossler factory 110 grain ammo. I shoot a LOT as in 2-4 times a week mostly suppressed and inspect all my brass every time. Ive got 6000 or so cases I cycle through. Some has seen multiple loadings and some only once. I get maybe 2-3 a week where the primer fit is too sloppy to want to reuse the brass but thats more attributable to multiple reloadings than the type of primer I'm using.

[mordamer]

I have used small pistol magnum primers in subsonic loads with no problem.

I also believe that the "More consistent burn" thing is an internet myth for the most part when it comes to magnum primers. I may be remembering this incorrectly, but I believe that the primer cup hardness/thickness is the only difference between SR primers and SRM primers for most manufacturers. There is NO difference in the amount of primer compound used and the magnum primers are not more powerful. The manufacturers list their loads for 300 Blackout with magnum primers because they know people will use them in AR's with floating firing pins. The harder primer cup keeps the primer from inadvertently be set off when the bolt slams home on a live round.

[RDA]

I have used small pistol magnum primers in subsonic loads with no problem.

I also believe that the "More consistent burn" thing is an internet myth for the most part when it comes to magnum primers. I may be remembering this incorrectly, but I believe that the primer cup hardness/thickness is the only difference between SR primers and SRM primers for most manufacturers. There is NO difference in the amount of primer compound used and the magnum primers are not more powerful. The manufacturers list their loads for 300 Blackout with magnum primers because they know people will use them in AR's with floating firing pins. The harder primer cup keeps the primer from inadvertently be set off when the bolt slams home on a live round.

I don't agree, CCI 450 primers not only have a thicker cup, they are hotter (when compared to CCI 400). My test loads have proven this and many experts will also say the same.

[steven11b]

I don't see the need to use anything other then what was intended for in a certain application. Rifle for rifle, pistol for pistol. Even in 2012 and 2013 deep in the panic I still found and used the proper components. If anything I would think the .01 cent difference or whatever it is isn't worth others safety at the range around me or my own.

[RockyRiver]

If there actually were a safety concern that would be a valid point. I don't see that there is actually a problem other than small rifle are hard to get . There were about two solid years there where small rifle primers were about as common as .22 shells where I live. Couldnt buy them at any price. Its improved a little bit but its still not all the way there. Magnum pistol primers were and still are usually on the shelf. Once I figured out it didnt make a damn bit of difference I stopped caring. For subs especially there is no difference in performance or safety between small pistol magnum primers and small rifle primers. I have never ruptured a primer in 25 years of reloading of all sorts of rounds. Not once and I load shit hot hot hot. Stuff that doesnt get loaded hot like subsonic 300 BLK isnt a concern at all.

[DoubleJ]

I have used small pistol magnum primers in subsonic loads with no problem.

I also believe that the "More consistent burn" thing is an internet myth for the most part when it comes to magnum primers. I may be remembering this incorrectly, but I believe that the primer cup hardness/thickness is the only difference between SR primers and SRM primers for most manufacturers. There is NO difference in the amount of primer compound used and the magnum primers are not more powerful. The manufacturers list their loads for 300 Blackout with magnum primers because they know people will use them in AR's with floating firing pins. The harder primer cup keeps the primer from inadvertently be set off when the bolt slams home on a live round.

H110 won't burn right in my 500mag with standard large pistol primers. I get all this yellow goop back up the case walls in the cylinders. Same ladder with magnum primers, the goop goes away, and my ES numbers are about half.