The Primer Problem?

[John Swez]

Hi everyone; I just joined the Cast Boolits forum. I am an avid antique gun collector shooter and therefore a reloader also. I have reloaded 47/70 Trapdoors for years. Just a few weeks ago I came across a Martini Henri Mark II at IMA and bought one. I have always wanted one of these. So I started to collect all the stuff I needed to form the Martini Henri cartridge. Several weeks later (now) I have accumulated everything; except, guess what! The large pistol primer needed for the 24 Gauge Shotshell from which I fabricate the Martini Henri cartridge. I don't think there is one primer left in the United States available for purchase! However, I have a few boxes of CCI large rifle primers left over from my trapdoor shooting. My question is could I possible fit and shoot the large pistol primer in my 24 Gauge Shotshell cartridge? Anyone know where I can buy some primers? Thanks.
I am kind of anxious to shoot my Martini Henri.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I just came back from a visit to the LGS.
they have lots of primers in stock. all flavors... $36 to $40 per thou.
they limited purchases to 1K per type.
I picked up some Win WLR and CCi #400 SR
an employee was just putting some Win WSP on the shelf, looked like 20K of them.
Jon

edited Oh yeah, welcome to the best cast boolit website. and I'm not sure what your are asking about the martini ?

[John Swez]

Are you up in Minnisota? Do you have an address or website for LGS? I appreciate this very much. I am just interested in a couple of hundred of large pistol primers for now? Also, if the LR primer will
fit in the 24 gauge shotshell case, I will cautiously try it out. Thanks JonB and excell650. What I was asking about the primer was just the availability of it so I can try making some rounds. Sincerely,
John Swez

[Fluxed]

I would not use rifle primers in your cases - I think they will protrude and perhaps go off when you close the action. I suspect you can use a large rifle size primer pocket uniformer and cut the pocket so that it would be deep enough and safe to use.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

John,
yes, I am in Minnesota.
My LGS:
http://www.littlecrowsports.com/

[SciFiJim]

John,
LGS = local gun shop

Large rifle primers are taller than large pistol primers. I would be concerned about having them protrude from the case bottom when closing the action. If you use a large rifle primer pocket uniformer to ream the pockets deeper, you might have ignition problems later if you go back to large pistol primers.

One thing to consider, cut the primer pockets deeper of SOME of your brass and mark them as such. That way you can shoot either primers as needed by availability of primers.

As with all new loads, start low and work up.