Small pistol vs Small rifle primes in .38-.357

[fecmech]

Due to my inability to buy any small pistol primers on a recent trip I bought 3000 CCI Small Rifle primers instead. I still have about a years supply of small pistol primers but I was getting nervous. Today I loaded two of my most accurate loads in the .38 and .357 for my Model 94 winchester to see what if any effect the SR's would have on my loads versus the SP's. The primers were CCI 400 Small rifle and Mag Tech Small pistol and the powders were Unique and WC 820 ( this lot mimics my 296).I fired 10 shots each of the bench using a rest and a peep sight over the chrono screens at 50 yds. Due to some incoming rain I fired fairly quick but as accurate as I could. As I expected the Unique RP load had a higher es and sd than the SP load but the group was slightly better which surprised me. The SR load in WC 820 was super uniform and more accurate than the SP load putting all 10 in 2.25"@ 50 yds. The . 38 load used the H&G #39 RN 158 gr and the WC 820 used Lyman 358429.

5.1 Unique/SR Prime
High--1124
Low--1036
ES----- 88
SD-------25
Avg 1079

5.1 Unique/SP

HI 1091
Low1047
ES----44
SD---- 12
Avg 1066

14.9/wc820/CCI SR
High- 1677
Low 1653
ES-- 24
SD---- 6
Avg 1667

14.9/WC820/SP
High 1682
Low 1633
ES-- 49
SD--- 15
Avg 1662

I loaded some of the CCI SR primed .38's in my K 38 and fired two cyls full DA and had only one misfire which was a nice surprise. My K 38 is my old PPC gun which has a nice 8 lb DA trigger.
All in all I think the small rifle primers will work out just fine till the SP's become available again.

[Mugs]

I've used SR primers in .357 for about 25 years. Saves on amount of inventory.
Mugs
IHMSA 5940L

[SciFiJim]

Where are you finding small rifle primers? Here in CA those are completely absent. You can still find small pistol primers locally if you are willing to pay $80/thousand.

[stubshaft]

Like Mugs, I've used SR primers in 357's for years.

[fecmech]

I got them on my way through ST Louis last week from HyTech for $30/K
http://www.hi-techammo.com/

[BIGGUNGOBOOM]

I was going to start a thread about this, but FECMECH beat me to the punch. seeming that I have many CCI small rifle, and cant find small pistol, I was contemplating trying SR. I was going to ask but didn't feel like being called an Idiot or something "not that you guys would" Anyways. so I don't have enough Small pistol and would like to know as far as 357/38 Special and 44 mag "LR". Can you use small rifle and large rifle primers in these case's . they of course are wheel guns.

(1) do you need to extend the primer pocket depth to run small rifle primers in a 38/357 and also large rifle primers in a 44 mag wheel gun ???? what about a chance of recoil setting off one of the other cylinders primers?

(2) I suppose that if everything is ok, then should your good load be down loaded, or start reworking your load for the rifle primers.

(3) Any chance that the rifle primers can possibly HURT or DESTROY the gun?

Thanks for starting this post FECMECH

[Bret4207]

Big gun- there is enough variation between cases, headspace and firing pin strike to negate the deeper pocket issue IMO. Obviously you wouldn't use cases where the primer is grossly high, but by using common sense loading procedures you can use rifle primers in handgun case and vice versa. I wouldn't want to replace a LRM with a LP primer in something like a 378 Weatherby or use a SRM to lite off 1.2 gr BE in a 32 S+W, but I suppose it would work in a pinch. Just be observant and use common sense.

[fecmech]

As has been posted by others and my measurements on small rifle primers confirm, they are sized the same. OTOH large rifle are slightly taller than large pistol primers and may cause a problem in wheel guns, you would just have to try them and see.

[Boz330]

I use SR primers in my major loads in 38 Super, have for years. In my gun the SRs were actually slower than SP primers but you didn't have to worry about pierced primers. If you are really worried about the high rifle primers you could ream the pocket a little deeper on some of your brass, to get you by.

Bob

[Old Ironsights]

It's yet another reason I love .357 above all other handgun cartridges...

The word "options" doesn't even come close.

[S.R.Custom]

(1) do you need to extend the primer pocket depth to run small rifle primers in a 38/357 and also large rifle primers in a 44 mag wheel gun ???? what about a chance of recoil setting off one of the other cylinders primers?

I recently compared the dimensions of all the major brands of Small pistol and rifle primers; there is no meaningful difference in the sizes. In fact, some brands of small pistol primers were actually taller by a few thoudandths than some other brands of small rifle primers...

[BIGGUNGOBOOM]

Great Info guys, thanks you very much, It will give me something to think about.

[HORNET]

FWIW, the Federal 200 Small Rifle primer was also listed by Federal as High Velocity Small Pistol.