Old WW Sm Pistol Mag Primer Question

[cabezaverde]

I am on a mission to use up all of the old primers I have accumulated, and restocking with new ones as I find them at reasonable prices.

So:

I have 2 bricks of 1000 WW Small Pistol Magnum primers. These are in the old boxes with the Large W, show Olin as the owner of Winchester - pre "For Magnum and Sandard Loads".

Here is my question - I loaded up about 25 rounds of my standard 38 practice load - 150 grain RNFP over 4.0 231. This is a fairly mild load.

These primers all went bang, but had an odd visual appearance after firing. Looked like flattening in the way it filled the diameter of the pocket, but the face of the primer was not bulged out - it was actually slightly below flush.

I am just wondering if these magnum primers could have been made with a soft cup. Anybody have any memories of these things?

[runfiverun]

they changed to a harder cup for a while [silver] then went to a more sensitive cup [brass] more recently.
you probably have some between thier staynless and the harder cup.

[cabezaverde]

These are silver cup.

[44man]

I would not worry at all, just shoot them. Primers are not a good indication of pressure. If the gun has a little more head space, the primer will back out when fired and then the brass goes back to re-seat it making it flat. Some are soft and just flatten anyway.
The life span of powder and primers is amazing.

[Shiloh]

Unless you are shooting max or even hot loads, you'll be fine.

Earlier this year in the depths of winter doldrums I went through my stock as well. I'm doing the same thing you are. With primers and powders. I have some large rifle primers that have the little wooden trays in the sleeve.

I'm also using up about a third of a can of Hercules Unique with the pull up spout. Still shoots as well as it did when new.

SHiloh

[That'll Do]

...Here is my question - I loaded up about 25 rounds of my standard 38 practice load - 150 grain RNFP over 4.0 231. This is a fairly mild load.

These primers all went bang, but had an odd visual appearance after firing. Looked like flattening in the way it filled the diameter of the pocket, but the face of the primer was not bulged out - it was actually slightly below flush.

I am just wondering if these magnum primers could have been made with a soft cup. Anybody have any memories of these things?

Given the fact that the load you're using isn't a hot one, I wouldn't worry about the flattened primers. When I use Federal primers (either large or small sizes) I get flattened primers with nearly every charge weight. Some primers just have softer cups.

[runfiverun]

i wouldn't stress it either.
you just have some from the late 60's or so, no biggie.
primers change all the time win and rem seem to like to flop back and forth with thier stuff all the time.
rem's premier shotgun primers were about as cold as you could get and you needed to burn another half grain of powder to get the same velocities.
no big deal a half grain you say, but to a guy that reloads about 40,000 shotshell rounds a year that adds up to about 3 lbs a season.
they then went a step above the win primers pushing them down a notch in brisance level.
same thing with their hulls better hulls often translates into case sales just for the hulls.
this is why you see different opinions on what is best in a light striking handgun or in a military rifle.
both guy's are correct but not comparing apples.

[shotman]

since you are doing plinker loads try a few dropping 1 gr of powder. I use small rifle in the 38s and drop to 2gr of bullseye . seems ok
the reason for the small rifle is I have 25.000

[JIMinPHX]

I am on a mission to use up all of the old primers I have accumulated, and restocking with new ones as I find them at reasonable prices.


When you find new ones at reasonable prices????? Please post to let us know when that happens!

Primers in general are STARTING to loosen up a little, here in the Phoenix area, but small pistol primers are still as hard to find as Bigfoot.