Federal Magnum Lg. Rifle Primers

[jednorris]

I normally use Winchester Lg. Rifle Standard primers in my B.P. .40/65 load. I load 58 Gr. of Swiss 1-1/2 with a .30 fiber wad behind a 410 gr. bullet I am running out and replacement of Winchester primers is not going to happen soon. I have 300 Federal L.R. Magnum primers and am considering using them until I run out. I need opinions

[smithnframe]

That's all I use in my Sharps rifles with blackpowder loads! I didn't mention calibers.......45/70 and 45100!

[Chill Wills]

I normally use Winchester Lg. Rifle Standard primers in my B.P. .40/65 load. I load 58 Gr. of Swiss 1-1/2 with a .30 fiber wad behind a 410 gr. bullet I am running out and replacement of Winchester primers is not going to happen soon. I have 300 Federal L.R. Magnum primers and am considering using them until I run out. I need opinions

Sure. I think you are on the right track.
I use standard Large pistol primers as a mater of course and Like Remington 2-1/2, as well as Federal standard Large pistol match.

I don't know what all you have in your inventory, but give them a try. You for sure don't need a magnum primer, either pistol nor rifle version, to set off the BP. Standard pistol primers work well. However, if the magnums are what is available, you may find a great (accurate) load. Try them.

There is one exception to the pistol primer use; older rifles, and by older I mean 1800's era rifles sometimes had very large firing pins in the 0.091 - 0125" diameter range. Sometimes pistol primers will rupture in these rifles. Firing pin erosion happens fast. Be aware if you are trying pistol primers in one of these.

[tmanbuckhunter]

All I use for BPCR are standard large rifle primers. Haven't found a magnum primer to make much of a difference.

[dtknowles]

I use magnum rifle primers in my 450 BPE with 110 grains of BP. I don't know that you would notice the difference.

Tim

[indian joe]

magnum primers were all the rage for BPCR 20 years ago - the rage seems to have faded over the years - been there tried both couldn't notice a difference. I like Federal LR primers they seem to be a bit softer - (need less of a whack to set them off ) suits me I have a couple rifles I weakened mainspring to get a decent trigger letoff.
Had some failures with winchester brass coloured primers ages ago - flat out would not go off no matter what - dunno how old they were - I always thought Winchester was silver . Anyway - switched to federal - the big boxes are kinda silly but the primers are good.!

[Randy Bohannon]

I have one load for my 45-70 , 500 gr. Pointy Brooks bullet .460” and 80 grs. of Old Eynesford 1.5 Fed LMRP that shoots into one hole @200 yds. You just have to try them.

[indian joe]

I have one load for my 45-70 , 500 gr. Pointy Brooks bullet .460” and 80 grs. of Old Eynesford 1.5 Fed LMRP that shoots into one hole @200 yds. You just have to try them.

Maybe I do -----cant see that hole at 200 is a bit of a problem for me.....................

[Lead pot]

I have one load for my 45-70 , 500 gr. Pointy Brooks bullet .460” and 80 grs. of Old Eynesford 1.5 Fed LMRP that shoots into one hole @200 yds. You just have to try them.

Randy, I get a lot of pone hole groups too, but they are scattered all over the paper

[chill45100]

As mentioned above magnum primers were used when I was competing in BPCR. My load used Federal 215M (match primers) and while probably not necessary the did ignite winning loads in my rifle. Browning 1885 in .45-70 purpose built for BPCR silhouette and mid-range.

[Tom Trevor]

Plenty of primers available on Gunbroker. Oh say for a thousand large rifle 300.00+. Just nuts

[Chill Wills]

Plenty of primers available on Gunbroker. Oh say for a thousand large rifle 300.00+. Just nuts

WOW!
I think some of us squirrels that prepared for winter should sell our extra primers to the needy with deep pockets. I would happy to be rewarded for my thinking ahead. The Clinton primer years taught some of us older guys.

[Randy Bohannon]

I have a friend that is a Sheriffs Deputy and works the customer service detail . He is forever having little old ladies bringing him the dead husbands expendables like primers and powder. He boxes them up and gives them to me, I determine what’s usable and destroy what’s not. I have zero concerns for the rest of my life,my Son has no worries either.

[Don McDowell]

I normally use Winchester Lg. Rifle Standard primers in my B.P. .40/65 load. I load 58 Gr. of Swiss 1-1/2 with a .30 fiber wad behind a 410 gr. bullet I am running out and replacement of Winchester primers is not going to happen soon. I have 300 Federal L.R. Magnum primers and am considering using them until I run out. I need opinions

You may have to adjust your load a bit to get the same accuracy. One thing you might try before changing powder charges if the accuracy isn't there, is to punch a 38 cal wad from newspaper, or such and dropping it in the case over the flash hole before dropping the powder charge.

[John Boy]

Seat the magnums in the cases, then put a construction paper wad inside the cases next to the primer hole. It will reduce the primer flash and briance to that of a LR primer

[MP2Day]

Seat the magnums in the cases, then put a construction paper wad inside the cases next to the primer hole. It will reduce the primer flash and briance to that of a LR primer

I was thinking about that... something over the primer hole to mitigate flash a bit. I was thinking more a newspaper wad (really thin). Have you run the construction paper over the primer hole? Did it work out well? Mind sharing the caliber/load? I’m really curious...

[rfd]

Tried primer wads outside and inside - didn't have any effect for me with sharps or rollers in .45-70 bp ppb cartridges.

Lotsa different camps on what primers to use with the straight wall 19th century cartridges, primers from pistol standard to rifle magnum and everyone sez their way is right ... at least for them. I'm more interested in primer consistency and prefer standard large rifle match-grade primers, federal or cci.

[Lead pot]

I'm in the same ballpark with you with this one Rob.

I don't know how many equally loaded rounds with the same can of powder and bullets cast with the same casting session primers and wad stacks. I cut the paper with the pistol primer whit testing it with pistol primers to keep the primer flush with the case head and put the paper under the powder in the case. I did not see any improvement good or bad.
Bit I dis see a change on the face of the breach block when I cleaned the rifle. Gas cut from the paper blowing the pressure back past the primer cup from the pressure build up going through the paper.

[John Boy]

Lead pot, interesting. Never noticed that on the face of the block when I used the wads in a Sharps ...

[Lead pot]

John,
I hear that comment a lot when I mention this, and it's not the brass with worn primer pockets. I don't know for sure if it was the pistol primers or the rifle primers that caused this for sure, but I also have a CPA breach block that is on the .44-100 caliber that has shot nothing but LR primers that looks worse than this Sharps block.

While your seeing this.
Is there anything planned at Ridgeway next season? or are they holding back to schedule anything for next season till the red bug gets settled.

Kurt