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Thread: Question on primers

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Question on primers

    Recently a friend passed away that lived a few counties away from me, his Wife gave me some of the reloading suplies that she couldn't sell on evil bay. it was large pistol and small rifle primers, question is can I use the large pistol primers in loading 45/70s, and the small rifle primers in .38/.357? If it wasn't for the haz mat regs I'd mail them to the first guy that could use em. Around here most "shooters" have that trusty old thutty-thutty and fire a few rounds every couple of years to check for sighting just before deer season, and all of them use factory ammo. Actually I'm known as the old nut that makes his own boolits out of lead, LOL, so I can't even give them away around here, any advice would be appreciated..............................steg

    Btw their was also a cigar box of 125 Gr JHP's I'll be selling those when I get around to counting them out.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master oldhickory's Avatar
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    I've used standard small rifle primers in S&W M&P .38spl. with no issues other than adjusting the load, same as switching from one primer brand to another. I've never tried large pistol primers in a rifle cartridge, I think there's a slight differance in height, (about .005"?).
    Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

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  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master


    missionary5155's Avatar
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    Good morning
    I have used LP pistol primers in rifle cartriges that were loaded with easy to ignite powders like Unique, 2400, 4227....
    If loading BP they will work also.
    "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
    Male Guanaco out in dry lakebed at 10,800 feet south of Arequipa.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master

    dale2242's Avatar
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    I have a friend that tried large Pistol primers in his 45-70 Contender pistol. He said they would not fire. I`m not sure if this is typical , but that`s the only experience with LP primers in rifles I`ve had. I have used Small rifle primers in heavy 357 Mag loads with 296 powder with no issues. The somewhat harder rifle primer cups may not give you a true means of seeing high pressures...dale

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    BPCR shooters frequently use Large Pistol primers in 45-70 BP loads. Ofcourse, those rifles seldom have problems igniting a primer!
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  6. #6
    Boolit Master mroliver77's Avatar
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    The large pistol primers are a touch shorter than large rifle but I have never had a problem igniting them. In the 45-70 0r any rifle with cast level loads they should be fine. As has been said the small rifle will work in .357, just work up loads as you would with any new primer.
    Jay
    "The .30-06 is never a mistake." Townsend Whelen

    "THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."
    Thomas Paine

  7. #7
    Boolit Master

    Moonie's Avatar
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    small rifle primers can be treated as small pistol magnum primers for the most part.

    The cup's are the same thickness and priming compound if not the same is very similar in brisance.

    With large primers things are a little different. Rifle primers are indeed longer, large pistol primers in a pocket designed for large rifle can have issues with not going off if they are seated the same. You must seat pistol primers deeper in the pocket so the feet of the anvil are resting on the bottom of the cup.

    I wouldn't use high pressure loads or loads of hard to ignite slow rifle powder with large pistol primers but other than that I'd drop down and work up existing loads with them and not worry much.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thanks alot for the info guys, I didn't think that their would be a problem with the small rifle, and I was planning to use the large pistol with cat sneeze loads in the 45/70, I should have included that when I asked, thanks again..................steg

  9. #9
    Banned

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    i generally use lp primers up to 40k after that rifle.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check