Small rifle magnum primers.......

[3006guns]

Hope I put this in the right place.....

I discovered that I have a fair quantity of small rifle magnum primers, still wrapped in the plastic sleeves. Now, I don't shoot any magnum anything and would like to put them to work in cast boolit loads, for say .30 carbine or even .38 special (instead of small pistol).

There's always been warnings out there about jacked up pressures, etc. but what problems......if any....could I experience with the mild loads we use? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Mugs]

Use'um. I've used Rem. 7 1/2's for years in every thing that uses a small primer. That primer is one of the hottest SR primers. I load .30 carb. with 115 grn. cast at 1080 fps with great accuracy. I've even used them with good luck in the .22 Hornet. Like any switch of primers drop back and work up. You'll also find that some pistols will not hit 'um hard enough. Shoot 'um up!
Mugs
IHMSA 5940L

[3006guns]

Thanks Mugs......I thought it might be something like that!

[BD]

+1 on the Rem 7 1/2 primers. I use them to light full cases of H110 and 297 under cast boolits in the .450 B They work great!

BD

[Shiloh]

I used mine up by dropping the charges back about .2 grains. I never chrono'd them as I'm no where near max load anyway. They worked fine.

Shiloh

[9.3X62AL]

I just finished a bit of an experiment involving CCI SR (#400) and SRM (#450) primers in the 223 Rem bolter a few weeks back. Velocity and accuracy shooting 55 grain BalTips atop 25.0 grains of WC-844 showed no significant variance between the primer types in the 16.5" barrel of the Ruger 77RC. There was a slight difference in the primer edge radius between the SR and SRM after firing, though--the Magnum caps had a bit more curve to them. This is admittedly a "soft" 223 load.

Could it be that the principal difference between the CCI SR and SRM primers is cup strength, rather than heat range/brisance?

[baker1425]

I quit buying small pistol primers in favor of small rifle and small rifle magnum. I've had no ignition or pressure issues in midrange loads

[3006guns]

There was always some issue with pressures, supposedly. In addition, some pistol hammer springs didn't have the "oomph" for reliable ignition due to a harder cup. I've always had suspicions about both claims........glad I asked now! Since most of my S&W's are the old style with fairly heavy hammer springs, I'll start using these for mid range .38 special loads and save my stash of small pistol.

[Trapaddict]

I don't know about the US manufacturers of SM Rifle Magnum primers but the Wolf primers I purchased claim that they are identical with regard to the amount of priming compound in the primer as a standard small rifle primer. Difference is that the magnums have a thicker cup to help prevent slam fires in semi and full auto weapons with free floating firing pins like the AR-15 and M-16 family.

Jeff