Which primers?

[hardy]

Hi all,which primers do you use for cast boolit loads in(mostly).30cal. milsurps and why?Large rifle or Large pistol? I also have converted some Berdan brass to use 209s.Personally I,ve not noticed any bolt face cratering due to my reloads leaking gas past the primers but I do have an old 98/06 sporter which has some cratering which ,to be honest,I didn,t see when buying it and I,ve only shot low pressure loads through.Your input,as always,will be much appreciated.Cheers,Mike.

[pietro]

AFAIK, "rifle" primers have a thicker cup to better withstand higher rifle pressures (as opposed to pistol pressures); "Pistol" primer's cups are thinner because pistols generally don't generate as much pressure as rifles (those that do are usually factory made with small rifle primers IIRC), and because pistols have mainsprings that are not as powerful as rifle mainsprings, making a thicker primer cup counter-productive.

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it............................

.

[405]

In standard bolt mil surps, I use standard large rifle primers in large rifle cases. I don't understand any really good reason to do otherwise. Also, I use thick/hard primers in mil semi autos like CCI #34 primers in the Garand. The thick/hard small rifle primer is recommended for the small caliber (small rifle primer) mil semi autos.

[paul h]

Use large rifle primers. Some militiary bolt rifles will pierce pistol primers due to the thin pistol primer cup.

[Bullet Caster]

Well, I use large rifle primers in my .30-06 brass for my M1 and small pistol primers in my 9mm and large pistol primers in .45 ACP and .45 Colt. I'm one for not mixing things up. BC

[frnkeore]

The most common cast bullet pressures don't go over the rating for pistol primers (about 43K cup) so, there is no danger involve in the vast majority of milsurp or american bolt rifles.

That said, I use both as a accuracy (usually pistol first) tool to find tune a load. I also use pistol primers to look for pressure signs, they will show cratering and flattening before rifle primers.

Frank