SR primers instead of LR primers

[Johnch]

I was reloading some 454 tonight and had a brain storm or something ...........


As it is well posted , sometimes swiching to a large pistol primer produces better groups than a LR primer

But I always worry about peicered primers and the extra pressures we run in rifle loads

But then I remembered many moons back when I started loading 454 ammo
The first brass I had a primer pocket for a LR or LP primer , I don't remember witch

But soon someone ( Freedom Arms ?) came out with a steel insert to press into the large primer pocket to reduce it to take a small rifle primer

I wonder if that would be a better solution ?
Using a primer designed to take the pressure , but with less energy .

I looked on Freedom Arms site , but didn't see any primer pocket inserts
But that didn't suprise me
I bet I used them 20 years ago

I wonder if it would be feasable to try and make some to test some loads with ?
Probely cost a arm and a leg to make the few cast bullet shooters would use

Just a thought to get the wheels spinning
Maybe one of you has a stash of them :drinks:

If I get a chance , for laughs I may try calling Freedom Arms


John

[454PB]

As long as the pressure was held down to 40K or so, a pistol primer would probably work fine.

A lot of .454 owners load .45 Colt brass to very high pressure without primer problems.

Personally, I prefer to use .454 Casull brass and standard SR primers. I've had ignition problems with CCI 450 primers.....the cups are just too thick!

[georgeld]

John:
Measure the ID of a LR cup and see if a SR/P would fit firm enough inside it.

OR pick out the contents and try one.

Then all you'd have to do is drill the bottom off them IF they'd fit tight enough.

I have no idea, so it's up to you to check it out.

Good, luck.

I just swap primers and shoot em, never had a problem But, I've never traded Sm for large except women and sometimes thats fun, other times it's not. hehe.

[44man]

The biggest problem with any rifle primer in the revolver is if the mainspring is strong enough. Most standard springs are around 23#. You need a minimum of 26# and 30# is better for rifle primers. For any that changed to lighter springs, stay away from rifle primers.
I know of a guy that had his revolver fail to fire. He turned towards his friend and just said "the gun didn't" and it went off. He shot his friend in the knee. He had a spring kit in the gun and it barely fired LP primers.

[leftiye]

All of my .454 brass takes Small rifle or pistol primers (no inserts).

[PatMarlin]

Do we have a comprehensive thread on primer swaps? We need a sticky.. :drinks:

[PatMarlin]

All of my .454 brass takes Small rifle or pistol primers (no inserts).


Yah- mine too.. :confused:

[Dale53]

I believe that "late" (meaning new) .454 Casull brass takes small rifle primers. With full loads it is expressly stated to use SMALL RIFLE primers, only. I do remember that the original .454 Casull brass used large primers. Problems arose in heavy .454 loads and now we have small rifles primers that apparently solved that problem.

I don't know of any present day source of primer pocket bushings.

Dale53

[TAWILDCATT]

you do know that pistol and rifle primers have deferent hights.
---:coffee: ----:Fire: ----:coffee:

[drinks]

Katt, LR and LP are .010" different, but I believe, subject to correction, SR and SP are the same height.

[PatMarlin]

We really need a definitive thread on primers, so I can learn somethin' here and revert back to it... :drinks:

Maybe the sticky monsters will see this.. :mrgreen:

[snowtigger]

I have a spring kit in my SRH 454 Casull. I have found that I have no problems when I use Federal or Winchester SR primers. I shy away from CCI primers.
PS; For hunting, I replace the lighter spring with the original. I don't want misfires in the field, regardless of what ammo I choose.
Far from home, I could be forced to buy (shudder) factory loaded ammo.

[Dale53]

drinks;
You are correct. LP and LR have different heights. However, SR and SP have cups that have identical "outside" measurements. However, SR has thicker cups. Thicker cups are needed with full power .454 Casull loads as some of them run at 60,000 PSI. THAT is why small RIFLE primers are recommended for the .454.

Dale53

[HORNET]

Then, of course, Federal lists their #200 primer as small rifle/ high-velocity small pistol....just to confuse the issue.