Proper primer for Marlin 1894 .357

[borderman]

I have seen reloading manuals using both small pistol and small pistol magnum primers. I just wondered if there is a preferred primer for cast boolit loads. Boolit weights being used are 158 and 180 grains.

[ebner glocken]

The only real rule I've used with .357 mag is when using H-110 or ww 296 I use magnum primers. Where I live we don't see extreamly cold temps so the magnum primer isn't that big of an issue with other powders.

[beagle]

I normally use Small Pistol primers but I'm usually using powders other than the WW296 or H110. They might need a magnum. I've had no problems in using SP primers so far and that's over 20K through the rifle./beagle

[rmb721]

I use Sm Pistol Magnum primers with IMR 4227.

[44man]

I've been finding that primers act different in different guns. My .44 revolvers shoot real bad with a magnum primer but my Marlin shoots better with them. I am glad I tried them in the rifle.
My suggestion is to try both to see if there is a difference in accuracy.
I have been shooting the .44 and .45 forever with 296 and a standard primer with super tight groups and would have never believed the rifle likes the mag primer instead.
Don't be hard headed like me :drinks: keep an open mind!

[MT Gianni]

44Man, do you think primer striking force/hammer momentum has anything to do with it? I don't see how bbl length would matter. Gianni

[45r]

The best loads I've got out my 357CB have been with H-110 and CCI 550's with 185GC OGF and 180PB secants in cast.Best J-word (180 XTP's) with Lil-Gun and CCI-550's.All three of these have shot half inch 3 shot groups at 50 yards.The J-word load uses 15.6 grains Lil-Gun and does it with boring regularity and is plenty fast for a 357Mag.Lyman 358156 boolit's are very accurate with 2400 and standard Federal match primers in my 357 also.

[44man]

MT, no I think it has more to do with the boolit in the revolver being so far from the rifling. I use extra power springs in all of my revolvers ( And I still get 1-1/2# trigger pulls.) and think they hit harder then the Marlin does. Even with the tight neck tension and heavy boolits I use, I still believe it is possible for a too strong primer to move a boolit out a little. Any tiny change in overall length from shot to shot will raise cane with accuracy so I use a milder primer in revolvers until I get up to the .475 and above. These NEED the mag primer for accuracy, maybe because of the larger cases and the ability to absorb primer force without moving a boolit.
I will never be able to answer it fully because even with a boolit oversize for the throat, I still get better accuracy from a regular primer in the .44 and .45. If I had to shoot or hunt in severe cold I would give up a little accuracy and use the mag primer.
Why the mag shoots better in the rifle is funny because you would think a small increase in powder would equal it but it just don't work that way.
When I first started loading for the .44 in 1956, I used nothing but mag primers. It wasn't until I shot IHMSA that I found a vast difference in accuracy with mag primers tripling group size.

[Cracker]

I have been using SP primers with Unique and 2400 with no issuse, but I currently working up a load with H110 and may try Magnum primers.

[Jon K]

I usually drive the 180 hard, and I get good results with Fed 205 or Win WSR primers/H4227,H110, 296,1680.


Jon:cbpour: