Small Rifle Mag Primers

[1Shirt]

:Just came into 1000 Fed SR Mag Primers. Now I need to know what to do with them (safely). I am not real prone to expermentation, so seek the advice of those with experiance with mag primers in non mag cases with both cast and jacketed. I load for K-Hornet, 222, 223, and 22-250. Any advice based upon real life application would be greatly appreciated. I thank in advance all those who answer this thread.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[Shiloh]

The only knowledge I have of them being used is by a coyote hunter. He used surplus ball powders and hunted at night in frigid weather. He liked the assurance of the hotter ignition in the .223.

I have some from years ago that I used with the same surplus powders in .223. These powders once plentiful, could and did vary from lot to lot. I started at 5% below start load and worked up. This was before I had a chronograph so I can't give you documented evidential stats. There were no pressure signs, sticky extraction, or flattened primers. I saw no advantage over non-magnum primers which I don't use. Canister grade powders will probably have different results.

Others may have more empirical data. Hope this helps.

Shiloh

[docone31]

I never noticed a difference.
Of course, untill recently, I never shot even well enough to be satisfied with a load.
I could get it on paper, but I never had a chance to really measure it.
All my years of loading, I am picky untill I find my sweet spot. Then I relax. With lead especially, you are not going hypersonic. I usually load on the starting loads. Sometimes, rarely, I go up some grains. I watched for cratering, primer pocket expansion. Except for my Dan Wesson .357 Supermag, I never got out of the ordinary primer signatures. I have even loaded pistol primers in my rifle loads.
No real biggee. The point to remember, is, I go less than warp speed with all my loads.
Go easy.
After a while, I used to use only Magnum primers. The loads behaved themselves pretty well.

[garandsrus]

1Shirt,

The 22-250 uses LR primers so the SR won't work too well :)

John

[Winger Ed.]

Years ago I ended up will a large number of SR & some SRM primers.
I don't shoot any rifles that take a small primer, so I put some into .38Spec. & .357
cases with 'medium-ish' loads I use for a Marlin lever actoin. They work great for that.

For the .222 & .223 they'll probably do fine.
However, being a little hotter- I'd work up the loads using a chronograph.
And being thicker, they won't show pressure signs as soon as the standard SR does.

[Calamity Jake]

"Just came into 1000 Fed SR Mag Primers. Now I need to know what to do with them "

Just send them to me, I'll take care of em for you!!! :kidding:

[Seafarer12]

A lot of people use them in the 223's. My Sierra book lists Rem 7 1/2 on all their 223 loads. SRM are close to Benchrest primers. I would worry about using them in 222's.

[Newtire]

The place I get my stuff (only one around here) sometimes only has magnum primers. I use them and have good results. I have used them in .32-20 and .30 carbine with all kinds of powders.

[1Shirt]

Well, I guess I got enough positive answers to be able to make a logical decision of what to load. Thanks guys!
1Shirt!:coffee::coffee:

[ddeaton]

I bought a couple boxes of magnum pistol primers by mistake a couple gun shows ago. Was in a big hurry with the crowd and didnt pay attention. I am going to use them in my light 45 plinkers. Got to look close at the box.

[Larry Gibson]

1Shirt

I'm an old coyote hunter that also learned the hard way about ignition problems in frigid weather with a .223. Lost several 'yote's from hang fires when using standard primers (CCI 400s and BRs) with ball powders (748, BLC2 and H335). A test over the chronograh (I had my first Oehler in '75) showed 250-400 fps variation with regular primers in such weather (under 15 degrees) when the rifle and ammo were conditioned to the ambiant temperature.

A switch to magnum primers (CCI 450s and Winchester SRs) solved the problem. I now only load ball powders if using a magnum type primer.

Larry Gibson