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Thread: Mag primers

  1. #1
    Boolit Master lead chucker's Avatar
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    Mag primers

    I would like to know how much should a guy reduce his load when using small federal mag primers in a 9mm? I don't have any small pistol primers except a brick of mag primers. I also have to seat the bullet a little deeper with powder coating. My bullet is a 120 gr that actually come out to 128 gr after powder coat. I have allot of unique powder and was thinking 3.6 gr for starters. I will be shooting this in a S&W M&P shield 2.0. What do you guys think?
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  2. #2
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    Same thing happened to me. As primers dried up, I took what I could get.
    I got a brick of CCI SPMag primers and needed to load some 9mm 120 cast.

    I work out of the Lyman book, and for the powder I was using, I went right in the middle between Minimum and max. loads.
    I haven't done a lot of scientific research on it, but they work fine.
    I don't powder coat, but I think you'll be OK doing the same thing.

    For the Smith, you could probably gas 'em up a bit more.
    For me, if its accurate, and the steel plate falls down, I call it good.
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  3. #3
    Boolit Master lead chucker's Avatar
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    Thanks for that Winger. I just don't want a stuck bullet with that light of a load but in that short barrel not too concerned. I also have a Kelltech sub 2000 and would not want a stuck bullet. I have a few 9mm guns and you know how it is. you would like one load to work in all of them which usually doesn't happen. Just trying to be safe.
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  4. #4
    Boolit Master lead chucker's Avatar
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    Using the powder coating stopped all my leading issues. I tried every thing and my 9mm pistoles would lead the barrel except the sub 2000. I size all my 9mmto.358
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  5. #5
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lead chucker View Post
    . Just trying to be safe.
    That's a good idea.

    The folks that do all the testing & such seem to do it well.
    I've never had any problems with anything starting off with minimum powder charges.
    The only ill effect I've noticed is sometimes a minimum charge in a automatic won't kick it open far enough
    to grab & chamber the next round.

    Rumor has it that mag primers are a bit hotter, and the cup is a bit thicker than standard.
    Then ya get to Winchester that has theirs labeled for standard or magnum loads.

    In your situation, I'd load a few with 'middle of the road' powder weights, test 'em, see what ya got,,,, then work up or down from there.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


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  6. #6
    Boolit Master lead chucker's Avatar
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    I have used small rifle primers for my 9mm and they work but some times you get a miss fire and if you hit it again it will go off. My Kelltech does it some times. I have heard the small rifle primers have thicker cups so you need a harder strike. I have allot of small rifle primers. I use them in my 223 and 300BO
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    Boolit Master lead chucker's Avatar
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    I'm going to the range tomorrow and going to do some testing and have some fun. The Unique powder i got was from my neighbor he sold me 2.5 pounds for $40.00 it was in the old fiber cans i tried some in my 45 acp and it still worked He used it in shot guns back in the day and doesnt have a use for it any more. I thought it was a good deal. Powder and primers dont even exist any more where i live.
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  8. #8
    Boolit Master 243winxb's Avatar
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    I been using Wspm primers. The 4.1 Unique is Speers starting load for 125 lead. I fired 4.3 grs. Maximum is 4.5. Tested 3 other powder, 2/10 grs below maximum, no issues. My cast diameter is .3568" Lee 356-120-TC. COL 1.045" for Taurus G3C.

    https://www.speer.com/reloading/handgun-data.html

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    No issues here with Magtech SP mag primers in 9 mm.

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    Boolit Buddy fa38's Avatar
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    I have shot SP mag and small rifle in several handguns. They don’t work in my Rem R51 or my S&W 638. Hammer and striker springs to weak. They work in two 1911 9mms and my Smith 14 38. and the L frame .357.
    M. Stenback

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    Reloading 101; Any time there is a compoment change, do another load work up. Start fresh with new components...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Super Vel did a video on this a while back https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGVRGsoOr6k

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by lead chucker View Post
    I would like to know how much should a guy reduce his load when using small federal mag primers in a 9mm? I don't have any small pistol primers except a brick of mag primers. I also have to seat the bullet a little deeper with powder coating. My bullet is a 120 gr that actually come out to 128 gr after powder coat. I have allot of unique powder and was thinking 3.6 gr for starters. I will be shooting this in a S&W M&P shield 2.0. What do you guys think?
    You'll find the answer here; https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...mers-psi-tests

    Bottom line 3.6 gr unique will produce only so much pressure under a given bullet regardless of the primer used.
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
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  14. #14
    Boolit Master

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    Don't load to max. That's all folk!

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by mdi View Post
    Reloading 101; Any time there is a component change, do another load work up. Start fresh with new components...
    This is the best advice, I use mag SP and SR in my 9 mm's and sp .45 but always do a load work up.

  16. #16
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    I haven't done the conversion in pistol primers, but I did it a few years ago with LRP's. I bought a brick of LRP's from our LGS that turned out to be a large rifle standard primer box with 10 flats of LRMP's. I reduced the powder start charge, I believe Reloader 17, by 1 grain and fired 5 rounds. Resulting in no difference in any aspect. Sorry I don't still have the numbers I recorded but in my opinion if you don't use the max charge you should be fine. Incidentally, I have never needed to go max charge on any data to get the best results.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    I don’t load to max loads. I have been using SP, SPM and SR primers interchangeably with no issues in any of my 9mm’s. l’m using a Lee 358-125 rf powder coated boolit, sized .357 over 3.4gr Unique. YMMV

  18. #18
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    Leadchucker, looks like its about time to make a trip to anchor town... if the ferry is running u might be able to stock up on the road system?
    Any technology not understood, can seem like Magic!!!

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  19. #19
    Boolit Master lead chucker's Avatar
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    I had a friend in Anchorage last weekend and no powder or primers any where.
    Dont pee down my back and tell me its raining.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master fredj338's Avatar
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    If you are loading at max, everything matters & you should reduce the charge & work back up. THis includes bullet changes, OAL changes & even case brands. Having said that, if your loads are midrange & below, a mag primer isnt changing much. Also powders matter. I have found faster powders dont really care what they ignite with, slower powders do benefit from hotter primers. With my midrange ammo across many calibers, I plug & play my primers.
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check