Handguns....just curious

[youarenotcrazy]

As I sat and watched my good friend deprime 50 .44mag cases that he'd accidentally put large rifle primers in, I had to wonder had we not caught the error what would happen? Does anyone have any insight into the real differences between the types of primers? I never intend to confuse the two, just wondering "what if"...

[Laker_Taker]

I shoot a .454 and they use a small rifle primer. Read this this should answer your question. http://www.chuckhawks.com/primers.htm

Hope this is helpful Aaron

[LRHWAL]

Small Rifle and Small Pistol primers are dimensionally the same - I use SRP's in my 357 Mag Freedom Arms revolver and have done so in other 357 loads before too.

It is also common practice in many of the high pressure pitol loads used for open class IPSC shooting (9X23, 38 Super etc) and some guys do it in 40 S&W too. And yes, the 454 Cassul is designed to use SRP's.

THe cup is generally harder / thicker and is less inclined to "flow" or pierce with high pressure loads.

Large Rifle primers and Large Pistol primers are not the same "height". If I recall the LPP's are shallower.

I've seen comments that there is no detrimental effect, but obviously there would be a potential problem if the base of the primer were standing proud of the case and dragging on the recoil shield or something.

I'm not sure if your comment was based on how "hot" the primers are, or on dimensions.

[Fiftydriver]

It would really depend on what level of pressure his loads were loaded to. If he was using a very top end load developed with a Pistol primer and then switched to a LR primer he would have seen some pressure issues. If he was using a moderate level load, he probably would not have seen much of a noticable difference.

I tested the 44 Mag with rifle primers just to see how they would work. I found them more difficult to seat below the face of the case head. They seemed to be a bit longer then the pistol primers or just had thicker cups.

They did work and performance was no different then the pistol primers when the loads were developed for the rifle primers compared to loads developed with the pistol primers. Both got sticky extraction at the same level of velocity and accuracy was also the same.

I tested this to see if the supposedly hotter rifle primers would ignite a heavy charge of H-110 better then the pistol primers, did not appear to make any difference compared to a Magnum pistol primer.

Again though, I would never recommend switching to a rifle primer with a top end load developed with a pistol primer. More then likely it would not be dangerous but you would see an increase in pressure.

Kirby Allen(50)

[youarenotcrazy]

Thank you guys, hit the nail on the head.