Small Pistol Primer in 223

[Iowaboy]

So I some how screwed up and put small pistol primers in 100 rounds of 223 that I loaded up this weekend.

Are they safe to shoot?

Whats the difference between small pistol primers and small rifle primers?

 

[Johnboy]

hey we need more info to give a really good answer.I would say ok if its not a hot load.but if it is NO NO NO.meaning they might not hold up to the pressure.

 

[Iowaboy]

According to Hogdens website I'm not running a hot load. I'm shooting 27 grains of H335 behind a 40 grain vmax. Hogdens says that would be about 39,500 PSI and a 223 supose to be good to 55000. But I don't know how that compares to pistols. Oh yeah they are magtech pistol primers.

 

[Johnboy]

OK i just looked at my book.you are 1 grain from being maxed out.for me I would shoot them,BUT WITH CATION.

my reason for saying this is that I used a large pistol primer in a 7mm/08 load one time.but I say again it was not a hot load but a mild one.

the biggest thing to look out for is the thickness of the cup the primer is made of.and if you do shoot one to see if its OK.LOOK for signs of powder around the primer and pocket.and/or it MIGHT just pierce the primer and let gases out that way.and you do not want to see gases around or comeing out of a pierced primer.this will ERODE the bolt face away.meaning trouble.

but you make the call.but if you do have a press collet type bullet puller I would just pull them and knock out the primers and start over.its OK to deprime live primers.just use a slow even pull of the handel,and they will come out with out popping.just keep safety in mind

 

[Iowaboy]

My Dad has one of those hammer style bullet pullers. Didn't someone on here blow one up a while back with one of those things?

Second I've pressed live primers out before but it makes me nervous. Does a small pistol primer have enough power to blow anything apart if it would go off while I'm pressing them out? I would probably wear safty glasses and maybe long sleeve jacket and leather gloves just incase.

 

[Johnboy]

as long as you haven't crimped them in it should only take 2 good blows on a piece of wood.just be carefull to not looseing the powder.you might just have to dump it all into a cup and start over.at least thats what I do.never been able to save the exact same charge weight when pulling the bullet.thats why I mentioned the collet type puller.

have you tried one yet?or are you just going to pull them?

and yeah wear you safety glasses and press with an even stroke.and you will be fine when deprimeing them.the bad thing for me is catching them.I have to clean out my tray then deprime.then I use a small magnet to get them out of the tray.

 

[ForneyRider]

I bought the Hornady Cam lock puller and it is pretty fast. I used the hammer (kinetic) puller before that. 100 bullets to pull with kinetic would not be fun, but the cam lock it is not bad. I pulled about 20 with the cam lock in a few minutes.

The delicate bullets, like a Barnes VG or lead, would probably not work in the Hornady Cam Lock.

 

[kweidner]

slow and steady on the de-prime with a live primer and you will be fine. I do it all the time. It takes a heck of a lot more than constant pressure to make one go off. You have to smack the crap out of it. Ever loaded with a Lee hand loader? Never had one go off there but know a few that have. You really have to get on one to go. Slow even pressure= no worries.