40FIVER

I've been using Winchester's small pistol primers for standard loads No. WSP. I sent my son to the reloading store for 9mm, 40cal bullets and more primers today. He got home with the 9mm bullets and the Winchester small pistol for magnum pistol loads No. WSPM.

Being fairly new to reloading, I'm confused about the "magnum load" small pistol primers.

Is it OK to use the small pistol magnum primers for 124gr 9mm and 160gr 40cal?

I'm not building hot loads, just standard practice loads.

I don't know if I should be hacked off at the counter man or happy that I got some primers.

BTW, the trip to the reloading store was 143 miles one way.

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Charlie - 40FIVER

Why I carry:
"The heart is deceitul above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jeremiah 17:9

rocky

No magnum. primers should be used unless the load data calls for mag primers.

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Nemo Me Impune Lacesset

Link to my kydex builds:http://rocknloadkydex.blogspot.com/

bmcgilvray

Whew, I only thought I was in the boonies if primers are that far away from you!

If you're truly not flirting with maximum charge weights of powders then the small pistol magnum primers won't hurt a thing.

HotGuns

A magnum primer has a hotter burn rate to ignite a more than usual volume of powder.

You can use the magnum primer as long as you load down. Meaning that you dont want to use the maximum load because it will be too hot, and will put you over the edge of being safe.

If you arent sure where to start, or how much to load, then dont do it. Its better to be safe than sorry.

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AR. CHL Instr.

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Sticks

I did the exact same thing, only it was my bad. Difference being is the place I got them is only 10 miles.

I had been trying to get some powder and primers for some time (I did get some but the age and quality is in question) and I was stoked that I finally got some, and the last of what they had.

Kicker being is the guy at the counter when I called to see if they had any standard primers said no, and when asked if they would be on the next shipment "I wouldn't bet a nickle on it". So I too am sitting on 1k Winchester small magnum primers, and Accurate #5 as my powder (they were out of #2).

Not trying to hijack this thread...
From the Accurate Website
These I have my powder set right now at 6.2 with the crappy Remington primers mentioned another thread.

Would I be reasonably safe using the Magnum primers with the same min gr. weight? Weapon is a Baby Eagle 4.72" barrel, Accurate data is based on a 4" barre and CCI primersl.

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Sticks
Curiosity was framed, poor judgment killed the cat
A Government is comprised of a body of people notably ungoverned
Three can keep a secret if two are dead

coffeecup

If the Mag primers were all I had I would back off the powder charge by about 10% and load a couple of rounds---fire them and check for overpressure.

I have a shooting buddy that regularly loads mag primers in .45acp ammo at full charges--no problems-- and he claims +P velocities.

I dont do it, nor am I recomending that you do either, but he has done it for years.

Sticks

OK, what are the signs of "over pressure" that I should be looking for other than the once assembled gun is now in several pieces, some missing, and I can only count to 8 1/2 now.

Ditto with "head space".

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Sticks
Curiosity was framed, poor judgment killed the cat
A Government is comprised of a body of people notably ungoverned
Three can keep a secret if two are dead

alfack

Look for a flattened primer, i.e. no gap around the primer pocket, caused by it slamming into the breech face too hard. Also, look for bulging around the base of the case. If something is wrong, you'll be able to spot it easily.

frankmako

i started reloading in 1970 and have used both in the same pistols reload. this summer i was reloading some 40 cal with the standard primer. ran out and i used magnum primers to finish out. did not drop the charge. took them to the range and ran them arcoss the chronograph and found that the magnum primers did not show much more that the standard primer. now this was a mid level load for the 40 cal. so if you are not loading to the max you should not have any problems.

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Sticks

For me that is refreshing to hear that some has experience with the same primer, caliber and load that I will be using.

The only other variation that I can think of would be the type of powder in the charge. I noticed that Hodgden Universal is a flake powder, and Accurate #5 is a small ball or granule powder (the powder I prefer to use because I have data for all my components from Accurate sans primer). Not sure if both are slow burning or not, and if that will make a difference with the mag primer.

On Edit - I finally found burn rate data, and Hodgden Universal has a faster burn rate than Accurate #5. Which confounds me how a large flake powder will burn faster than a small granule... but OK.

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Sticks
Curiosity was framed, poor judgment killed the cat
A Government is comprised of a body of people notably ungoverned
Three can keep a secret if two are dead