DPAZ

Most primers I purchase specifically state "Standard or Magnum Loads". I wonder what end of the spectrum these fall into. I have had good success with them, and see no reason to change.

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Landric

Winchester marks their large pistol primers "For Standard or Magnum Loads". Their LP are the only ones I have seen so marked, but that doesn't mean there are not others out there marked the same way.

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-Landric

"The Engine could still smile...it seemed to scare them" -Felix

Tubby45

Ok, but did you measure what the pressure difference is? Velocity and pressure are related but switching to a magnum primer can lower velocity while spiking pressure.

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mlr1m

I allways reduce my powder charge when I change one of the components. Bad things are known to happen.

Michael

Hamour

In pistol as well as rifle, the older powders like 2400 or 4350 do great with either mag or standard primers.
But when you introduce ball powders it is best to go with magnum primers for enhanced ignition of these haeder to ignite powders.

Landric

I don't have any way to measure pressure. All I can do is look for signs of excessive pressure (of which there were not any).

I'm not telling anyone to go out and do what I did. I am comfortable using magnum primers rather than standard primers in my handloads (which are not maximum loads). YMMV.

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-Landric

"The Engine could still smile...it seemed to scare them" -Felix

thylordjj

I second that.... I have no fancy test equipment... all Im saying is they worked just as well as standards.... If you have a way to measure pressure, Please let us know... I would be more then happy to send you some to test... WE need answers and are working to find out the truth.... but from my testing they were safe, for "MY LOAD AND GUN" please use my test at your own risk... tadda, A$$ covered....lol

boscobeans

The following test was done on rifle cartridges, but it shows some interesting results as far as Magnum vs regular.

Looks like temperature played a more impressive role in chamber pressure than primer type which was almost insignificant.

See pages 5 and 6 for results.

http://www.shootingsoftware.com/ftp/...%20Factors.pdf

bosco

Tubby45

I have been outsourcing my pressure testing to the powder manufacturers I use but am in the process of getting pressure testing equipment and will be able to test internally within a month or two.

If you'd like to have some loads pressure tested here's the procedure for the best results

Use new (virgin) brass.
Send 10 primed cases of each type to establish a baseline.
Send 10 rounds each load to test for pressure.
For best results, please hand weigh exact charges.

Completely label your loads with lot numbers for components used and indicate type, OAL, etc.

Eventually we will be able to pressure test for everything we load but will start with pistol cartridges first, then move to rifle. We plan on offering this service in the future and squeeze in the testing during the down times.

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sgtD

I don't think I'd have to worry much over the pressure increase in my .38 and .357 target loads, since they are not much above the starting charge, but I would be concerned over using them in my +p 38 spl loads, since they are already high pressure rounds. If I used them, I believe it would be for target loads with starting powder charge only, but that's just me. I tend to be a bit conservative when it comes to this stuff myself.

I almost picked up some small pistol magnum primers today, but when I got to the shop, I found 400 regular sm. pistol primers on the back of the shelf that the guy didn't even know he had. So I picked those up instead for $15.

He said he'd have a bunch more standard primers next week. This fella is in the biz of selling reloading stuff and told me that pistol primers are getting easier to get as of now. He said he just got some in two weeks ago, sold them all, and placed an order for more on Thur, and they will be in at the first of next week.

He said there is still well over a month wait on sm. and lg. rifle primers though.

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