Savage Edge (New info)

[GaCop]

Did I read that load data right "CCI small pistol magnum primer"? I've never heard of using a pistol primer in a full house rifle load, can you elaborate on that?

[degummj]

The small pistol primer is the same diameter and size as the small rifle primer. One difference is the thickness or softness of the brass in the primer cup. The small pistol is supposed to be a bit softer than the rifle primer because the pistol firing pin supposedly doesn't hit the primer as hard, as the rifle does. The rifle primer is designed to withstand higher pressures than the pistol primer is.
Magnum primers are a bit hotter than standard primers because magnum loads generally contain more powder and need a bigger flame to get them going. Now the 5.56 military cartridge uses a hotter primer to insure ignition.

So much for the theory. In reality, there really isn't much difference between a small pistol and rifle primer. I know reloaders who routinely use small rifle primers in pistol loads and small pistol primers in rifle loads. It really doesn't seem to make much of a difference.

I had the small pistol magnum primers hanging around and wanted to reload some .223 ammo. So I thought I would give them a try. I did some research on the net and talked to some of the more experienced reloaders at the range. All told me basically what I related above. Now in practical experience I have reloaded about 400 rounds of CCI 550 Small Pistol Magnum primers in .223 Remington and have had only one problem to date. On one round, and not the hottest, but more a medium load, the primer case had a very small rupture at the tip of the firing pin and allowed a small curl of smoke to come out of the back of the cartridge. The hole was extremely small, just a tiny pin prick when held up to the light. Probably just a manufacturing defect in the cup was the opinion of one of the most experienced reloaders I know. It happens once in a while. No problem.

When I've used up these primers I will start using Wolf small rifle primers/5.56 in my .223 and pistol loads. I got them for $30 per 1000, tax included.

[jo191145]

degummj

I would totally disagree with your expierienced friends.
You do NOT use pistol primers in a modern rifle cartridge!!!
You may be getting away with it with a moderate load of Varget.
That popped primer is not a defect. Its telling you your doing something wrong.

[hotbrass]

I thought I read that the depth dimension on primers was different between rifle and pistol primers. The diameters are the same but the rifle primers cup is deeper. ??? I could be wrong.

[hailstone]

There are rules and then there are rules but sometimes not hard and fast rules. Years ago my brother and I loaded 222 Remington loads with pistol primers for years because that was all we had in the fifties and sixties. Never had any problems. I've always used small pistol primers in my 22 Hornet loads because they perform more uniformily than rifle primers. Speer recommends using the small pistol primers when reloading 22 Hornet shells in the 14th edition of there reloading manual.

[jo191145]

hailstone

22 hornet does not make my list of "modern" rifle cartridges.
To be more exact lets say high pressure rifle cartridges.
Just because it can be done, has been done, does'nt mean it should be done.

pistol primers are rated for roughly half the pressure of a rifle primer.

I've heard plenty of newbies grab a hot load off of these boards and go out shootin without proper workup.
Best not to give them the idea its OK to swap around pistol/rifle primers to boot.

[hotbrass]

According to CCI the rifle primers are 2 thousanths of an inch taller than pistol primers. And rifle primers have thicker cups to work with higher pressure.

Rifle primers also contain more explosive priming compound.

And of course they say that rifle and pistol primers are not interchangeable.

[bluealtered]

There is a number of people using them over on predatormasters.com, for the most part they have gotten very good reviews. They have been doing work on the triggers as well and it seems to work as well. blue