I reload for CAS. using .45 Colt. with 5.9 gr of Trail Boss. Manual states 5.5 - 6.5 Gr. 200 gr. bullet. My handguns are race ready light springs. So only Federal large pistol primers will work every time. I can't get any as of right now. I do have Federal Match Magnum large pistol primers. What do you think of me using them?
Question on magnum primers
- Thread starter Bowdog
- Start date
madmo44mag
New member
I've have used mag primers many times when std primers were not available.
Some will suggest a slight down load but running over a chrono I never seen enough variation to worry about it.
Some will suggest a slight down load but running over a chrono I never seen enough variation to worry about it.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Magnum primers CAN, but don't always, make a difference of 5-10%. There's no sense in not loading a few rounds at lower charges and working back up. $5 worth of components, and who doesn't like to shoot? "It's never happened to me!" is not the same as "It's perfectly safe!"
Just as Brian advises, proper load work up is paramount.
That said, I use magnum primers exclusively for all my small pistol primers. Granted, I did do work ups and compared velocities with standard primers, and deemed them safe in MY firearms with MY loading techniques. At least around me, small pistol magnum primers are always available, even during the most extreme times of shortage, I was always able to find them, so I figured why not move over to them exclusively...
That said, I use magnum primers exclusively for all my small pistol primers. Granted, I did do work ups and compared velocities with standard primers, and deemed them safe in MY firearms with MY loading techniques. At least around me, small pistol magnum primers are always available, even during the most extreme times of shortage, I was always able to find them, so I figured why not move over to them exclusively...
Bowdog,
Call Federal and ask if the sensitivity of their magnum pistol primers is the same as their standard ones. It may not be. Some manufacturers make cups thicker on their magnum primers; it varies with the manufacturer. If their magnum primers are less sensitive than their standard primers they may not work with your light springs.
Call Federal and ask if the sensitivity of their magnum pistol primers is the same as their standard ones. It may not be. Some manufacturers make cups thicker on their magnum primers; it varies with the manufacturer. If their magnum primers are less sensitive than their standard primers they may not work with your light springs.
Snyper,
He's talking about a special match gun with lightened springs producing sub-standard firing pin energy. All primers definitely cannot be counted to work in that circumstance. Federal standard primers are the most sensitive, and in the 80's I remember it used to be pretty common to find revolvers set up for double-action police speed matches that would only fire Federal primers reliably. I'm only pointing out to him that the Magnum versions may not behave the same.
Also, look up Humpy's posts on primers. He's a former Aberdeen Proving Grounds Test Director and incident investigator. He's found even some new rifles that do not meet the SAAMI standard firing pin indentation specs on copper test slugs. So not all guns are created equal in terms of firing pin energy.
He's talking about a special match gun with lightened springs producing sub-standard firing pin energy. All primers definitely cannot be counted to work in that circumstance. Federal standard primers are the most sensitive, and in the 80's I remember it used to be pretty common to find revolvers set up for double-action police speed matches that would only fire Federal primers reliably. I'm only pointing out to him that the Magnum versions may not behave the same.
Also, look up Humpy's posts on primers. He's a former Aberdeen Proving Grounds Test Director and incident investigator. He's found even some new rifles that do not meet the SAAMI standard firing pin indentation specs on copper test slugs. So not all guns are created equal in terms of firing pin energy.
buck460XVR
New member
If that's all you have, what other choice do you have besides not shooting? The only way you found that Federal SP primers were the only primers to reliably ignite with your light springs was to shoot them. Probably the only way you're gonna find out how reliable the Magnums are.
