Primed 45 acp with large pistol MAGNUM what do I do now??

C

ColoradoGunNut

Inactive
Need some help here! I accidentally primed 45 acp with large pistol MAGNUM primers. I primed probably 300 rounds before I discovered that my primers were magnum and not large pistol. I would rather not try to decap live primers. I have not loaded the cases yet just primed them. What can I do? Can a lesson the load I these rounds and go ahead and fire the magnum primers? Looking for options. Thanks in advance for all your help.:eek:
 
ColoradoGunNut said:
Need some help here! I accidentally primed 45 acp with large pistol MAGNUM primers. I primed probably 300 rounds before I discovered that my primers were magnum and not large pistol. I would rather not try to decap live primers. I have not loaded the cases yet just primed them. What can I do? Can a lesson the load I these rounds and go ahead and fire the magnum primers? Looking for options. Thanks in advance for all your help.:eek:
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If you load to max then back down your powder. As long as you don't have lightened springs in the firearm should be just fine.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
I never load to max, just target shooting with these rounds. So if I use lowest charge recommended out of my Hornady book I should be ok to shoot these rounds?

Shooting a stock Sig Sauer traditional 1911 just for reference.
 
Easiest thing to do is back off a tenth or two from your normal load.

Or if you are nowhere near max just roll with the same charge, you might like it.

Decapping and live primers is pretty safe and effective if done carefully and they can be re-used. But it generally wouldn't be worth the trouble to me.
 
Interestingly, Winchester WLP primers are marked "For Standard or Magnum Pistol Loads". Apparently Winchester only makes one WLP primer.
I've used WLP primers for years on my .45 ACP loads without any problems.

I have loaded .30-06 and .270 loads with Large Rifle Magnum primers for really cold weather hunting.
The magnum primers increase muzzle velocity by 12 fps at temperatures around 30 degrees F. and I have found a slight improvement in average group sizes when the temperatures are at or below freezing compared to standard primers. I use standard rifle primers when the temperatures are above 40 degrees.
 
Just for future reference...you can deprime a primed case and even reuse the primers.
It's not as dangerous as it seems because primers are designed to go off when struck from outside the case , from inside the decapping pin is pushing on the primers anvil, the anvil has 3 legs that press op the outside edge of the primer pocket...little or no priming compound there, You only have to decap them S-O-L-O-W-L-Y and they seldom go off.
Wear eye and ear protection just in case and keep fingers away from the die top.
I've done at least 1000 over the years and never had one pop . And I reused all the primers with no problems .

Back your standard load down .2 grains and you will be fine. Magnum primers aren't that much more of a pressure booster .

What is your bullet, powder and load...you might be OK as is .
Some people use magnum primers with all their loads , 2013 had a lot of us using magnum primers because that was all we could get. I don't use them regularly because they cost more and I'm a tight wad .
Gary
 
load them with a mild load and a good quailty bullet then send them to me, I will deprime them in a safe manner at my local range one magazine at a time
 
You will be fine shooting them with your target loads...


I have seen demonstrations that show there is only 10-20 FPS difference when using magnum primers versus standard which equates only a small pressure increase
 
Pretty much everyone has weighed in...now for a newbie to respond. My first ever loads were 9mm loaded with Magnum primers. Didn't even notice the tiny red MAGNUM on the primer box. As recommended on the forum...I loaded just a bit lower, 0.1gr to 0.2gr, and fired them all without any issue. Of course I had to go back and rebuild my load ladder, as I would never continue loading magnum primers in standard cartridges intentionally.

Since then, and based on dozens of affirmations from this and other forums, I simple remove the primers on the press. Slowly...and without issue...and have re-used and fired every single one. I've even totally crushed primers, installing them sideways and other problems, and safely removed them on the press without issue. The only time I've "lost" a primer is when I installed upside down. When I deprime these (slowly) the anvil generally falls out. I always dispose of these now useless (to me) primers.

Another fellow wrote that he tried to explode primers by hitting them with a nail and hammer in the center of the anvil...and nothing. Seems the primers want to be hit from the bottom sharply.

Something else to consider...I have a challenge seating 45ACP primers...3-4 high primers per 100 (slowly lessening over time). These are hit hard by the hammer...and merely finish seating into the case. I cock the hammer and re-fire...100% success on 2nd hammer strike. So I can't see a slow decapping pin firing off a primer.
 
Just back off your normal charge by a tenth, load and shoot two or three, if they are fine, show no signs of pressure rock n roll.
 
Light loads (starting loads) and Magnum primers will be OK.

Now learn from your mistake. First, assemble your components in one place. Reread the labels. Double check what you have on the bench with the load you wanna use against what's in your reloading manual(s). Keep only one type of component on the reloading bench at one time (one powder, one primer, one bullet). Don't load 300 of anything without double checking. triple checking what you are doing.

Go slow. Double check everything. And most important, have fun......:D
 
We're at consensus. Rare; but we're there :p

Don't load 300 of anything without double checking. triple checking what you are doing.
Click to expand...

Heh. I found that amusing :D And yes, it's true.

I'll just share my personal experience real quick: During the height of the component shortage a few years back, I essentially ran out of standard primers. Since I was loading target level 38 Special ammo, I knew they were low pressure rounds. So I just simply (intentionally) used magnum primers. No change in propellant charge. And no noticeable difference in performance either. However, I didn't chronograph them - they were probably a tick or two faster.

What you did is the best kind of lesson from which to learn: It was a mistake but it won't be costly in terms of danger - this time. Check, double-check, and triple check. mikld had some particularly sage advice. I'll just add on a bit: My standard and mag primers are stored in completely different locations. As mikld alluded, I never - ever - ever - have more than one propellant at the work bench. Same with primers (I hand prime in the house, away from the load bench).

Loading your own is fun and rewarding. Hope we didn't brow-beat you too much. Our best intentions are at heart.

Load safe.
Have fun.
 
"...rather not try to decap live primers..." Isn't particularly difficult, but the only difference between magnum primer and regular primer loading with non-magnum requiring powders might be a bit more pressure. You have not built a hydrogen bomb.
Oh and if you ever want/need to remove live primers you can do it with no fuss by gently and slowly running your cases through your regular decapping die. The operative word is 'gently'. Lot less fuss to just load 'em and shoot 'em though.
Set one off depriming with a Lee Loader, one time. The spent primer went about 1/4" into the wooden chair and that was all that happened. My ma never knew or found out that I put a wee hole in her cheap wooden chair either. Primers aren't nuclear weapons.
Never load "to max then back down your powder".
 
They may shoot faster or they may shoot slower. The latter can happen because the magnum primer makes more gas and may be able to unseat the bullet before the powder burn gets fully underway. That causes the powder to build pressure in a little more space, which can lower the peak value and reduce velocity. This kind of thing can be observed any cartridge with a small powder space relative to primer size. So I would take the chronograph out and compare some standard primed loads with these to see if you can detect the difference. If you get unseating by the primer, the standard deviation may go up and accuracy may go down. On the other hand, if you've had unseating in some degree with standard primers (common with lubricated lead bullets, cast or swaged) the magnum primer may do a more consistent job of it and actually lower velocity SD and improve group size. It can all go either way. You just have to test to see what you get.
 
If you are really hesitant,, chamber the uncharged cartridges and discharge them all. Then start over
 
I agree with most. But if it really bothers you, this is the perfect opportunity to load 'em with some wax bullets so you can practice in yer living room. :)
 
Gas Cutting

Several year ago I had loaded CCI 350's in 45ACP with 200gr. Lead bullets. I experienced some gas cutting on face of sides in a G21.3 and a Colt 1911. The experiment worked out very badly. Never again in this lifetime. That's one of the dubious events that looked like a good idea at the time.
 
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