Primers for light 357 Pistol loads

B

BondoBob

New member
I did see another thread on primers and 357 but not on my powder specifically. I'm trying to use up my Trailboss and would like to load some 357 Pistol as well as 38. I only have WSP Small Pistol primers. Can I use those in 357 case with 3.2-3.4 of Trailboss and 125 gr? Half of my books say Small Pistol Primers, and the other half say WSPM Small Pistol Primer Magnum. I would think since it's a light load magnum primers would not be needed. But I may be missing something. It'll take some time to get the Magnum primers but I'll wait it it's safer to do so.

These will be fired in a 686 4" revolver.

Thanks,
 
Two things here: magnum primers aren't for magnum loads. They are for powders that require a hotter flame to ignite certain powders. People ask this all the time and get confused by the use of the word "magnum". Second, just use the .357 magnum cases for both light and heavy loads if you're shooting them in a .357mag revolver. You won't end up with the crud ring from the shorter case interfering with the longer case unless you give each chamber a good scrubbing. I haven't used a .38spl case if forty years, but I don't own any .38spl only guns anymore either.
 
According to Hodgdon’s online data your load isn’t even pushing the limits of .38 Special pressures.

I’d use regular primers unless all I had was magnums.
 
I personally only use magnum primers. Do I need to? No but it keeps my inventory down and easy to know what I have. Trailboss is actually not sensitive to primers at all. I’ve used Tula to Winchesters to Federal to CCI’s in large and small pistol and rifles. Never did anything unexpected or weird. One of my favorite powders especially in .44mag and .300blk.
 
TrailBoss will ignite just fine with a WSP (Winchester Standard Primer). I've done it a bunch of times with 38 Special cases and 148 grain wadcutters. I get a good clean burn with consistent chronograph results. Use WSP's without hesitation.

FYI, all my 38 Special ammo is made with WSP's. My Smith Model 67 "fun gun" has had trigger work and so it fails to ignite about 2% of CCI 500 primers. Been using WSP's since about 2014, buy them a 5K "case" at a time and have purchased no less than 4 cases since then. They work great.

You'll be just fine with 125 grain bullets. I do however, recommend sticking with 38 Special cases. TrailBoss is kind of a niche powder and is basically made for 38 Special "cowboy" ammo (yes, and 44 Special; and 45 Colt, that sorta stuff). I'm sure it'll make good ammo using 357 cases, if you're determined to do so. But it's just not a trail I would ride down (see what I did there :p) - that's just me. I'd stick with 38 Spl cases.

P.S. I'm "using up" my TrailBoss too. I bought a canister (9oz.) out of overwhelming curiosity. Neat stuff; but isn't a great fit for my purpose.
 
That might have been my thread you saw . I believe all my manuals say to use magnum primers on the first page of the 357mag data . That's why I asked the question . I use all kinds of powder in other cartridge's that I also use in my 357 and most if not all don't require magnum primers in those other cartridges . 38spl , 45acp , 9mm .
 
I've been considering some experiments with .357 and regular small pistol primers just because I have a good supply of those and magnum primers are basically unobtanium right now, sold out everywhere. Delivery date on my backorder of magnum primers at Bass Pro has been pushed back 3 times now and my local shops are all out.
 
NoSecondBest said:
Two things here: magnum primers aren't for magnum loads. They are for powders that require a hotter flame to ignite certain powders.
Click to expand...

They are also for any load that needs a lot of empty space pressurized adequately. So when case fill is low, particularly a capacious magnum case, it is worth trying both magnum and standard primers, and trying them both with the powder forward in the case and with it back over the flash hole. Your chronograph will tell you which one produces the lowest velocity variation. That's the one that is providing the best compromise in priming factors. Sometimes, particularly for quick, easily ignited powders, the standard primer will do better as it is enough to light the powder well without contributing enough pressure to unseat the bullet before the powder can get going well enough to do it first. Other times it will be the magnum primer because more initial heat and pressure are needed by the powder to get it burning fast enough to make consistent pressure in whatever space is behind the bullet at the peak.

Bottom line, this is something you have to test to be 100% sure what is best to use.
 
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