Small pistol magnum for Standard SP primers?

M

Machineguntony

New member
I know that this issue has been discussed. But I would like to discuss it again, in case anyone has new info.

Is it ok to use small pistol magnum primers in place of standard small pistol primers?

I am about to run out of small pistol primers, and all I can find is small pistol magnums. Most people say it is ok. I was wondering if anyone has run into adverse effects from using small pistol magnum primers when the recipe calls for standard primers.
 
Nope I have never had any issues I do the same thing when I can't find regular primers I use the magnums in their place and I really see no difference.
 
I've done it with target shooters (I have a feeling that's not what you load :p), and general purpose range shooters.

From my experience, it's pretty much a transparent transition.

If you're loading fairly hot, it would probably be a good idea to back down a little, then work back up.

I was in the same situation when the big shortage first hit and caught me flat footed. I was forced to use mags. At the range, I alternated between std and mag primers with otherwise identical rounds - every other shot - there was no noticeable difference that I could tell (didn't chronograph them).
 
All I get anymore is CCI SRP. I use them in my 9mm, small pistol 45acp and 223's. Much simpler that way. Same thing as small postol magnum BTW, at least with CCI.
 
Someone in these forums talked to an ATK rep and the rep pulled the sheets on the primers and put word out that CCI's small pistol magnum and non-magnum small rifle primer are the same product, each in it's own packaging.

I know that many folks transitioned to small rifle non-mag shortly after the 2008 Barackolypse and many of those folks simply never transitioned back.

Like Nick said:
If you're loading fairly hot, it would probably be a good idea to back down a little, then work back up.
Click to expand...
Otherwise, your only concern about going to small pistol magnum or non-magnum small rifle in place of small pistol is that the firearm in question MUST be one that will always hit the primer hard enough every time to avoid FTF's.

The most likely culprit I have ever found is double action revolvers. There may be others that can offer wimpy primer hits, but in my experience, it's a double action revolver being fired in double action that will let you know if the primers are too hard.

Oh, and twenty bucks per thousand for a non-commie, CCI primer is a fantastic deal!
 
I use mag primers in 380, 9mm, 38spl, 357mag(of course), 300blk and did a batch of 1000 rounds of .40 for a friend using mags. I am tempted to start using them in .223 and see if I can tell a difference so I no longer have to stock any other kind of primer excluding large rifle. using a chronograph I have never seen a spike in velocities exceeding 10-15 fps.

the only issue I have had was using a DAO micro 9, think pf9, sccy or similar has a tough time touching off the thicker cup. sa/da and striker has never shown issue.
 
In most cases it won't matter much. Sometime you'll get a little more variance most noticeable with fast powders loaded near the max.
 
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