substitute small rifle primers for small pistol primers

R

ragwd

New member
greetings,
i am sure this has been kicked around a few times, but search didn't reveal too much. So in this time of no primers available, I am considering using small rifle primers instead of small pistol primer. All I found in my search of this subject was to start on the minimum powder side. So has anyone tried this?All help is appreciated and thanks for taking the time to read my post.
 
Small rifle primers are much scarcer than small pistol primers. You shouldn’t have any problem finding someone to trade. Post your location (at least the state) and you might find someone to trade with. Aside from that, you can substitute SR for SP easy enough. If the brand you are swapping with has a harder cup (some rifle primers are harder) you might have a bit of a problem getting the SRP to go off in your handgun. If you’re concerned about pressure back of 10% on your load and check for pressure signs. Personally, I’ve never had a problem.
 
SRPs for pistol loads are ok if you start with minimum and work your way up. Expect to see pressure signs a little sooner in the work up. Agreed that SPPs are easier to find than SRPs, though both are still unobtainum right now. Which, if you already have plenty of SRPs, then the acquisition isn’t a problem. I would use them.
 
What caliber, what powder?

I tried one single 9mm load with every primer I could find.
Six out of seven primers, small rifle and magnum pistol included, gave the same velocity within less than one standard deviation. The odd one was Remington 1 1/2 small pistol, a few fps faster.
Does that mean the pressure was the same? I don't know but I treat them all the same, my load is not maximum.
Does that mean other calibers and other powders will work the same? I don't know and I am out of all the odds and ends of primers that would let me try, even if I cared, which I don't.
 
I have tried it, and am still doing it. As with everything else, when changing a component, work up from start.

My experience has been that. Given identical everything, there is no difference in velocity or cleanness of burn switching between small pistol and small rifle except 2. Small rifle primers generally have thicker harder cups to cope with the higher rifle pressures. Load a Few at a starting load and make sure your gun sets them off. Secondly being harder they don't show pressure signs as soon. Had one load, small pistol was flattened pretty good, small rifle had no signs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGVRGsoOr6k
Here's a youtube vid from a remnaufacture company. all CCI, but they found a negligible difference between small pistol, small magnum pistol, and small rifle.

here is small assortment of threads on the issue

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=520849

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20541

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=342571

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=559476
 
Last edited:
2. Small rifle primers generally have thicker harder cups to cope with the higher rifle pressures.
Click to expand...

Yes, but. I had no problem with Federal and Winchester Small Rifle primers in any 9mm gun, BUT CCI BR4 is a hard primer and had to be hand seated all the way down for good ignition in pistols. I didn't have other CCI rifle primers to try but would expect the same out of their magnum or military primers, no idea on the standards.
 
That follows general empirical experience. Federal has always ignited relatively easily. Some years back, Winchester stopped plating nickel on their primers in response to complaints of poor sensitivity, but now some complain they went too far and are too sensitive.

I am curious what you mean by seating "all the way down"? Primers are supposed to be compressed about three thousandths past the point where the anvil first kisses the bottom of the primer pocket for most consistent ignition. That is called "setting the bridge" of priming mix between the cup floor and anvil tip. It is seating pretty hard. The late Dan Hackett wrote that he could get even long cartridges based on the 30-03 to produce standard deviations of under ten feet per second seating hard, and that he had not been able to accomplish it seating them any other way. About 1982, U. S. Naval Ordnance at Indian Head also found 0.002" to 0.004" compression to produce the most reliable ignition.
 
Sorry, I don't gauge primer seating on bulk pistol ammo.
All I know is those primers were seated well below flush until I could drive them no deeper with my thumb on an old round tray Lee.
 
I'm running Rem 7 1/2 BR sm. rifle primers in a Glock G34 with an extra power striker spring, Jager firing pin and Timney trigger.
Reliability is close to 99% with no signs of breech face erosion. Loads are Minor.
 
Jim,

Yes, only the benchrest shooters are likely to gauge it. Hackett was a benchrest shooter and even he simply seated them "hard". Here's the exact quote:

"There is some debate about how deeply primers should be seated. I don’t pretend to have all the answers about this, but I have experimented with seating primers to different depths and seeing what happens on the chronograph and target paper, and so far I’ve obtained my best results seating them hard, pushing them in past the point where the anvil can be felt hitting the bottom of the pocket. Doing this, I can almost always get velocity standard deviations of less than 10 feet per second, even with magnum cartridges and long-bodied standards on the ’06 case, and I haven’t been able to accomplish that seating primers to lesser depths."

Dan Hackett
Precision Shooting Reloading Guide, Precision Shooting Inc., Pub. (R.I.P.), Manchester, CT, 1995, p. 271.​
 
The CCI small pistol magnum are the same as the CCI small rifle primers, the same thickness of cup. I use them for both pistol & rifle, I haven't seen any difference in my loads ether pistol or rifle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top