Wrong Primer - What would you do?

T

TimSr

New member
It was bound to happen sooner or later. I got my Penn Bullets 340gr Cast 454 Casull Bullets and decided to load them up for a test. I load in batches, usually of 50, so cases were prepped, primed and belled for bullet insertion, and then charged with 25gr of W296. Bullets were heavily crimped in the cannelure. After finishing, I noticed that my white box of CCI Small Rifle Magnum Primers I had just used were actually a white box CCI Small Pistol Magnum Primers.

454 Casull rounds call for small rifle primers due to the rifle pressures this round generates. These are certainly full power/pressure loads. What would YOU do?
 
You have at least loaded 50. For that many or more I would see if they will fire OK rather than pull the bullets. The magnum pistol primers could be the influencing factor. I'm familiar with the .454 but don't recall ever using pistol primers, unless unnoticed.
 
Bullets were heavily crimped in the cannelure.
Click to expand...

TimSr, I would like to help you but I am going to be sort of busy, I raised the handle on one of my Rock Chuckers and felt a small bump/click. It was about that time I said to myself; "what! ?" It was about that time I pushed the handle to the rear and it went to the rear and then the ram fell out the bottom. I no longer have a dog I can blame and my wife has never messed with one of my presses. My wife said it could not have been our granddaughter because she is at camp.

I am going to call RCBS, I hope they do not remember I am the one that said the Rock Chucker does not cam over.

If there is a difference in the height of the primers pull the bullets even if they have a heavy crimp.

F. Guffey
 
Call CCI and see if the material is the same thickness. If so, try a couple and see what happens. I'd have no concerns about them lighting up the load, my concerns would be piercing the primer under pressure.
 
"...wife has never messed with..." No reason not to point a finger. RCBS will fix it for you. Snicker. SR and SP primers are the same size.
"...454 Casull rounds call for small rifle primers..." The magnum primers are about the POWDER, not the cartridge or pressures. Win 296 does not require magnum primers.
Original .454 Casull loads used Remington 7 1/2 SR BR primers. I really don't think you have anything to worry about though. 25gr of W296 isn't that hot for a Casull.
 
I'm not loading 454 Casull.
I have seen what happens when handgun primers inadvertently get used in a .308.

A little disc of primer the size of the fp hole in the bolt face blows out,back into the bolt.High pressure gas leaks,and some erosion/pitting can occur almost immediately.

Will that happen with 454 Casull? I do not know.
 
Pull them down and learn from the mistake

they would probably fire but the primers may give way and
damage the gun

Why take the chance
 
On the few occasions I have called CCI with questions they have been great. I would give them a call. The CCI 450 (Small Rifle Magnum) primers should be 0.025" thick, I am not sure what their small pistol magnum primer thickness is. I do know based on a previous discussion with them that the cake mix is different. Anyway, for the few min it takes I would give them a call.

Ron
 
me?

I'd pull'em. The rifle primers are listed due to pressure, as noted. Why take the chance? You can salvage the powder and slugs, all you will be out is the cost of a half a box of primers.

Two hours or less at the bench, even with a single stage press.
 
I would use them.

If you search threads, you will find that Small Pistol Magnum = Small Rifle esp. where CCI is concerned. More than one of us has talked to the fine folks at CCI and have been told the primer thickness and material is the same, the amount and composition of the priming mix is the same. Of course you can call CCI and ask for yourself.

So unless for some reason you ABSOLUTELY must have Small Rifle Magnum primers, you would be in good shape.

Edit to add A Discussion with CCI Tech Support. You can thank COSteve for posting that one.
 
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Since you have the CCI 450 small rifle magnum and the CCI 550 small pistol magnum I suggest you carefully inspect one of each paying attention to the priming mixture or cake mix. My discussion with CCI did not quite parallel the mentioned discussion. Note the below image in addition to observing your own primers.

CCI%20450%20CCI%20550.png


The CCI 450 Small Rifle Magnum on the left clearly uses a yellowish cake mix while the CCI 550 Small Pistol Magnum on the right uses a redish in color cake mix. The priming compounds do not look the same to me. I figure you should call CCI and get your own straight dope from them. Takes 5 min and will certainly get you some good reliable dope.

Ron
 
Pull them

The .454 like the .460 pressures are up in the 60k plus range. Waaayyyy too much to take a chance with a SP primer. Blowing the primers at these pressures in a revolver will be the least of your problems. The escaping gasses can cause erosion to the frame around the firing pin and even burn your hand.
I played with the .454 and .460 for a few years. With these calibers there's a fine line between wild and Oh SH!T...
 
If they were standard CCI-500 small pistol, I would pull them down. And pulling them down would be very tough work with a heavy roll crimp but the seriously heavy bullet will assist you.

However -- totally agree. Since they are CCI-Small Pistol Magnum, I would shoot them. We have indeed gotten that info out of CCI before. However, I would also add that if you call or e-mail CCI/ATK, I think your most likely response from them will simply be to default to "safe" and tell you not to shoot them. After all, it's not work and no loss for them to have to pull them down, haha.

Yep, I would shoot 'em.
 
Reloadron Read what I said agian. I said Small Pistol Magnum = Small Rifle. CCI 550 = CCI 400 I did NOT say Small Rifle Magnum.
 
CCI small rifle magnum primers #450 cup thickness 0.025"
CCI small pistol magnum primer #550 cup thickness 0.017"
 
Pull them, reload the cases with a faster powder (like Herco or Unique) to .44 Magnum levels. That way you don't waste the primers.
 
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