Can anyone tell me what the difference is between large rifle and large pistol primers. Not interested in the dimensions, i am interested to know burn info, as in is the amount of the Lead styphnate mixture in them the same, or is it weaker or less material for the Large Pistol than the Large Rifle as there is less powder to burn.
Large Rifle vs. Large Pistol Primers?
- Thread starter SRJG
- Start date
I was always told that pistol primers are hotter than rifle primers. But I have nothing to back that up, just an old man's recollection.
Primer cups are thinner, and the amount or primer material is less......that I know for sure
I've heard that its a difference in the thickness of the metal primer case. Supposedly, if you use a rifle primer in a pistol round, you may get light strikes that won't fire the round. If you use a pistol primer in a rifle cartridge, the primer may be crushed by the firing pin.
This is from the American Rifleman.
www.americanrifleman.org
Pistol primers have thinner and somewhat softer primer cups than their rifle counterparts. Small pistol and rifle primers utilize a cup 0.175" in diameter, while large pistol and rifle primers measure 0.210" across. Large rifle primers are 0.008" thicker than a large pistol primer.
Here's a guy who did an experiment replacing pistol primers with rifle primers.
www.24hourcampfire.com
This is from the American Rifleman.
An Official Journal Of The NRA | Back To Basics: Primers
It may be small, but without the little bang of the primer, there is no big bang of the gun.
Pistol primers have thinner and somewhat softer primer cups than their rifle counterparts. Small pistol and rifle primers utilize a cup 0.175" in diameter, while large pistol and rifle primers measure 0.210" across. Large rifle primers are 0.008" thicker than a large pistol primer.
Here's a guy who did an experiment replacing pistol primers with rifle primers.
Testing Pistol Ammo Loaded With Small Rifle Primers vs Small Pistol Primers - 24hourcampfire
CCI large pistol and large rifle primers have the same dimensions diameter and height, but have different weights 4.7 gr pistol and 5 3 gr rifle...probably due to the thicker rifle cup for higher pressures, and maybe a different primer mix more powerful for rifle as there is only so much mixture that can be added to the tiny cups, and thicker cup would add more weight.
Which means in an emergency you could use pistol primers in your rifle with low pressure and many low pressure sub loads...I did so with shotgun primers in discarded 308 cases with loose primer with complete satisfaction with low pressure Trailboss sub loads...but for normal and high pressure loads with lots of harder to ignite powders Rifle primers are the only serious way to go, in your rifle.
Which means in an emergency you could use pistol primers in your rifle with low pressure and many low pressure sub loads...I did so with shotgun primers in discarded 308 cases with loose primer with complete satisfaction with low pressure Trailboss sub loads...but for normal and high pressure loads with lots of harder to ignite powders Rifle primers are the only serious way to go, in your rifle.
Best information I've found
DON'T USE A PISTOL PRIMER WITH A HIGH PRESSURE RIFLE LOAD.
Got that right!
Many years ago when I first bought a TC Contender barrel in 357Max I found out the difference.
First three shots with the WSP primers showed cups that were leaking.
Thankfully no harm done, but a lesson well learned.
nilebartram
Silver $$ Contributor
So you can use large pistol in low pressure rifle loads?
Think it's more about piercing primer cups with the firing pin. Back in the day Winchester got some LR primers in their duty load .357 ammo. Many of us had FTF because of hard primers. Luckily it was just at a training day!
It would be quit simple to test these theories. Weigh a number of primers, both virgin and married, of the sizes in question. Then compare the numbers. Maintaining that the metal is either thicker or thinner is moot point. Weighing the unused and the spent primers and comparing the numbers would make it emminently clear which way the wind blows.I've heard that its a difference in the thickness of the metal primer case. Supposedly, if you use a rifle primer in a pistol round, you may get light strikes that won't fire the round. If you use a pistol primer in a rifle cartridge, the primer may be crushed by the firing pin.
This is from the American Rifleman.
An Official Journal Of The NRA | Back To Basics: Primers
It may be small, but without the little bang of the primer, there is no big bang of the gun.
Pistol primers have thinner and somewhat softer primer cups than their rifle counterparts. Small pistol and rifle primers utilize a cup 0.175" in diameter, while large pistol and rifle primers measure 0.210" across. Large rifle primers are 0.008" thicker than a large pistol primer.
Here's a guy who did an experiment replacing pistol primers with rifle primers.
Testing Pistol Ammo Loaded With Small Rifle Primers vs Small Pistol Primers - 24hourcampfire
LP primers are shorter than LR. A little too much headspace and they may not ignite or just get an incomplete causing accuracy issues and hangfires. If I just had to use LP instead of LR, I would want magnum primers. and zero headspace.
Frank
Frank
brokeasajoke
Silver $$ Contributor
Yep. At least the one I found that some how got mixed up in my LP either from my apparent screw up on the bench disassembling ammo or picking those boogers off the floor. Anyway, a LP made it to a 44 special or mag case (can't remember) and locked down my 44 mag when I closed the cylinder.
PhilC
Silver $$ Contributor
Yes, lots of cast bullet competitors do. I've used them in my cast loads and there was no difference in velocity or accuracy, at least half of our local regulars use them.
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