• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Magnum primers question

Do magnum primers generally have a thicker/harder cup than standard non-magnum primers?

There appears to be a lot of secondhand opinion on this subject, where individuals will simply parrot what they have heard others say around the campfire, and after some time these opinions become fact - such is human nature!

What is the reality however?
 
Why would 'magnum' primers be any different?

The correct question is why are some makes/models of standard primers different?

The answer to that is historic. The earliest small centrefires using small primers in the 1920s/30s were a) rated at low maximum pressures; b) often used modified rimfire or small centrefire actions. The first popular baby CF was the .22 Hornet and its rifles often used modified RF Martini actions or those from low power CF rifles / cartridges such as the BSA .310 Martini 'Cadet'.

a) meant that the Hornet's and similar cartridges' primers didn't have to cope with >50,000 psi pressures. (.22H [dating from 1930] is rated at 25,000 CUP by SAAMI half that of the contemporary 30-06, and less than half that of the 270 Win that dates from the same period.) So, a thin, weak primer cup was perfectly adequate.

b) meant that many early small CF rifles had weak firing pin strikes compared to the mainly military originating actions used by larger CF cartridges. A thin, weak cup made for more reliable ignition.

The Rem 6 1/2 and CCI-400 conform to the above and date from that period.

In 1950, Remington introduced the first 'modern' small CF cartridge the 222 alongside the M722 rifle, now rated at 50,000 CUP pressure, double that of the Hornet, Bee, 32-20 and similar. It also developed its model 7 1/2 primer to go with it, the first so-called SRP 'magnum', although the explosive pellet of the original version was actually identical to that of the 6 1/2, the differences being in cup materials, construction and strength.

There used to be warnings on some primer cartons and makers' websites warning that the thin-cup / weak models shouldn't be used in modern high-pressure cartridges, particularly 223 Rem with full-house loads.
 
Do magnum primers generally have a thicker/harder cup than standard non-magnum primers?

There appears to be a lot of secondhand opinion on this subject, where individuals will simply parrot what they have heard others say around the campfire, and after some time these opinions become fact - such is human nature!

What is the reality however?
Wolfe primers do Tommy Mc
 

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Forum statistics

Threads
166,237
Messages
2,215,136
Members
79,506
Latest member
Hunt99elk
Back
Top