Swapping Primers

[Nosparks]

So after reading and measuring and reading some more, I have a question!!
Has anyone use SMALL MAGNUM PISTOL PRIMERS instead of small rifle primers? If you have did your firing pin punch through the primer or did the primer have any weird blow by or signs of over pressure? From what I have read smpp and srp are the same size and have the same amount of priming compound (this info was from cci). Now there was some mixed views on this on other forums, but no one said it was really "wrong". Of course the primers I have are Federal smpp and cci 400. With the shortages Im running into this would be temporarily fix for me, until I can get some 7 1/2s.

Maybe there will be some Hoot-elage on this! Im still being schooled in reloading.

I would be willing to trade primers as well if I have 200 Fed smpp anyone is interested.

[wildcatter]

So after reading and measuring and reading some more, I have a question!!
Has anyone use SMALL MAGNUM PISTOL PRIMERS instead of small rifle primers? If you have did your firing pin punch through the primer or did the primer have any weird blow by or signs of over pressure? From what I have read smpp and srp are the same size and have the same amount of priming compound (this info was from cci). Now there was some mixed views on this on other forums, but no one said it was really "wrong". Of course the primers I have are Federal smpp and cci 400. With the shortages Im running into this would be temporarily fix for me, until I can get some 7 1/2s.

Maybe there will be some Hoot-elage on this! Im still being schooled in reloading.

I would be willing to trade primers as well if I have 200 Fed smpp anyone is interested.

Beings you are still being schooled in reloading practices, the simple answer is "NO"! Continue to do searches to get this answer. I don't want to tell you exactly why. I want you to do the search and in the process get a ton of other useful information.

My fear is we are going to get a green-horn in here and he blows himself up, then turns around and blames us.

Common Dude, you know there has to be a reason why they make the various styles of primers, Right?

You seem to be buying allot of stuff, only to find out it's not what you actually wanted, Caution Man, slow up a little and you'll find this a life-time Hobby..

..t

[Nosparks]

I see it as a valid question. Being we can use pistol bullets, a large casing and a small primer. Many things are sold under different names and styles yet are the exact same thing. And yes I know they make specifics for specifics, Im not an idiot. The only thing I found so far is the actual cup thinkness may or may not be thinner in the pistol primer. There are some who use Small rifle primers in hand guns with great results. So it made me think and wonder about going the other way, Im not rushing anything. Its some times easier to ask people who know, than to try and search the web all night.

If you think a question is stupid, look at it another way. Be honored that some thinks of those he askes as very intellegent people.

[Texas Sheepdawg]

I see it as a valid question. Being we can use pistol bullets, a large casing and a small primer. Many things are sold under different names and styles yet are the exact same thing. And yes I know they make specifics for specifics, Im not an idiot. The only thing I found so far is the actual cup thinkness may or may not be thinner in the pistol primer. There are some who use Small rifle primers in hand guns with great results. So it made me think and wonder about going the other way, Im not rushing anything. Its some times easier to ask people who know, than to try and search the web all night.

If you think a question is stupid, look at it another way. Be honored that some thinks of those he askes as very intellegent people.

The only stupid question is the one you never ask....and Tim knows that.
I'm pretty sure he didn't mean it to sound that way.
However, back to the subject...
I think it's an extremely bad idea.
I've heard of dangerous slam fire incidents.
Remember...."Pressures"....SAAMI. You're on the right track....

The only thing I found so far is the actual cup thinkness

[wildcatter]

I see it as a valid question. Being we can use pistol bullets, a large casing and a small primer. Many things are sold under different names and styles yet are the exact same thing. And yes I know they make specifics for specifics, Im not an idiot. The only thing I found so far is the actual cup thinkness may or may not be thinner in the pistol primer. There are some who use Small rifle primers in hand guns with great results. So it made me think and wonder about going the other way, Im not rushing anything. Its some times easier to ask people who know, than to try and search the web all night.

If you think a question is stupid, look at it another way. Be honored that some thinks of those he askes as very intellegent people.

I apologize for sounding way too strong, sometimes the written word, just comes out wrong.

Of course your question is Valid and in reality I was speaking to those that lurk in the shadows here.

But I will warn that just because we are using pistol bullets, we can in no-ways use pistol primers, without the possibility of ill effects. Do a little research, read the front section of your manual, they always explane this problem and then we'll talk over your useful question.

Again, I am sorry for the crossed wires. Now let's get out the Crazy Glue, a Big-Hammer (tsd's favorite) and fix ya up..

..t

[Hoot]

It's not limited to just "pistol caliber" assumptions.

In my search statewide for Rem 7 1/2's a fellow on the local mnguntalk.com forum spoke of having recently visited a shop about an hour NW of me and that they had lots of different primers in stock.

I called them the next morning and a young fellow in the reloading department answered. I asked him if he had any Remington 7 1/2's in stock.
First, he said,

No, but we have CCI 400s which are the same.

I explained why they weren't and then he said,

OK, well we have Magnum Small Pistol Primers, lots of our customers use them to reload their .223 ammo.

I said "I don't." and thanked him for his time, followed by marking them off my list of informed sources.

Next...

Hoot

[Nosparks]

So after hours of reading... Manuals all say no with no explanation, most forums that have any talk about this matter are pistol related. But I found one interesting thread on 1911Forum.com, that stated the what I wanted to hear. And by hear I mean answer to my question.

I will quote Tom Freeman from 1911forum.com

I use nothing but small rifle in 9x19 and 40. For 38 Special and 38 Short Colt ammo, I use Federal Small Pistol as they are going through a revolver with a very light trigger job.

However light loaded 9x19 and 40 loaded with rifle primers can cause breech face erosion as you can get gas leakage around the primer. In other words, if you sub small rifle in a pistol caliber, make sure you are at the higher pressure end of things.

Small pistol primers in a rifle caliber is a very bad idea as you will blank/pierce most primers.

Large pistol and large rifle do not interchange.

So I assume that with so many styles of firearms, a universal rifle or pistol primer would be difficult to produce or more likely create to much liability for a company. This was all I was after, not for just my knowledge but for anyone else looking for this answer. A simple no has never worked for me, my mother and wife will testify to that!!

[wildcatter]

So after hours of reading... Manuals all say no with no explanation, most forums that have any talk about this matter are pistol related. But I found one interesting thread on 1911Forum.com, that stated the what I wanted to hear. And by hear I mean answer to my question.

I will quote Tom Freeman from 1911forum.com

I use nothing but small rifle in 9x19 and 40. For 38 Special and 38 Short Colt ammo, I use Federal Small Pistol as they are going through a revolver with a very light trigger job.

However light loaded 9x19 and 40 loaded with rifle primers can cause breech face erosion as you can get gas leakage around the primer. In other words, if you sub small rifle in a pistol caliber, make sure you are at the higher pressure end of things.

Small pistol primers in a rifle caliber is a very bad idea as you will blank/pierce most primers.

Large pistol and large rifle do not interchange.

So I assume that with so many styles of firearms, a universal rifle or pistol primer would be difficult to produce or more likely create to much liability for a company. This was all I was after, not for just my knowledge but for anyone else looking for this answer. A simple no has never worked for me, my mother and wife will testify to that!!

See, you not only found some of the answers, but you also educated some of us to Boot.

I would also argue, that rifle primers in a pistol cartridge will have a plethora of miss-fires, due to the reduced firing-pin energy need to reliably ignite the rifle primer in a pistol case. Rifle primers generally have harder cups.

Also, pistol primers can be pierce by the firing-pin, due to the increased pin energy. Thin or softer cups, being the problem.

And, I forget which is which, but one way or the other, either pistol primers in a rifle case or rifle primers in a pistol case, one or the other can generally be seated a little high in the primer pocket, sticking out just slightly, and therefore is in danger of igniting prematurely.

And, if you need increased brisance, which we usually do, the pistol primer won't generally equal their rifle cousins.

This practice, of swapping primers, can be done and most of us have done it, but they as I, have all seen bad results because of the practice.

Now then, wasn't going through this extended exercise more lasting for your reloading career, than just a straight-forward, "No"? Not only did you receive a much more intense answer, but at the same time so did the readers. Another, and prolly a better benefit, will be the follow-on answers, sure to edify, there's allot of experience out here, wherein I too am educated by them..

..t