Primer Question from Beginer

baxtersmith · #1 03-01-2010, 08:43 PM

I'm finally going to start reloading after wanting to for a couple of years. I'm starting to get the equipment I need but won't have everything until my tax return comes through. I was at a local gunstore today and found out they expect to have primers in a day or two. I want to reload .38 Special, .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. I thinking I'll need small primers and large magnum primers, but I don't have any load data yet. My question is this: Are all small primers the same or are the different brands different. Would it be safe to go ahead and take advantage of a chance to get some (since apparently their scarce) or should I wait until I have specific load data. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

WR Moore · #2 03-01-2010, 08:51 PM

OK, you may not need magnum primers for the .44 mag, depending on how hot you're loading it and what powder you're using. Likewise, on the small pistol. There are some popular powders for full magnum loads that need a hotter flame for proper burn (WW 296/ IMR 4227 and Alliant 2400 as examples). Get yourself a loading manual or two and start reading.

FWIW, Remington suggests their 5 1/2 primer and WW their SP Magnum primers for .357 Magnum, but that's assuming that you're going for maximum effort (high pressure) loads. I've done 125 gr JHP @ 1250 .357 loads with Unique and regular WW SP primers with no ill effects.

baxtersmith · #3 03-01-2010, 08:56 PM

Thanks, WR. Would just any brand small pistol primer work for the .38 Special? (I think he's getting CCI)

Smithboomer · #4 03-01-2010, 09:16 PM

After 30+ years of reloading I don't care what brand of USA-made small pistol primers I use. CCI, Federal, Winchester, Remington... not a bit of difference to me. I would buy whatever is available.

baxtersmith · #5 03-01-2010, 09:33 PM

Thanks Smithboomer...that's exactly the information I was looking for.

sourdough44 · #6 03-01-2010, 09:51 PM

Yes, just get some small pistol primers, CCI are fine. Then LP for the 44.

scattershot · #7 03-01-2010, 11:13 PM

FWIW, Winchester LP primers are for both standard and magnum loads.

If you're going to start on the mild side (which I recommend), you won't need magnum primers.

With the scarcity of primers these days, just buy what you can find, but as a practical matter, the brand doesn't make much difference.

oldRoger · #8 03-01-2010, 11:43 PM

I would buy what ever primers are available, small pistol and large pistol, not magnum but as scattershot says Win makes only one LP primer which serves for both reg & mag.
As a matter of safety I would not recommend using anyone’s MAXIMUM published load without strictly adhering to the recipe; that is exact bullet, primer, powder and cartridge overall length. Which load even then should be approached very cautiously.
I would certainly hope that you will not start reloading with maximum loads in mind so the brand of primer will not be important.
There are differences in primers but exactly how to rate the differences is argumentative. If you want to start a fight you could post something alone these lines; I find CCI primers much hotter (or harder) than Winchester and they have resulted in unacceptable variations in my XX target loads. That would as my grandmother used to say; set the cat amongst the pigeons.

jj2am44 · #9 03-02-2010, 10:15 AM

I was just notified by Midway that primers were in. By the time I get them to my door--$7.72 per 100. They can keep them. Even Gander Mt. is only $4.99 for CCI.

baxtersmith · #10 03-02-2010, 09:08 PM

Thanks everybody for all of the feedback. Now I know where to go with my reloading questions when I get started.

VonFatman · #11 03-03-2010, 01:06 AM

And...
If you find Magtech (Brazilian) or Wolf (Russian) for a decent price (same or less than others) buy these. I have both and have never had a problem with any...U.S. or not.

Bob

bgdv1 · #12 03-05-2010, 09:30 PM

up until this point in time i would have said once you found a load combination stick with the same primer- now my rifle loads will always have the same cci primers. my hand gun loads have been different expecially now ive come accross about 4000 primers fed,cci and remington that i couldnt pass up. my hand gun loads are all mid range target loads so the different primers are fine. ive always used win sp and win lp up to this point.

Old Sarge · #13 03-06-2010, 10:48 AM

The primer supply is starting to open up a tad. I had an order in from May of last year, and it finally was delivered last month. I like Midway, but absolutely will not deal with them on primers. They notify you they are in, but by time you call, they are gone. I think they had someone on tap, that was buying everything at one time, rather than some kind of ration system, so all of us have a better crack at getting a few.

Titegroups · #14 03-16-2010, 05:32 PM

If the guns you are shooting are stock, pretty much any primer will work, CCI and Rem. are my favorites. After reloading for a while you will discover there are differences between primers, but you need to learn the basics first.

blastfact · #15 03-16-2010, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baxtersmith

Thanks everybody for all of the feedback. Now I know where to go with my reloading questions when I get started.

You have already started.

I would stay away from HMF Primers. All that I could find at one point. They suck. I had some fail to fire and delayed fire with them.

whelenshooter · #16 03-17-2010, 01:42 AM

The one thing that may change which brand of primer you use is the equipment you are using for reloading. I was having problems with my Dillon 550 feeding primers. I called Dillon and they told me not to use CCI primers in their equipment. Since I use my Dillons (I have more than one) for a lot of my reloading, I sold my CCI primers to a new reloader for a low price to help him out, and I don't buy them any more. I haven't had a primer feeding problem since then. This doesn't mean that CCI primers aren't any good. I always had good luck with my loads with CCI primers. I think they are good primers if they are used in equipment that likes them.

WILDPIG · #17 03-17-2010, 01:55 AM

As long as you are not licking the glue on the envelope, changing brands will not make much difference velocity and pressure wise. I pay more attention to cup hardness for different brands in different firearms. My model 49 goes bang every time with Federal primers but not always with CCI primers...and I like hard cups for semi-autos with floating fireing pins...for two examples.

WILDPIG

magnum12pm · #18 03-17-2010, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Sarge

The primer supply is starting to open up a tad. I had an order in from May of last year, and it finally was delivered last month. I like Midway, but absolutely will not deal with them on primers. They notify you they are in, but by time you call, they are gone. I think they had someone on tap, that was buying everything at one time, rather than some kind of ration system, so all of us have a better crack at getting a few.

I can't believe folks are still having problems finding primers. The gun store/range I go to every Tuesday has had no less than 20 thousand on the shelf for the last four months. I guess we are not shooting enough here in Ohio

Well hope everyone's luck changes finding them soon.