I think but not sure that I have read you can use small pistol primers for 357 mag. I have over 7000 CCI small primers "not magnum" and thought if I could use them it would save a little money. It has been years since I loaded any 357 ammo and I have a little over 500 rounds of brass. I was thinking about getting some 2400 powder. What is y'alls advice? Don

__________________
"Don't worry be happy"

I use nothing but small pistol primers (non magnum) in my .357 and hot .38-44 loads when using 2400. You don't need mag primers with 2400.

__________________
Vaya con Dios

You have the primers you need for loading .357 mag. with 2400.

According to the writings of Skeeter, I use WSP in W296 loads and it works. In fact, it works well.

Consistent burn, accurate and NO powder residue.

Many advise against non magnum primers with W296/H110, but my experience starting in the mid 80's till now tells me it works.

YMMV.

Alliant recommends only using std primers when loading with 2400. The only powders that really recommend magnum primers that I'm aware of are 296/H110, WC820 (surplus), and MR3000 (I believe, please double check).

My only concern is cold temps with ball powders.

2400 with a standard primer is exactly what Hodgdon recommends. Load away!

My Hornady book calls for magnum primers with 2400. I just loaded 100 rounds.

Hodgdon says to use Mag primers with all powders in 357 like HP 38/W 231. They are not needed.

2400 does not need a Mag primer.

__________________
Still Running Against the Wind

Will it hurt anything?

I think that most novice reloaders are under the misconception that if they are loading Magnum's they always need to use Magnum primers. In general, follow the reloading manual and use the Magnum primers only when called for.

I did some experimenting a few years back and I loaded 2 sets of 357's identically except for the primers. One set of loads had the Magnum primers and one set had the standard ones. Shooting them in my 6" 586 I found that for some powders, there was no difference and for some powders there were a substantial difference.

If you are loading for informal plinking then pick a load that you can use with non Magnum primers if you prefer. If you are loading for self defense, hunting or other essential reason, follow what the manuals suggest. Contrary to what one might think, I can usually buy Magnum primers cheaper than standard ones because the dealers want to move them after sitting on their shelves for a while. They obviously sell less than standard ones.

Chief38

As said many times above, you should use standard primers with 2400 in the .357 Magnum. I have found with a standard primer I get more consistent velocities from 2400 than with a magnum primer.

Unfortunately in today's world for some reason when writing reloading manuals they are listing magnum primers with all powder in a magnum load. It's wrong and should not be done. Only hard to ignite ball powders like HS-6, HS-7, W540 and W296/H110 require a magnum primer.

Also like said above, you have the primers you need to load 2400 in the .357 Magnum, load away!

__________________
Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

Bumping an old thread cause it is already started.

Lyman 49th and Hornady say to use only magnum primers. Which I was surprised with 2400. When I load 44 mag I use standard for 2400 and mag for H110. 49th says to mags with H110 and not 2400 for 44 magnum.

I suppose you can use mag and just back the load down. Either way will work up. Before I thought about this I primed 250 cases.

__________________
Beware the man with one gun.

The Lyman .357 data is tested with magnum primers and the loads reflect that. Other manuals show using magnum primers for powders like 110/296 but not for 2400.

No it will not hurt anything to use magnum primers exclusively in .357 loads, but the data must be adjusted accordingly. Back off a half a grain and work up to the max.

Some manuals says that an exception to this is Blue Dot. I believe that it is recommended NOT recommended to use Magnum primers because of a peculiarity in that powder in which it doesn't burn as well as with a standard primers.

Read your reloading book and use the primers used to develop the load.

I have several hundred magnum small pistol primers purchased 30+ years ago. I can't remember why I bought them, but obviously haven't found a use for them.

I just loaded some up, according the manual. Lyman is not fly by night, so I am going to go with them. Primer price is the same, as far as I pay attention. Magnum might be harder on brass, enough to notice dunno. I suspect you adjust the loads just fine to standard.

__________________
Beware the man with one gun.

The only powder that needs a mag primer in the 357mag is H110/W296, maybe Lilgun. Everything else works fine with std sp.

__________________
NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

And HS-6 and if you find some HS-7 too. (W540 & W571)

__________________
Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

I have used small rifle primers in 357 loads using WC820. It works fine for me, checked with a chrony too. I was concerned about not firing, but they do fine in my ruger security six with target springs.

To each his own.
David

Winchester small pistol primers say "for regular and magnum loads" on the box.
I have always used just regular small pistol primers for .357.

The large pistol primers say that. I've not been reloading long enough to have seen or remember if the small pistol primers said that.

Winchester used to have regular and magnum for both small and large, but that was many years ago.

Best advice is use what your load book says to use.

If it doesn't specify, then use regular.

__________________
USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

Nope, that's the large pistol primers, not the SPP.

__________________
Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

Alliant's current load data (web-based) says to use CCI500 for 357 Sig and 357 Mag (Fed100 if 300MP). And CCI300 for 44 Mag (Fed150 if 300MP), so it's not across the board and makes me think that they have actually taken the differences into consideration.

Alliant Powder - Reloader's Guide

Works fine with 2400 have loaded them for 40 years.

Other powders may benefit from a mag primer, dependiong on caliber, but not needed. I have loaded HS7 w/ std primers in the 357sig & mag, works fine. AA#9 is another that can benefit from a mag primer, depending on caliber.

__________________
NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I'm the same as the others when it comes to 2400. I only use magnum primers for W296.

Winchester primers....when Skeeter was writing....came in 2 versions: WSP and WLP. There were no 'standard' nor 'magnum' primers. Just small and large.

That made it easy for me when choosing primers. I didn't have to use magnum for W296 and switch to standard primers when loading W231; both were favorite 38/357 powders. I just used WW primers for both (and WLP for my 44 Mag/44 Spl and 45 Colt loads). Of course, I was also paying $4.50/1000 (sigh...I remember being outraged when prices jumped to $5.50/1000).

I'm not sure when WW did so, but now they....like everyone else....have standard and magnum primers, in both sizes. And I've never read nor heard of what WW did to change the primer formula to do so. I'd guess the many changes in WW ownership plus the different/various manufacturing plants had a lot to do with it.

Anyway, enough about the old days. I now use standard (non-Magnum) primers for most of my powders, including 2400. Use Magnum primers for H110/W296, regardless of primer brand.

I use small pistol primers with everything 357 Mag except when using Win 296 for hot loads then I use the magnum primers.

The reason why the 300-MP load data was tested with a Federal primer instead of a CCI primers is ATK. Since ATK owns both Alliant and Federal when they shot the new data for 300-MP they used a Federal primer. The old data was shot with a CCI primer. ATK is also the reason why only Speer bullets are featured in the load data pages.

__________________
Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437