Large Pistol Primers vs Large Rifle Primers

What about using Large Pistol primers for Large Rifle loads?
Have read the LPP cup material is too thin to contain rifle pressure loads.
Is that true?
Was thinking about using some LP primers in some .30/30 rifle loads.

IMO not a good idea. First, the primer cup it too thin. Next, the primer might not be "hot" enough to properly ignite the rifle powder. Third, the primer will seat well below flush to the case and the firing pin might not work as well as the the correct primer.

Those are just my thoughts on the matter.
 
I've been using CCI 400 SRPs in my 9mm loads for quite some time now and they work great. CCI CS rep advised me it was perfectly Ok to substitute them for pistol primers and he was right.
 
I've been using CCI 400 SRPs in my 9mm loads for quite some time now and they work great. CCI CS rep advised me it was perfectly Ok to substitute them for pistol primers and he was right.

That may be true but we are not discussing small primers, we are discussing large primers which is a different story all together.

We are also replying to the question of using LPP in a rifle ammo application. Again different than using a rifle primer as a pistol primer.
 
Last edited:
I have used LPP in milder cast bullet rifle caliber loads. I would hesitate to use them for full power rifle loads. Keep in mind LPPs work OK for high pressure .44 Mag loads.
 
Last edited:
Some subbing probably ok

As we all know any time you go out side of what the manual says you are on your own and potentially asking for trouble.
As was said, 45-70 shooters like pistol primer in their loads, and since its a low pressure loading, no problems come of it.

Several years ago, I was short on Large rifle primers during an earlier shortage. We were shooting a lot of reduced loads in lever guns.
I got by shooting LP primers in my reduced cast lead loads in a 35 Remington and 30-30. These were shot in Marlin 336 lever guns.
No problems, what so ever, as the loads were reduced and loaded with 12 gs of Unique, pressures under 25,000.

However, I tried the same thing in an 1891 Mauser in 7.65 Argentine, and the primer was pierced. This was with the same 12 grs of Unique, a proven load, that I had used a lot, and right out of the Lyman loading manual....
All except for the LP primers that is.
I got a face full of gas, but otherwise the gun and I were unharmed.
The heavier spring, and probably slightly longer protrusion on the firing pin was too much for the thinner cup of the Pistol primer.

That was the end of that, and I will stick with what the manual says from now on.

I wish we were where we could exchange our primers. I have all the LPP that I need, and would swap you for LRP's that I could use.
Good luck with your swap at a gun show. You never can tell, when some one like me would be in need of what you have.
 
I have used LPP in milder cast bullet rifle caliber loads. I would hesitate to use them for full power rifle loads. Keep in mind LPPs work OK for high pressure .44 Mag loads.

Keep in mind, the max pressure for the 44 Magnum should be 36,000 psi while most rifle cartridges have a max pressure of between 51,000 psi to over 60,000 psi. Of course there are exceptions but in most cases LPP should not be used in rifle cartridges for that reason and the ones I mentioned in a previous post.
 
45 ACP is a cut-down 7x57, 30-06 case which of course uses rifle primers

Yes I know they now make cases that use small pistol primers so you'll need to look at the case. In a pinch you could also cut down your own cases from any of a dozen rifle calibers that use that same case head.

Biggest issue is any protrusion. The primer must not stick out beyond the base of the cartridge. You do own a primer pocket tool don't you? Takes about what, 3 wrist twists in that pocket to clean it out and 'mill' it flat?

Other opportunities exist for substitution. Look at the parent case and whether the dimensions are still the same.

There are slight differences between primer groups for sure, I'm just tired of hearing people repeat safety information written by some lawyer like it's gospel. If that lawyers opinion is more important to you than having ammo then wait until you can buy what they specify. Don't use your gray matter or read a book written before the internet.
 
Yes I know they now make cases that use small pistol primers so you'll need to look at the case. In a pinch you could also cut down your own cases from any of a dozen rifle calibers that use that same case head.

Biggest issue is any protrusion. The primer must not stick out beyond the base of the cartridge. You do own a primer pocket tool don't you? Takes about what, 3 wrist twists in that pocket to clean it out and 'mill' it flat?

Other opportunities exist for substitution. Look at the parent case and whether the dimensions are still the same.

There are slight differences between primer groups for sure, I'm just tired of hearing people repeat safety information written by some lawyer like it's gospel. If that lawyers opinion is more important to you than having ammo then wait until you can buy what they specify. Don't use your gray matter or read a book written before the internet.

I loaded several hundred 45acp with LRP...........All went bag in my Svenson.
 
I was going through my inventory and came upon these Sellier and Bellot lpp......but wait read the line just under "PRIMERS";
for rifle, pistol and revolver. I have not liked these primers because they are noticeably harder to prime 45 ACP cases. Just for curiosty's sake, I primed a 1x fired 6.5 Creedmoor case. Felt like other large rifle primers going in. It does seat a bit below flush, but shooting just the primed case in my rifle, it goes bang. Just throwing this out there for thoughts :confused: and comment.....:D

 
Last edited:
I have had FTF in some of my rifles when using LPP instead of LRP. Obvious light strikes due to the lower primer height. These were light 50-70 and 45-70 loads used in my older SS rifles that have the original large dia. firing pins. I suspect that they came from a box of older LRP bought at a gun show.
Have had no problem with using SPP instead of SRP with any of my handgun cartridges. I have even seen some older small primer boxes marked for use with rifle or pistol. And in some reloading manuals, some hand gun cartridges list the use of SRP with some loads. The 32-20 loads come to mind. When substituting SRP for SPP the rule of thumb is to never load to max.
Don't know if rifle primers are more powerful than pistol primers, or if it is just the matter of a longer burn time, and we'd be talking milliseconds here.
I do know from use that I get better accuracy when using LR magnum primers with reduced smokeless loads in my old, large BP cases like the 45-70 where the charge fills but a small portion of the case. I prefer not to use over powder wads to fill up the case.

John
 
I was going through my inventory and came upon these Sellier and Bellot lpp......but wait read the line just under "PRIMERS";
for rifle, pistol and revolver. I have not liked these primers because they are noticeably harder to prime 45 ACP cases. Just for curiosty's sake, I primed a 1x fired 6.5 Creedmoor case. Felt like other large rifle primers going in. It does seat a bit below flush, but shooting just the primed case in my rifle, it goes bang. Just throwing this out there for thoughts :confused: and comment.....:D


I was fooled by this on S&B primers as well, which did cause me to unwittingly use thousands of small pistol primers for small rifle applications. I was fine, but a buddy ran some through his AR and had a couple pierced primers. I still use them in my M1 carbine loads... or I would if I could find more!
If you go to the S&B website, you will see that they do have different part numbers for pistol and rifle primers, the box just reads like they might be the same. In fact, on the ones I had it was only clear if you read the end panel on the brick, the sleeves of 100 had no difference. Cheaper to design and print just one box style.
So, no, they aren't large rifle primers. Depending on your load and the shape and velocity of your firing pin/striker, they may or may not work as large rifle in your application. I would recommend against it.
The S&B I've used have been outstanding primers and *very* consistent. I'd buy them again if I saw them for sale. Heck, I'd even pay more than the $22/1000 than I bought the last batch for!
 
Last edited:

Has anyone done business with this outfit?
I know there are a TON of scam ammo/component sites these days. Up until now they have pretty much all required payment through Zelle or other non-typical means and that has been the tell. This site does seem to take a credit card, but there are enough typos and odd text that I'm more than a bit wary.
They do list a physical address but no phone number, another red flag.
 
I love those S&B Large Pistol primers in 44 Magnum with N110. S&B were the only primers we could get in Canada for a while after COVID started. Now you can't even get those; I'm assuming they're staying in Europe with everything going on in Ukraine.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top