357 Magnum Primer

[one eye joe]

I have chronographed many loads with regular and magnum primers.
The statistical difference is usually quite small.
In a few cases, I have found magnum primers in light target loads to consistently give greater consistency and, possibly, improved accuracy.
Stocked up on Federal magnums during a recent panic.

FEDERAL PRIMERS WOULD BE MY BRAND OF CHOICE. THEY ARE SOFTER THAN THE REST, AND IGNITE RELIABLY.........

 

[DWalt]

Let's don't start on the "Soft" vs. "Hard" primer discussion again - unless you have "Hard" lab data or documentation from the primer manufacturers to support it. If you do, it will be the first time anyone does.

 

[rockquarry]

Let's don't start on the "Soft" vs. "Hard" primer discussion again - unless you have "Hard" lab data or documentation from the primer manufacturers to support it. If you do, it will be the first time anyone does.

Very good advice. Perhaps even those that see arguing as a competitive sport will comply.

 

[Sevens]

Don't understand why this particular forum, of all the different gun forums I visit seems to have such a chip on it's shoulder in the "Handloading" area. I've also seen that I'm not the only one who has noticed this.

With that in mind -- don't read my post.
If you -DO- elect to read my post, do so at your own peril.
If you have read this far, also plan some patience if/when you demand citations and proof of anything I elect to say. As in, it won't be forthcoming but you may feel free to demand and wait for it.

A contact at CCI has divulged on at least one occasion that the CCI-400 small rifle and the CCI-550 small pistol magnum are the same primer in two different packages. I myself have used the CCI-400 with fantastic success in .38 HBWC loads powered by Bullseye across six different Model 52 pistols, it's all that I load in them. You can use them anywhere a small pistol primer is used as long as you have the ability to reliably detonate them. My 52's do, my five different tuned PPC revolvers however do not.

Some folks have found that 2400 happens to be a powder where standard primers have offered better accuracy than magnum primers -- possibly a bummer for the folks who use Winchester small pistol primers that are marked "for regular or magnum loads"

These experiences are my own, I hope that sharing them helps.

 

[pittpa]

FEDERAL PRIMERS WOULD BE MY BRAND OF CHOICE. THEY ARE SOFTER THAN THE REST, AND IGNITE RELIABLY.........

Agreed. They work reliably in my 625 and Python when others don't.

 

[cowboy4evr]

Winchester small pistol primers are NOT marked " for regular or magnum loads " . It's their large pistol primer that is marked as such . Winchester sells both small pistol primers and small pistol magnum primers . Regards, Paul

 

[mikld]

IMO; it's just prudent reloading technique to reduce the load whenever any component is changed. No big deal really. In my reloading career, I've prolly tried every kind, size of boxer primer in any primer pocket it'll fit in, (and nope, haven't squish any large rifle primers into large pistol pockets that I can remember, except maybe my 44 Magnum trials.). Some had good results and some didn't, but I normally dropped the powder charge back down to starting levels....