9mm and Magnum Primers

[kebwizrd]

Loaded up 25 rounds of 9mm last night and then realized I was using small pistol magnum primers (CCI 550) instead of small pistol primers (CCI 500). Loaded them with 5.2 grains of Power Pistol and X-Treme 115 grain copper plated bullets. According to the Hornady reloading manual (9th addition, page 771) 5.2 grains is 1 step above the minimum of 4.8 and 5 steps below the max of 6.7 for a 115 grain FMJ RN bullet. At least I caught the mistake before going out and shooting them. Anyone have any idea if these would be safe to shoot or should I just pull the bullets and start over.

 

[Hillbilly77]

A google search (predictably) yields every answer between, "Yes, of course! Been doing it for years." and "No, never! You'll blow your hand off!".

I'd say call CCI and ask them.
According to their website, you have about 27 minutes to call them tonight before they close.

CCI Customer Service:
1-800-379-1732

 

[Rule3]

They will be fine as far as primers and powder. Don't forget, 9mm goes into +P loads,

The issue is with those plated bullets where you may exceed the max velocity of around 1200 fps. You probably will be close but not over. No big deal other than poor accuracy.If they are the heavy plated you are fine.(1500 fps)

 

[Moe Mentum]

Primers don't add that much to your load, your fine.

 

[NJM15]

Some misfires

Loaded up 25 rounds of 9mm last night and then realized I was using small pistol magnum primers (CCI 550) instead of small pistol primers (CCI 500). Loaded them with 5.2 grains of Power Pistol and X-Treme 115 grain copper plated bullets. According to the Hornady reloading manual (9th addition, page 771) 5.2 grains is 1 step above the minimum of 4.8 and 5 steps below the max of 6.7 for a 115 grain FMJ RN bullet. At least I caught the mistake before going out and shooting them. Anyone have any idea if these would be safe to shoot or should I just pull the bullets and start over.

I did the same using CCI mag primers and had some fail to fire. After looking at the firing pin imprint on the primer it seems to be less imprinted as when using standard primers. It seems they are harder, much like benchmark small rifle primers. the ones that fired showed no difference from regular SP primers though

 

[MichiganScott]

I started loading pistol ammo in 1974 using CCi-550. I have never bought any CCI-500.

 

[S&WIowegan]

I just finished loading a large batch of 9mm 147gr ammo with Federal small pistol magnum primers. Before I made lots of it I chronoed 10 rounds of Federal small pistol and 10 of small pistol magnum. There was literally no discernible difference with the two different primers and every thing else the same. YMMV.

 

[rwsmith]

If you load top loads....

If you load max you will have some excess pressure. If you are about a grain or more under max loads, the magnum primer won't be enough to cause excess pressure. Many people have gone to adjusting their loads and using magnum primers all the time.

 

[fredj338]

Magnum primers do affect pressures with some powders, but not much if you are at midrange or below. At max levels, everything matters.

 

[Nevada Ed]

I tested HS-6 from target to full 9mm "Luger" loads c/o 34,000 psi pressures per my manuals to see if a std or mag primer would help this slow ball type powder in my 3 & 3.5" 9mm pistols.

The little 115gr plated went from 1.10" to 1.142" ........
the 124gr plated RN went from 1.12 to 1.165" ..........

I had no problems or pressure signs but the mag wspm primer group size did start to open up at the top loads for some reason. While the std primer shot around .649% tighter groups in my pistols.

They will work, just depends if the accuracy will be there at a certain fps that you settle on.
Good shooting.

 

[Abflyboy]

I would just shoot them. You are not at or close to max powder charge and magnum primers don't add much pressure to the equation.

Heck, you could make a little science experiment out of it, load 25 std primer cartridges to match what you have now, shoot some 5-shot groups and see how they compare. You might be pleasantly surprised or you may be disappointed. You won't know unless you try.

 

[Rock185]

I cannot say what is safe or unsafe for you to do, but can cite some personal experience. I don't recall using the CCI 550, but have used some other magnum small pistol and small rifle primers in reloading 9MM, 38 Super and 9X23 Winchester. Some velocities go up, and some go down, ( usually about 25fps or less either way) using the more energetic primers instead of the standard small pistol primers. I have done this to get a slightly harder primer cup to reduce primer flowing/cratering/piercing, etc. Sometimes, velocity spreads go up or down also. In any case, I have not experienced any issues whatsoever in use of magnum or small rifle primers in my reloads......ymmv

 

[44wheelman]

depends... these going in a S&W or a Hi-Point?

We used to shoot Hirtenberger 9mm +p+ in our Berettas without issue.

That's sub-machine gun ammo, and there is no Saami spec for +p+.

 

[Nevada Ed]

...if the load is going into a Hi-Point............

I saw a thing on the internet where 2-3 guys could only blow up a Hi-Point by a double charge of powder in a case and on top of that..................

They shoved a 3" bolt down the barrel !!