A primer question.

[HAWKEYE10]

What are your thoughts on using small pistol primers instead of small rifle primers? I am loading 218 Bee with 9.4 grains of 2400 and trying to keep pressures down to save brass as they are hard to come by. The 218 Bee is noted for high pressures at near max and max loads.

Don

PS The bullet is Hornady 40 grain V-Max

 

[427mach1]

I would use the primer that your reloading manual suggests. Powder selection and charge levels will affect pressure much more than primers. If you don't want high pressure, either select a different powder or use less of it.

 

[HIKayaker]

Two issues here.

One is that pistol primers are made from slightly thinner metal to more reliably ignite from the relatively lower energy of handgun firing pins compared to rifle firing pins. As a result, pistol primers will fail gas containment (rupture) at somewhat lower pressures than rifle primers.

Second is that pistol primers are thought to contain less priming compound than rifle primers since they usually have less powder to ignite.

On the other hand, there are those who use pistol primers in their target and bench rest loads thinking that the lesser concussion of the pistol primer lends more consistent ignition and less pre-ignition movement of the bullet into the barrel.

That being said, small pistol primers would work in .218 bee--relatively small case, BUT this is not necessarily a low-moderate pressure round just because it is small. Any advantage gained here would be toward consistency and reducing SD for accuracy. No advantage would be gained toward reducing maximum pressure. Instead, the pistol primer would be more likely to rupture. Not a good thing. they are NOT for maximum loads.

 

[HAWKEYE10]

Two issues here.

One is that pistol primers are made from slightly thinner metal to more reliably ignite from the relatively lower energy of handgun firing pins compared to rifle firing pins. As a result, pistol primers will fail gas containment (rupture) at somewhat lower pressures than rifle primers.

Second is that pistol primers are thought to contain less priming compound than rifle primers since they usually have less powder to ignite.

On the other hand, there are those who use pistol primers in their target and bench rest loads thinking that the lesser concussion of the pistol primer lends more consistent ignition and less pre-ignition movement of the bullet into the barrel.

That being said, small pistol primers would work in .218 bee--relatively small case, BUT this is not necessarily a low-moderate pressure round just because it is small. Any advantage gained here would be toward consistency and reducing SD for accuracy. No advantage would be gained toward reducing maximum pressure. Instead, the pistol primer would be more likely to rupture. Not a good thing. they are NOT for maximum loads.

Thanks for a very good post with a lot of information.

Don

 

[mikld]

With that small case, and comparatively small charges, a pistol primer would probably work. I'm sure my hot .357 Magnum loads will generate more pressure than your light/medium 218 Bee, and I have had no problems with standard small pistol problems..

 

[Alk8944]

What are your thoughts on using small pistol primers instead of small rifle primers? I am loading 218 Bee with 9.4 grains of 2400 and trying to keep pressures down to save brass as they are hard to come by. The 218 Bee is noted for high pressures at near max and max loads.

Don

PS The bullet is Hornady 40 grain V-Max

First question is WHY? If you have small rifle primers then use them.

If all you have or can get is Small Pistol then use them. They are perfectly adequate for full power .357 Magnum loads that develop maximum pressures in the same range as .218 Bee, pressure is not an issue.

 

[Paul5388]

Most people don't have any idea about how much pressure primers produce, so here's Speer's take on CCI primer pressures. BBHFarm Gallery :: Speer #7, Speer Inc, 1968 :: aad

 

[MichiganScott]

Small pistol primers usually make for better accuracy with a .22 Hornet because of less pre-ignition bullet movement. The same principal should apply in the 218 Bee.