Do I NEED magnum primers for 44 mag?

[Ben_hutcherson]

I've never much worried about using standard or magnum large pistol primers.

If you look at a table of primer energies(there are a few out there) you will see that all LP primers are hotter than even SP Magnum or SR primers. The numbers I recall are that they are about double, with not much difference between standard and magnums in this size.

As said, Winchester doesn't even bother to separate them. I'm not sure that Remington does either...I can't ever keep their primer numbering system straight but I think they only list one number for LP primers.

Of course, work up your loads safely but I've worked up loads in both 44 Mag and 45 Colt using 296 and standard Federal LP Match primers(which I stocked up on when a local shop had them on sale).

 

[daniel lawecki]

Well I get static over this post. I don't use mag primers no bullets stuck in the bore. I shot over 16lbs of both H110 and 296. this was done with mag loads and my cast 250 grain SWC. Elmer may have been right I really don't care but all my revolver shooting is done at 100 yards. These Revolvers are scope and my groups are awesome. I don't use a mag primer in my .22 K hornet and this gun will shoot 3/8'' groups all day long using small pistol primers. I'm not telling you not to use mag primers at all. This works for me in my revolver. These were all loaded with CCI 300 primers.

 

[gregintenn]

Elmer left us 32 1/2 years ago.

How does what Elmer did back then have any relation with Modern Hand Loading and the powders that are currently available to us?

I bet Elmer never used a plated bullet either. Or how about a Powder Coated one. That is not a valid reason to ignore these things.

Elmer would be astonished (and thrilled) at the power levels we have achieved in Modern Handgun Shooting with the advancements in the decades since his passing.

If Elmer were alive today, he'd be wearing cast iron suspenders to hold up his holstered 500 S&W Magnum.

 

[mikld]

Cool down. Nothing you said changes the Sefried story. It wasn't meant to mean anything other than the post.

Agree. For someone that died 32 1/2 years ago and his methods are "antiquated" he sure is quoted often and his bullet designs, and loading methods are still valid and used daily. Or are cast lead semi-wadcutters "old school" and only used by reloaders over the age of 65, in guns not made after 1960?.

Besides Elmer was too smart to use plated bullets anyway..

 

[Engineer1911]

I bought mag pistol primers in 1980 (2 K) for my Ruger SBH. I haven't used mag primers since, haven't had any problems, and reloaded over 15 K rounds of 44 mag from mid-range to max without any poor results. Loads included about 8# of Win 296 with standard primers; Win, Fed, Rem, Wolf, and S&B.

 

[Greenjoytj]

Don't forget about shooting in cold weather using large charges of slow burning hard to ignite ball powder, why not stack the odds of not having the shot of a lifetime squib out on you. I would buy the few penny's worth of insurance against a squib and have my cartridges primed with the hottest magnum primers I can buy.

 

[Paul105]

Here are some chrono results using H110 and 4 different primers from a .45 Colt (RUGER ONLY Loads) – for primer comparison purposes only, NOT A RECOMMENDATION!.

Don’t know how this would relate to .44 Mag, but would expect similar results. The CCI 350 Mag primer is very “hot” (sandwiched between the Fed 215 and Win LR) according to Mic McPherson’s book, quite a bit hotter than the others shown here.

SAAMI Avg Max for .44 mag 36K PSI
No SAAMI for Ruger Only .45 Colt -- Accurate Load Data Shows RUGER ONLY Up to 30K PSI:

Same Day within 30 minutes
Gun: Freedom Arms Model 97 4 ¼”
Powder/Charge - 22.5gr H110
Bullet…………... 305gr CSWC GC – SAECO Mold from Matt’s Bullets
Crimped in crimp grove – slightly less than 1.600” OAL (bullet has a short wide nose)
Temp 65 Deg F
Chrono 5 long paces from muzzle

CCI 350 Mag ……………1,137 fps AVG 31 fps ES
Fed 155 Mag………… …1,107 fps AVG 43 fps ES
Win WLP Std/Mag …1,099 fps AVG 42 fps ES
Fed 150 Std………… …1,104 fps AVG 34 fps ES

Data is interesting, but I don't know that it is particularly definitive. Most likely results would be different if any of the variables (gun, bullet, powder lot, temperature, etc., etc.,) were changed.

FWIW, I always use CCI 350s or WLPs for my personal use with H110/W296 as they might (most likely will) be used in cold weather. My preference is the CCI350 if I have them.

One last note. Primer specs/components can and do change over time.

Paul

 

[zonker5]

Most of my loading data comes from 2 places; the Hornady and Speer manuals.

They have the means to measure pressures and such, all I can tell is did it go "bang" or not so I use the primer they suggest for that particular load.

 

[joe44va]

I've found that Trail Boss works best with magnum primers.