Primer Question

[617fan]

The current ammo shortage and political climate has me interested in reloading for my 357's(Mod 60/686/ and a Puma lever gun). I have read that reloading components, especially primers, are also getting a little hard to find. I have been "making the rounds" to various gunshops trying to build a "working inventory" of factory ammo, so I will have enough brass to get started. I have been doing OK finding 38's but .357's have been pretty hard to come by. I want to start buying a few primers if I happen across them. My question is if there is one primer type that would work for target 38 loads in the snubbie as well as hunting loads for the .357 lever gun? I realize that there probably are ideal combinations for different applications, but will one primer type safely work for both?

 

[617fan]

The current ammo shortage and political climate has me interested in reloading for my 357's(Mod 60/686/ and a Puma lever gun). I have read that reloading components, especially primers, are also getting a little hard to find. I have been "making the rounds" to various gunshops trying to build a "working inventory" of factory ammo, so I will have enough brass to get started. I have been doing OK finding 38's but .357's have been pretty hard to come by. I want to start buying a few primers if I happen across them. My question is if there is one primer type that would work for target 38 loads in the snubbie as well as hunting loads for the .357 lever gun? I realize that there probably are ideal combinations for different applications, but will one primer type safely work for both?

 

[m1gunner]

What you want are called "small pistol primers", they work fine for the loads you mentioned.

I have always used CCI brand and have never had a problem.

 

[epj]

There is such a thing as a small pistol magnum primer. Some heavy loads of certain powders work better with them. Some primer brands, Winchester being one, I think, advertise their small pistol primers as being suitable for both standard and magnum loadings. In reality, for most loadings the "magnum" primers are unnecessary.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Which primer you use is "recipe" dependent. Meaning, for a certain load, using certain components, one primer is used. Another load may call for a different primer.

There is no such thing as one size fits all in this category, friend.

Loads can be developed in your firearms working up from minimums with either primer, but to say "Yes" to your question is misleading and borderline sinister if you ask me.

With the current shortages and folks not paying attention to the political situation early enough, some folks find themselves in trouble acquiring ammo now.

For those that have been keeping a head's up on things surrounding them, stocked up long ago, when prices were down and supply abundant.

They made it possible to always have bullets available too, at least for their handguns, by investing in casting equipment and making alliances with local folks that have supplies of wheel weights.

Hind sight is always 20/20. Usually though while it is good, it is almost always too late.

Now you will most likely have to wait until supply comes back or the political climate changes. Just don't hold your breath, if you do, you are going to get a new complection , <span class="ev_code_BLUE">BLUE!</span>

 

[617fan]

Thanks for all the quick responses. I know they wouldn't make several types if there weren't applications for each. Sounds to me like the small pistol primer is what I want to start with.

 

[Amici]

Then again, you may want to consider using Small Rifle primers.

The outer dimensions are identical to SP primers, but the cups are thicker. This is a Good Thing for high-pressure handgun loads, such as .38 Super,.40 S&W and your .357 loads.

Start at the low end of the charge range and work your way up when developing a load, of course.

This has been discussed here (and pretty much every other reloading forum) before. Do a search and you'll find the threads.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Then again, you may want to consider using Small Rifle primers.

Just a caution, as I have posted many times about this topic. Amici has put it in his post as well but I want to reiterate it.

If you change your primers from standard to magnum or rifle, your load needs to be worked up again with a chronograph. When you are using all of the same components except primers and get the velocity you were getting before the switch, you are going to be in the same area in pressure, IMO.

One thing to remember though, all pressure signs in the primer are going to be thrown out the window. Harder, thicker cups are going to show less signs of problems.

 

[buck460XVR]

Some powders in .357(H110 and W296 for example) REQUIRE magnum primers to eliminate the chance of a squib. Seeing as how they cost the same as standard primers, I can never understand why so many are hesitant to use them. Altho they are not required for powders like Unique and 2400 in .357 they can be used safely as long as one is not loading to max. I have done this myself when I have run out of standard primers and noticed very little difference. For me, some loads are actually more accurate using magnum primers even tho they are not required for proper ignition. I repeat, these are in loads that are not near max. When I run out of magnum primers, I stay away from H110 and W296.

Winchester only makes a Large pistol primer than works for both standard and magnum, their small pistol primers are still designated Standard and Magnum.

Because of the thicker cup, small rifle primers may not always ignite when used in double action revolvers because of the lighter hammer strike.

Again, as was mentioned before, any time one deviates from a published load recipe, one must start low and work their way back up. In the last week I have seen reloading supplies returning to my local gun shop. Hopefully the days of everything being in stock are back.

 

[rundownfid]

617 fan, yes to everything that has been said above, however, lets not over complicate what isn't all that complicated. You want to start reloading for 3 guns in .38 &.357? I would suggest that you buy a good reloading manual I would suggest Lyman, but there are many good ones, you only need one to start, but read it thoroughly. Then you will need equipment, Lee is exceptionally inexpensive and plenty good, however RCBS, Lyman and others offer kits, get one with "everything you need" to get started.
Having read the manual will let you know what it is that you need to get started, I won't list them the manual will have done a better job than I can. Then decide what you want to do and buy components accordingly. For example if you want plinking rounds in .38 special and Hunting rounds in .357, yo would need at least two different bullets as good hunting bullets are rather expensive for plinking and plinking bullets may not be optimum for hunting. Yo already appear to have brass for both .38 and .357, so primers, I would avoid all questions of mag and standard small pistol and just buy small pistol, Winchester, CCI or Federal even Wolf if you can find them, all are fine. Then powders, not too hard, you could buy one medium powder such as Unique or Power Pistol and shoot small amounts in the plinking loads, but I wouldn't. If I wanted to plink I'd buy one of the faster powders, Bullseye, TiteGroup, etc, but here is where the Lyman manual comes in handy. Lets say you bought 158 gr LSWCs for plinking just look in the manual for the suggested powders (Lyman will even suggest a most accurate load) and pick a powder that works, I'd suggest one that has wide application because you probably won't stick to a single plinking bullet but will want to try wad-cutters, plated bullets, etc. Then go to the recipes for the .357 hunting bullet you bought and pick a powder to buy that works well, i.e. gives one of the higher FPS but does not require mag primers, 2400 is a real winner in .357, but there are other good choices like AA#5 or #7, etc.
So you will have purchased a manual and read it pretty much cover to cover. Yo know know enough to pick the rest of your equipment and supplies to load to your hearts content.
I started much this way with a Speer Manual, A Lyman kit, and a pound of Bullseye and eventually added Unique as I became more power hungry. Best of luck, I hope you enjoy reloading, by the way that 2lbs of powder should be enough to load over 2,000 rounds!