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Old June 5, 2012, 11:30 PM   #1
marklyftogt
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Can you load 357 mag with regular primers?

I have some 357 cases but only have regular (not magnum) small pistol primers. I have Berry's plated 158gr RN bullets. I will probably be using Bullseye or Accurate #5 for the powder. Are there loads that work with standard primers for this?

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Old June 5, 2012, 11:41 PM   #2
Lost Sheep
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marklyftogt
I have some 357 cases but only have regular (not magnum) small pistol primers. Are there loads that work for this?
Yes, magnum primers are primarily for powders that are harder to ignite or a case stuffed so full that ignition is problematic. Easy-to-ignite powders don't need the extended flame duration.

There will often (not necessarily, but often enough) be a lower pressure with standard primers.

What manuals do you have on hand, what powder are you contemplating and what amount and bullet? That information would be helpful.

Lost Sheep

Your post and my edit crossed in time. I use Bullseye all the time. It is VERY easy to ignite. I believe it does better with standard primers (though that is just an opinion). As it is a very quick powder, it is best for low and mid-power loads, as it gets to full SAAMI pressure very fast. I don't have any personal experience with Accurate #5 is listed as slower in quickness than Bullseye, but I imagine it is probably as easy to ignite.

What velocity do you seek?

Last edited by Lost Sheep; June 5, 2012 at 11:53 PM.
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Old June 6, 2012, 12:17 AM   #3
marklyftogt
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I have Lee's Modern Reloading and Lyman's. Lee's says small pistol primers but I am not sure that means standard or if magnum is assumed with 357. I want to shoot lighter loads.
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Old June 6, 2012, 01:16 AM   #4
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I'm on-board with standard primers and Bullseye, too.
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Old June 6, 2012, 01:55 AM   #5
Edward429451
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Quote:
I am not sure that means standard or if magnum is assumed with 357.
The book will specify if it is a magnum primer for the load. If it does not say magnum primers then it is safe to assume that it calls for a regular primer.
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Old June 6, 2012, 04:28 AM   #6
excelerater
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depends on powder but SP primers is mostly the norm in 357 and I use
2400 powder which is SP specific .....
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Old June 6, 2012, 05:35 AM   #7
mehavey
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I will probably be using Bullseye or Accurate #5
As others have noted, regular primers work fine w/ those powders.
Do you have other (higher-performing) powder options available to you?
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Old June 6, 2012, 06:36 AM   #8
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I've really never used magnum primers in .357, not even with powders like WW 296, which is considered difficult to ignite.

I just make sure my crimp is up to snuff, which really helps the ignition process.
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Old June 6, 2012, 07:05 AM   #9
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357 Magnum

My not-hot ammo normally gets standard primers; hotties get tested with numerous primers.
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Old June 6, 2012, 07:12 AM   #10
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Concur. I've never seen a need to use magnum primers in the .357 magnum. Every powder we might use in that cartridge is relatively fast on the burn scale and lights up easily with a standard primer.
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Old June 6, 2012, 07:27 AM   #11
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I also never have used mag primers in 357 mag, even when using 296. I actually use small rifle primers in everything I load that takes a small pistol primer.
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Old June 6, 2012, 07:50 AM   #12
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What is the difference in a small pistol primer and a small rifle primer ?
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Old June 6, 2012, 11:23 AM   #13
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Rifle primers are generally a bit more potent given that they have to ignite larger amounts of powder.

The big difference is that the primer cup is thicker to better handle the higher pressures that a rifle primer might encounter,.
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Old June 6, 2012, 12:05 PM   #14
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Thanks guys. This will save me a hazmat charge as I just restocked through Powder Valley.
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Old June 6, 2012, 01:45 PM   #15
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If you go way back 25-30 years, magnum primers were often called for with .357 Mag loads. For example, Lyman #46 (1982) stipulates magnum primers for all .357 loads. Speer # 11 (1987) calls for mag primers with some loads. Over the years most loadbooks have gone to strictly plain jane regular small pistol primers for nearly all .357 Mag loads. They've learned a lot and refined their data through the use of better chronos, better ways to measure pressure (piezo vs. copper crushers) and just plain more experience over the dam.
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Old June 6, 2012, 05:18 PM   #16
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I tend to agree with using standard small pistol primers for the easy to ignite powders and magnum primers for 296/H110.

However all the loads listed at the Hodgdon Reloading Center show using Winchester SPM primers. And I normally start a new load by trying to use the same primer that was used for testing before I start deviating. This is where your chrono can help you decide what performs best.
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