Primers for 300 savage ?

[rebs]

I went to reload some 300 savage rounds this morning and found I have no larger rifle primers. I have large rifle magnum and large pistol primers. I doubt it is safe to use either of them right ?

[jmr40]

You can use the LR Magnum primers. You need to back off the powder charge a little and work back up. The Magnum primers 'MIGHT" give you a little more velocity and if your load with standard primers was close to max it could cause problems. It might not make any difference at all, you just don't know till you try. A lot of shooters prefer magnum primers in non-magnum rounds claiming they get better accuracy.

[rebs]

This will be my first reloading for this 300 savage so I don't have a load worked up yet. Maybe I will back off 10% from max and start there with the mag primers. Does that sound safe or should I start with the minimum load for powder ? I am planning to use IMR 3031 powder, but I also have CFE223 and H335

[Hunter Customs]

I heard it claimed that you will get better ignition with ball powders using magnum primers, however I don't know for sure if that's true.

I use Remington primers and have used their magnum primers, in some calibers I did see tighter groups.

The 300 Savage is a small case compared to a lot of rifle cartridges so I'm not sure you would see an advantage using a magnum primer.

As jmr40 already stated (very good advice by the way), if you decide to use magnum primers back your load down and work back up.

I use IMR 4064 in my 300 Savage, it's what it seems to shoot the best groups with.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

[Hunter Customs]

By the way, out of the three powders you have listed I would start with the IMR 3031, if it did not work out then I would use the H335.

I'm a big fan of IMR extruded powders that's the main reason I would start with the IMR 3031.

I have no experience with the CFE223.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Using L-pistol primers you could get by using 3031. And without having to change your powder recipe. The other powders I don't have any experience with there use.

[rebs]

Using L-pistol primers you could get by using 3031. And without having to change your powder recipe. The other powders I don't have any experience with there use.

I do have large pistol primers, glad to see I can use them in a pinch for my 300 savage rounds. As soon as I get to the gun shop I'll get the large rifle primers.

[mikld]

Large pistol primers are shorter than large rifle primers, not a good substitution. If you are a new reloader, be very careful about substituting components as something that may "seem" OK, can be unsafe. If you wanna start reloading for a particular cartridge, use the starting loads listed in your reloading manual. With proper load development, it'll be a while before you will be concerned with maximum loads (and forget "extrapolating" book loads to fit your components), so just keep the loads low.

[rebs]

I called a gun shop and they had Winchester large rifle primers, so I drove the 45 minutes there and 45 minutes back and bought them. Now I won't be nervous when I shoot these reloads with the right primer in them. I would rather be safe than sorry.

[trixter]

Thank you mikld for the 'attachment' It was very helpful in determining why not to substitute.

Again, Thanks.

[rebs]

The attachment was very helpful and showed that large pistol and large rifle are indeed different size primers. It also showed small rifle and small pistol are the same size. I have read before that you can switch the small rifle and small pistol primers but I have never tried it so I don't know.

[mikld]

Hey fellers, yer welcome. I don't mind sharing any info I have, because I can remember when I didn't know everything...

[44 AMP]

Maybe I will back off 10% from max and start there

Not a good idea. There is a reason the starting load is called the starting load. Use it.

What is max in one gun, with one particular combination of components, may not be safe in another gun with the same components, and may not be safe in the original test gun, if you change components.

Your gun, and the specific combination of components you are using are an individual and can have drastically different safe limits. Usually they don't, but it is possible. That's why we always say start low, and work up.

Large Pistol primers are "shorter" than rifle primers, and may, in some cases not ignite reliably. If they do, they will make the gun go bang, but are still less priming compound and thinner cup metal than rifle primers, so loads will have to be adjusted accordingly. A load that is fine in your gun with standard rifle primer might flatten, crater or even blow a pistol primer. And there's no way to tell, until you get there. If you have to use pistol primers, be careful, and don't expect to get to the same max levels you get with rifle primes.

Magnum primers are "more", and so can raise pressures over standard primers. Again, reduce your load and work up again.