Wolf Small Mag Rifle primers in 357 SuperMags?

freestate101 · May 28, 2012, 01:19 PM

I have 5K wolf Small Rifle Mag primers left over from the 6BR I used to load for. Is it possible to use these in a 357 Super Mag?

Jim

**Unclenick** · May 28, 2012, 02:32 PM

Welcome to the forum.

Well, they will fit and they will fire, except maybe if you've got a revolver with soft mainspring. The main thing is that the rifle magnum primer makes a larger volume of gas than either standard rifle or either pistol primer. If it unseats your bullet before the powder gets burning (and it may) there is a chance you will get a squib load, with the powder venting out of the barrel/cylinder gap or backward around an unexpanded case in the chamber, leaving a bullet stuck in the barrel for your trouble. If the gun is a single shot, it may work OK. Typically, these high gas volume primers give higher muzzle velocity extreme spread when used in a case that's too small for their intended purpose.

On the other hand, it may fire OK, in which case you want to be sure your powder charge is reduced 10% to start. The higher pressure in the case, if the bullet doesn't unseat too early, will start the powder burning faster than usual, raising peak pressure some. So you want to start light and work up while watching for pressure signs. I would probably avoid using it with a powder you can't reduce the loads on safely, like H110/296. I would fire only one at a time during workup in a revolver and check to be sure I saw a bullet hole in the target and that nothing was stuck in the barrel before firing again.

WESHOOT2 · May 31, 2012, 07:50 AM

Yes.

zxcvbob · May 31, 2012, 10:04 AM

They'll work just like small pistol magnums, it'll just take a harder hit from the firing pin to set them off.

DWFan · May 31, 2012, 07:37 PM

Small rifle primers are recommended for .357 Maximum loads due to the long column of powder and the pressures the cartridge operates at. I use the CCI #450.

May 28, 2012, 01:19 PM	#1
freestate101 Junior Member Join Date: May 28, 2012 Posts: 1	Wolf Small Mag Rifle primers in 357 SuperMags? I have 5K wolf Small Rifle Mag primers left over from the 6BR I used to load for. Is it possible to use these in a 357 Super Mag? Jim

May 28, 2012, 02:32 PM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Welcome to the forum. Well, they will fit and they will fire, except maybe if you've got a revolver with soft mainspring. The main thing is that the rifle magnum primer makes a larger volume of gas than either standard rifle or either pistol primer. If it unseats your bullet before the powder gets burning (and it may) there is a chance you will get a squib load, with the powder venting out of the barrel/cylinder gap or backward around an unexpanded case in the chamber, leaving a bullet stuck in the barrel for your trouble. If the gun is a single shot, it may work OK. Typically, these high gas volume primers give higher muzzle velocity extreme spread when used in a case that's too small for their intended purpose. On the other hand, it may fire OK, in which case you want to be sure your powder charge is reduced 10% to start. The higher pressure in the case, if the bullet doesn't unseat too early, will start the powder burning faster than usual, raising peak pressure some. So you want to start light and work up while watching for pressure signs. I would probably avoid using it with a powder you can't reduce the loads on safely, like H110/296. I would fire only one at a time during workup in a revolver and check to be sure I saw a bullet hole in the target and that nothing was stuck in the barrel before firing again. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

May 31, 2012, 07:50 AM	#3
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	Yes. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

May 31, 2012, 10:04 AM	#4
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	They'll work just like small pistol magnums, it'll just take a harder hit from the firing pin to set them off. __________________ "Everything they do is so dramatic and flamboyant. It just makes me want to set myself on fire!" —Lucille Bluth

May 31, 2012, 07:37 PM	#5
DWFan Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Posts: 305	Small rifle primers are recommended for .357 Maximum loads due to the long column of powder and the pressures the cartridge operates at. I use the CCI #450.