pistol primers with .223?

[Alden]

Does any one know if it's possible to use small or large pistol primers with .223 rifle cartridges?

Also, I have read that most all manufacturers use crimped primers. What is a crimped primer?

[hodaka]

Don't.

[jepp2]

Does any one know if it's possible to use small or large pistol primers with .223 rifle cartridges?

Large pistol? Good luck trying to fit that in the small rifle pocket.

Small pistol? You are using a primer designed for 40K pressure in a cartridge operating at over 50K psi. Even the Remington 6 1/2 primer will not work. If you don't mind having to replace your bolt, then give them a try, but expect problems.

[Mobuck]

Don't use pistol primers in a .223. If they were interchangeable, they'd come in a package that said"small pistol/rifle".
"Crimped primers" means the lip of the primer pocket has been swaged or displaced to retain the primer. Originally used to prevent primers backing out when fired in military weapons with excess headspace. Many Federal .223 nonmilitary cases are run through the primer crimp process in a streamlined production line. In order to reprime these cases, the crimp must be removed either by reaming or swaging. Just a few cases would not justify a swager but a reamer is fairly low cost.

[Alden]

Thanks guys.

I'm new at this reloading stuff and still learning, and trying not to lose any fingers or an eye or damage a firearm beyond repair.

[rfdillon]

Look. For CCI#41 hardened primers.

[zxcvbob]

You can THINK about it... but don't do it!

[Alden]

I will look for some CCI #41 primers.

So, is Federal about the only one that crimps them, or is it more common than that? What does a crimped primer look like?

Most of my brass is Remington and Federal.

[Shootest]

Crimp looks like this.



Military brass is most always crimped. Federal and others have recently started using a non toxic priming compound that requires a crimp even on commercial brass.