Oops - used wrong primer

[BTB]

Loaded .357 rounds with Federal 100 primers (small pistol) instead of Federal 200 (small pistol - magnum). Would I expect 5-10% less pressure from the non-magnum primers loads, or will there be some significant loss of pressure that would be dangerous (i.e., bullet lodged in barrel).

[Mike Irwin]

What powder?

I sincerely doubt if you're even going to notice a difference, and you're certainly not going to have dangerous handloads.

[vsgonzo]

Put one in at a time and fire it. Should be fine. By the way i dont onow why the hell i loaded some 38spc with only 4.1 grains of tightgroup (i think tight group) anywho i chrono themed at a very low 650-700fps. I was like dang. Any i decided to shoot off the box. I had one squib load. Bullet traveled a few millimeters. Stuck between barrel and cylinder. Had to use brass rod to nock back into cylinder. 2nd squib load ever.

Oh well. No squibs in any of my .40, .223, 30-06, 6mm rem. I know hate loading my 38spcs lol.

Good luck man. If i wasnt leaving my house for a 6mos tour of duty i would be finally breaking down for bullet puller lol.

[BTB]

Typically use about 15 grains of H110 for my .357 loads. Based on the replies and what I've read elsewhere, I assume with 15 grains of powder, 158grain bullets, and the wrong small pistol (not-magnum) primers I'll be fine.

[SL1]

Well, you will PROBABLY be fine, except that there might be some unburned powder. But, be careful that ALL bullets exit before you pull the triggr the next time. H-110 is the same powder as WW-296, which Winchester USED to say should have a 16.6 grain load with an especailly hot WSPM primer and not be reduced. Some loading manuals put loads up to 17.5 grains with other primers, and showed a range of charge weights.

THEN, SAAMI reduced the pressure rating of the .357 Magnum when they went from the to CUP to the electronic pressure measuring systems, and all of the loads decreased, including H-110 and WW-296, with instructions to not reduce max loads by more than 3%. But, max loads are now about 15.5 grains of H-110 (depending on bullet).

So, I get the impression that it is not too hard to make a squib with too light a charge or too weak a primer. Your charge of 15.0 grains is about the middle of the current load range, and the Federal primers aren't the weakest out there, so I THINK you will be OK. But, be careful, and if you get a squib or some real weak recoils, I would pull the bullets.

SL1

[zxcvbob]

If you had used just about any powder except H110 or 296, you would be fine. Those powders need a hot primer and/or an extra strong crimp, otherwise you might get very poor ignition. (the crimp is probably more important than the primer)

I would shoot them, but be extra careful to make sure every bullet exits the barrel before firing the next round.

[Mal H]

I absolutely agree with shooting them one at a time. The one and only squib load I have ever had was with practically the same load you just loaded up.

How many did you load? (Please don't say 100 or more.)

[Foxbat]

I don't see how such a primer switch would produce a squib, no way. I have experimented with different primers recently, and observed the differences in velocity on the order of 5-6%, that's all.

[snuffy]

I don't see how such a primer switch would produce a squib, no way. I have experimented with different primers recently, and observed the differences in velocity on the order of 5-6%, that's all.

WAY! Look at what the others have said. H-110 needs a hot primer to get it all burning. At best, he'll be blowing unburned powder out of the barrel. At worst, he'll have a complete failure to ignite.

[Unclenick]

Agree. H110 is one hard mother to get up to adequate start pressure. That is the main thing a magnum primer provides does more of than a standard primer, in addition to either a larger or a more or more sustained flame (depending whose you buy?). This is why you see the warnings not to reduced H110/296 published loads by more than 3%, something I've never seen for any other powder. It squibs out really easily. If this is fired in a contender, a carbine, or even in a self-loader, it is likely to be OK because there is no barrel-to-cylinder gap to bleed the pressure down as the bullet works its way into the rifling. But in a revolver there is a some chance of squibbing out and leaving a bullet in the barrel. If you then fire a second follow-up shot before you notice something is wrong and that second round does not squib out, you now have a bulged barrel at the least and a disassemble gun and shooter at the worst.

[Foxbat]

"But in a revolver there is a some chance of squibbing out and leaving a bullet in the barrel. "

Have you ever seen that happen?

[wncchester]

"Loaded .357 rounds with Federal 100 primers (small pistol) instead of Federal 200 (small pistol - magnum)."

Oh goodness, now you've done it...don't fire those things! They will make the front sight rust! But, aside from that, it won't make any difference.

[vsgonzo]

to foxbat

to your state of "Have your ever seen that happen?"

Did you not read my post at the begining? I personally had that happen yesterday to me at the range. I was lucky that it was between the barrel and the cylinder not allowing the cylinder to rotate to a new round because I would of jacked myself up.

[Foxbat]

I suspect you had a true squib, with no powder.

[Unclenick]

Foxbat,

No, I've always followed the instructions and never failed to use magnum primers nor have reduced the load below the recommended charges. But if you look up a few posts you'll see that in addition to Vsgonzo, Mal H had one squib out due to using a standard primer. Indeed, I've been at it just long enough that I remember when Winchester had one and only one load for each bullet with this powder and said not to use anything else, larger or smaller. Period. They'd detected the problem first. Even though Bruce Hodgdon had that powder in canisters before Winchester did, Hodgdon was slower to pick up on the problem, and they, I believe, were the source of the subsequent 3% allowance. So, they must have researched it until they found it and experimentally determined its limits. If you search enough old posts on the forum you'll find other examples.

If you want to read the warning, it's on Hodgdon's site when you scroll down the Enter page for their load data, but for convenience, I'll put it here. It reads:

Originally Posted by Hodgdon

. . . H110 and Winchester 296 loads should not be reduced more than 3%.

Reduce H110 and Winchester 296 loads 3% and work up from there. H110 and Winchester 296 if reduced too much will cause inconsistent ignition. In some cases it will lodge a bullet in the barrel, causing a hazardous situation (Barrel Obstruction). This may cause severe personal injury or death to users or bystanders. DO NOT REDUCE H110 LOADS BY MORE THAN 3%.

Going to standard primers has the same effect as al load reduction. I've got documentation of a 4% equivalent charge reduction in .223 in going from Federal 205 primers (standard) to Remington 7 1/2 primers (magnum). So, in that instance, the primer change is apparently enough to exceed a 3% charge reduction when sticking with magnum primers. I presume from Mal H's and Vsgonzo's experiences that this applies to swapping some pistol standard and magnum primers as well.

[Mal H]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

Have you ever seen that happen?

See post #7 - that was in a Ruger GP100. There was lots of unburned powder, so it wasn't an empty load. Trust us, it can and does happen.