Difference in rifle and pistol primers??

sindiesel666 · June 20, 2006, 04:59 AM

What's the difference in say, large rifle and large pistol primers? Do they burn hotter or what? I've been loading mostly 45 ACP, and now starting to load rifle cartridges. 303 Brit, 7.5 Swiss and 308 Win only, using Clays powder for light 50 yard plinker loads, about 9-10 grains, with 115 grain .313 bullets for 303 Brit, and 150 grain soft points for 7.5 Swiss and 308.
I've got about 2500 large pistol Winchester primers, and was wondering if I could use those instead of buying large rifle primers.
What do you guys think?? Thanks,
Sin

mete · June 20, 2006, 07:09 AM

The forces from a rifle firing pin are higher than a handgun firing pin and the pressures in a rifle are higher than a handgun . Therefore the rifle primers are thicker and harder than the handgun's and using the handgun primer in a rifle risks a punctured primer ....Using a rifle primer in a pistol may fail to ignite the primer.

Jim Watson · June 20, 2006, 07:48 AM

Large rifle primers are taller than large pistol, so the pistol primers will seat deeper in the pocket. Probably not too deep for the firing pin to reach.
(All small primers are the same height.)
Rifle primers have thicker cups than pistol to stand the higher pressure.
Rifle primers have more compound to ignite larger powder charges.

You are probably safe for the gallery load you mention. I don't know how good the ignition would be but some black powder shooters are going to pistol primers for mild ignition. There are reports of older rifles' breechblocks being indented as the pistol primer gets a running start back out of the pocket but modern rifles of harder steel seem to hold up OK.

Dave R · June 21, 2006, 08:42 PM

Loads that will pierce a small pistol primer will not pierce a small rifle primer. Ask me how I know.

Rifle primers will handle higher pressures. I believe the .454 Casull uses a rifle primer and not a pistol primer for that exact reason.

Toney · June 21, 2006, 11:13 PM

I used the WLP and CCI primmers with the load and had no problems. My swiss rifle really likes hornady 90gr xtp's, I shoot a lot of LEE 185gr cast bullets with the load. With 13.5 gr tight group and a cci rifle primmer my mas 36 gets 950fpt and is very accurate!!!

hodaka · June 22, 2006, 09:34 AM

I have, on occasion, used small rifle primers in my 9mm, 9x18 and 38/357 loads. I have never had a problem. I would not use small pistol primers in my 223 though.

HSMITH · June 22, 2006, 09:01 PM

I use small rifle primers in most of my handgun loads, and when I use up the last of the small pistol primers I won't buy any more. I don't have ANY handguns that won't light a small rifle primer, including slick action revolvers. Chrono data shows me that WSR are definately hotter than WSP, and slightly hotter than Federal SP magnum primers. The upside is that SD's have decreased with rifle primers in every load I have chronographed with both primers. Only stocking one type of small primer will be nice, and I can buy larger quantities at lower prices.

Large pistol and rifle primers are different as Jim said. I have a good supply of both and have not bothered to see what works where....

sindiesel666 · June 23, 2006, 10:49 PM

I'm not sure if I maybe sounded ambiguous back there in my original post.
I have large pistol primers on hand and want to use them for my light plinker rifle loads. I'm fairly sure they don't burn as hot as rifle primers, but would they be sufficient for faster pistol powder ignition (Clays or Unique) for light, 50-yard loads only???

Should I just go ahead and get rifle primers and be on the safe side, or should I just try loading a few trial cartridges and see how it goes??
(I always tilt the loaded cartridges so the powder is packed against the flash hole)

So far 9 grains of Clays and 150 gr FMJs shoot nice at 50 yards, both from K31 and Savage 308. No problems at all and great feeling shooting rifles that kick as much as a 22lr.

ShuckersFan · July 15, 2006, 11:04 AM

Ooops... Meant that to be a new thread!

DesertEagleMan · October 4, 2007, 05:01 PM

i know this is an old thread, but i have a question maybe someone can answer

i was just given a box of 5000 federal small pistol primers. the only things i reload for that take a small primer is my 22 hornet and my 223. i loaded one of the federals and one of my cci small magnum rifle primers in seperate cases, and popped them in my hornet just to see if there was much a difference in the bang. didnt seem to me like there was.

my question is this. can a person safely use the small pistol primers in loading the 22 hornet and the 223?

i run all of my loads at the low end anyway just because i shoot both an awful lot and dont want to have to worry about high presure wear on my guns.

everything ive read has always been using small rifle primers in pistols, but not much out there about using small pistol in rifles......clue me in

Linear Thinker · October 4, 2007, 08:25 PM

I would not use small pistol primers in rifle cartridges at full loads, the pressures are higher. Still, with 40S&W and other pistol cartridges running at 35,000 PSI, the SP primers should be OK with reduced loads in 22H and 223.
I use rifle primers with 357 and 38Sup.
LT

DesertEagleMan · October 4, 2007, 09:08 PM

i never run anything at full-house. i always load at minimum levels and shoot away. i get less case stretch,powder lasts much longer,etc,etc,etc...i guess best thing to do is maybe roll a few of each my 22 hornet and my 223 and take them to the range ( dont have to go far, my backyard is a range out to about 1000 yards plus of absolute flatland..lol) and see how they shoot.

June 20, 2006, 04:59 AM	#1
sindiesel666 Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2004 Location: San Antonio Posts: 270	Difference in rifle and pistol primers?? What's the difference in say, large rifle and large pistol primers? Do they burn hotter or what? I've been loading mostly 45 ACP, and now starting to load rifle cartridges. 303 Brit, 7.5 Swiss and 308 Win only, using Clays powder for light 50 yard plinker loads, about 9-10 grains, with 115 grain .313 bullets for 303 Brit, and 150 grain soft points for 7.5 Swiss and 308. I've got about 2500 large pistol Winchester primers, and was wondering if I could use those instead of buying large rifle primers. What do you guys think?? Thanks, Sin

June 21, 2006, 08:42 PM	#4
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Idaho Posts: 6,073	Loads that will pierce a small pistol primer will not pierce a small rifle primer. Ask me how I know. Rifle primers will handle higher pressures. I believe the .454 Casull uses a rifle primer and not a pistol primer for that exact reason. __________________ I am Pro-Rights (on gun issues).

July 15, 2006, 11:04 AM	#9
ShuckersFan Member Join Date: March 1, 2006 Posts: 30	I did a bad thing Ooops... Meant that to be a new thread! Last edited by ShuckersFan; July 15, 2006 at 07:08 PM.

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June 20, 2006, 07:09 AM	#2
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	The forces from a rifle firing pin are higher than a handgun firing pin and the pressures in a rifle are higher than a handgun . Therefore the rifle primers are thicker and harder than the handgun's and using the handgun primer in a rifle risks a punctured primer ....Using a rifle primer in a pistol may fail to ignite the primer.

June 20, 2006, 07:48 AM	#3
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,528	Large rifle primers are taller than large pistol, so the pistol primers will seat deeper in the pocket. Probably not too deep for the firing pin to reach. (All small primers are the same height.) Rifle primers have thicker cups than pistol to stand the higher pressure. Rifle primers have more compound to ignite larger powder charges. You are probably safe for the gallery load you mention. I don't know how good the ignition would be but some black powder shooters are going to pistol primers for mild ignition. There are reports of older rifles' breechblocks being indented as the pistol primer gets a running start back out of the pocket but modern rifles of harder steel seem to hold up OK.

June 21, 2006, 11:13 PM	#5
Toney Senior Member Join Date: August 17, 2005 Location: Stillwater Oklahoma Posts: 790	I used the WLP and CCI primmers with the load and had no problems. My swiss rifle really likes hornady 90gr xtp's, I shoot a lot of LEE 185gr cast bullets with the load. With 13.5 gr tight group and a cci rifle primmer my mas 36 gets 950fpt and is very accurate!!!

June 22, 2006, 09:34 AM	#6
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	I have, on occasion, used small rifle primers in my 9mm, 9x18 and 38/357 loads. I have never had a problem. I would not use small pistol primers in my 223 though.

June 22, 2006, 09:01 PM	#7
HSMITH Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2002 Posts: 2,019	I use small rifle primers in most of my handgun loads, and when I use up the last of the small pistol primers I won't buy any more. I don't have ANY handguns that won't light a small rifle primer, including slick action revolvers. Chrono data shows me that WSR are definately hotter than WSP, and slightly hotter than Federal SP magnum primers. The upside is that SD's have decreased with rifle primers in every load I have chronographed with both primers. Only stocking one type of small primer will be nice, and I can buy larger quantities at lower prices. Large pistol and rifle primers are different as Jim said. I have a good supply of both and have not bothered to see what works where....

June 23, 2006, 10:49 PM	#8
sindiesel666 Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2004 Location: San Antonio Posts: 270	I'm not sure if I maybe sounded ambiguous back there in my original post. I have large pistol primers on hand and want to use them for my light plinker rifle loads. I'm fairly sure they don't burn as hot as rifle primers, but would they be sufficient for faster pistol powder ignition (Clays or Unique) for light, 50-yard loads only??? Should I just go ahead and get rifle primers and be on the safe side, or should I just try loading a few trial cartridges and see how it goes?? (I always tilt the loaded cartridges so the powder is packed against the flash hole) So far 9 grains of Clays and 150 gr FMJs shoot nice at 50 yards, both from K31 and Savage 308. No problems at all and great feeling shooting rifles that kick as much as a 22lr.

October 4, 2007, 05:01 PM	#10
DesertEagleMan Junior Member Join Date: September 29, 2007 Posts: 2	i know this is an old thread, but i have a question maybe someone can answer i was just given a box of 5000 federal small pistol primers. the only things i reload for that take a small primer is my 22 hornet and my 223. i loaded one of the federals and one of my cci small magnum rifle primers in seperate cases, and popped them in my hornet just to see if there was much a difference in the bang. didnt seem to me like there was. my question is this. can a person safely use the small pistol primers in loading the 22 hornet and the 223? i run all of my loads at the low end anyway just because i shoot both an awful lot and dont want to have to worry about high presure wear on my guns. everything ive read has always been using small rifle primers in pistols, but not much out there about using small pistol in rifles......clue me in

October 4, 2007, 08:25 PM	#11
Linear Thinker Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 2007 Location: Blue State, NE US Posts: 202	I would not use small pistol primers in rifle cartridges at full loads, the pressures are higher. Still, with 40S&W and other pistol cartridges running at 35,000 PSI, the SP primers should be OK with reduced loads in 22H and 223. I use rifle primers with 357 and 38Sup. LT

October 4, 2007, 09:08 PM	#12
DesertEagleMan Junior Member Join Date: September 29, 2007 Posts: 2	i never run anything at full-house. i always load at minimum levels and shoot away. i get less case stretch,powder lasts much longer,etc,etc,etc...i guess best thing to do is maybe roll a few of each my 22 hornet and my 223 and take them to the range ( dont have to go far, my backyard is a range out to about 1000 yards plus of absolute flatland..lol) and see how they shoot.