Limited primer supply

rivitir · August 21, 2009, 09:21 PM

I'm just getting started reloading my own ammo. I decided I'll start reloading 38 special & .357 mag for my lever action. I bought my press, dies, etc that I need. However, due to supply issues I was limited to what I could get my hands on primer wise. So basically I want to see if I can use what I have. Unfortunately I can not find any reloading data that has everything I have, and since I'm new to this I'm trying to be very careful. Here is what I have to work with:

Alliant Unique Powder
CCI Magnum 550 small pistol primers
158 GR SJSP
160 GR Lead (I think these were home made, got them at a local gun store)
Plenty of 38 and 357 mag brass

I know I can't use the mag primers in 38 special reloads so I'm holding off on reloading them until I get regular small pistol. But I can't find any reload data that has unique with CCI Magnum small pistol primers for .357 mag.

Any direction on this would be great.

croc4 · August 21, 2009, 09:28 PM

no reason you can't use those primers, even in 38spl, just compensate with the powder. Meaning do NOT load near max and you should be fine, I have heard dropping the charge by a full grain from max, personally I would start at the low end and drop by 1/2 grain from min load, since you are new, it would be good/safe anyhow. Not implying you would make a mistake, but better safe than sorry for your first time.

my 2c

Croc4

Rodentman · August 21, 2009, 10:01 PM

I use SP mag primers almost exclusively in my .38 and .357 reloads with near min powder charges. I have never had a problem. I am not an expert, but I think it is a bit more risky to use mag primers in 9mm and .40 but I have done that quite a bit as well. An accident waiting to happen some say, but with the min loads I have been ok.

Wuchak · August 21, 2009, 10:16 PM

You have to be careful if using a fast burning powder with magnum primers. The faster ignition caused by the magnum primer can lead to dangerous pressure spikes. I'm not sure where Unique falls on the powder burn rate chart and I'm too comfortable on the couch to go pull out my loading book.

rivitir · August 22, 2009, 11:21 PM

My lee reloading manual says 7.2gr to start & 7.8gr is the never exceed. Also the Unique site says 7.7. With what your suggesting when I load with my Magnum small pistol primers I should load at 6.7gr start and never exceed 6.8gr?

Not much room there to work/experiment with. Should I look at getting a different powder, if so what kind? I honestly don't see how 6.8gr of powder is going to fill the brass, and from what I read that will effect performance.

Another question I have for you, is their a difference between 38 special and 38 special +P brass?

Blue · August 23, 2009, 02:57 AM

Wuchak,

Here is a burn rate chart from Hodgdon.

http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html

Unique shows up 25th fastest out of the 117 powders listed.

Regards,

Sevens · August 23, 2009, 08:25 AM

There is no difference between .38 Special and .38 Special +P brass. The only time you'll find a tangible difference is if you come up with some 90+ year old brass and that's not likely to happen.

Mag/non mag primers: You can safely use magnum primers as long as you START LOW and work higher in small increments, taking care to inspect cases and watch as you go.

Where you will get in to problems with magnum primers is when you simply substitute them on a whim right in to a load that you developed with regular primers. That's a good way to put yourself quickly in to a bad place.

Reducing by one grain is not the scientific answer to this problem... afterall, one grain in a 2400 load would be less than 10%... and one grain in a Bullseye load could be more than 25%.

And here's one thing to keep in mind, though I hesitate to tell this to a new reloader (so it doesn't get abused!) Remember that .357 Mag runs around 35,000 PSI and .38 Special runs about 17,000 PSI. So... you do have a bit of a safety margin there if your .38 Special handloads are being fired from a .357 Mag revolver. That most certainly does NOT mean you should being making nuclear .38 Specials. (Don't ever do that... consider that those hot .38's could one day find themselves in Grandpa's old revolver) But it does mean that you do have an added layer of safety in place that you simply don't get with many/most other calibers.

rivitir · August 26, 2009, 07:39 AM

I really appreciate all the info. I ended up loading only a couple rounds the other night. I used Unique 7.2 gr & 158 gr SP with my small mag pistol primers. I'm planning on testing them this weekend in my lever action.

On a side note, I have my grandpa's pistol, its only 30 years my senior. I'll only be using hot loads in my lever action, but it will be a while before I have the guts to do so. I have a fear and respect for what I'm working with.

Thanks again for all the great information.

August 21, 2009, 09:21 PM	#1
rivitir Junior Member Join Date: June 25, 2009 Posts: 4	Limited primer supply I'm just getting started reloading my own ammo. I decided I'll start reloading 38 special & .357 mag for my lever action. I bought my press, dies, etc that I need. However, due to supply issues I was limited to what I could get my hands on primer wise. So basically I want to see if I can use what I have. Unfortunately I can not find any reloading data that has everything I have, and since I'm new to this I'm trying to be very careful. Here is what I have to work with: Alliant Unique Powder CCI Magnum 550 small pistol primers 158 GR SJSP 160 GR Lead (I think these were home made, got them at a local gun store) Plenty of 38 and 357 mag brass I know I can't use the mag primers in 38 special reloads so I'm holding off on reloading them until I get regular small pistol. But I can't find any reload data that has unique with CCI Magnum small pistol primers for .357 mag. Any direction on this would be great.

August 21, 2009, 09:28 PM	#2
croc4 Senior Member Join Date: March 9, 2006 Location: Idaho Posts: 191	use em no reason you can't use those primers, even in 38spl, just compensate with the powder. Meaning do NOT load near max and you should be fine, I have heard dropping the charge by a full grain from max, personally I would start at the low end and drop by 1/2 grain from min load, since you are new, it would be good/safe anyhow. Not implying you would make a mistake, but better safe than sorry for your first time. my 2c Croc4

August 21, 2009, 10:01 PM	#3
Rodentman Member Join Date: August 20, 2009 Location: MN Posts: 38	I use SP mag primers almost exclusively in my .38 and .357 reloads with near min powder charges. I have never had a problem. I am not an expert, but I think it is a bit more risky to use mag primers in 9mm and .40 but I have done that quite a bit as well. An accident waiting to happen some say, but with the min loads I have been ok. __________________ A Korth is a Korth, of Korth, of Korth.

August 23, 2009, 02:57 AM	#6
Blue Senior Member Join Date: June 6, 2009 Posts: 113	Burn Rate Chart Wuchak, Here is a burn rate chart from Hodgdon. http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html Unique shows up 25th fastest out of the 117 powders listed. Regards,

August 23, 2009, 08:25 AM	#7
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	There is no difference between .38 Special and .38 Special +P brass. The only time you'll find a tangible difference is if you come up with some 90+ year old brass and that's not likely to happen. Mag/non mag primers: You can safely use magnum primers as long as you START LOW and work higher in small increments, taking care to inspect cases and watch as you go. Where you will get in to problems with magnum primers is when you simply substitute them on a whim right in to a load that you developed with regular primers. That's a good way to put yourself quickly in to a bad place. Reducing by one grain is not the scientific answer to this problem... afterall, one grain in a 2400 load would be less than 10%... and one grain in a Bullseye load could be more than 25%. And here's one thing to keep in mind, though I hesitate to tell this to a new reloader (so it doesn't get abused!) Remember that .357 Mag runs around 35,000 PSI and .38 Special runs about 17,000 PSI. So... you do have a bit of a safety margin there if your .38 Special handloads are being fired from a .357 Mag revolver. That most certainly does NOT mean you should being making nuclear .38 Specials. (Don't ever do that... consider that those hot .38's could one day find themselves in Grandpa's old revolver) But it does mean that you do have an added layer of safety in place that you simply don't get with many/most other calibers. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

August 21, 2009, 10:16 PM	#4
Wuchak Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2007 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 1,093	You have to be careful if using a fast burning powder with magnum primers. The faster ignition caused by the magnum primer can lead to dangerous pressure spikes. I'm not sure where Unique falls on the powder burn rate chart and I'm too comfortable on the couch to go pull out my loading book.

August 22, 2009, 11:21 PM	#5
rivitir Junior Member Join Date: June 25, 2009 Posts: 4	My lee reloading manual says 7.2gr to start & 7.8gr is the never exceed. Also the Unique site says 7.7. With what your suggesting when I load with my Magnum small pistol primers I should load at 6.7gr start and never exceed 6.8gr? Not much room there to work/experiment with. Should I look at getting a different powder, if so what kind? I honestly don't see how 6.8gr of powder is going to fill the brass, and from what I read that will effect performance. Another question I have for you, is their a difference between 38 special and 38 special +P brass?

August 26, 2009, 07:39 AM	#8
rivitir Junior Member Join Date: June 25, 2009 Posts: 4	I really appreciate all the info. I ended up loading only a couple rounds the other night. I used Unique 7.2 gr & 158 gr SP with my small mag pistol primers. I'm planning on testing them this weekend in my lever action. On a side note, I have my grandpa's pistol, its only 30 years my senior. I'll only be using hot loads in my lever action, but it will be a while before I have the guts to do so. I have a fear and respect for what I'm working with. Thanks again for all the great information.