winchester primers

ragwd · March 8, 2009, 07:19 PM

I have Winchester Primers, says on the box "Large Pistol for Standard or Magnum pistol Loads WLP. I am new to reloading, so I always heard that you use large pistol "OR" magnum. I wasn't aware that any one made one primer for either. Any opinions?

rn22723 · March 8, 2009, 07:22 PM

You use what the loading manual you are going by says to use! Pretty Plain and Simple! Follow the directed components list to the letter. Once you get grounded in reloading then you can start swapping out components and then you rework up your loads.

wncchester · March 8, 2009, 07:37 PM

"I always heard that you use large pistol "OR" magnum. I wasn't aware that any one made one primer for either."

Now you know. The book advice to stick to the components is lawyer talk. What they fail to mention is that the single greatest change we can make is the firearm it's used in, but we MUST load for ours, not theirs!

We may use any comparable component we may wish IF we follow the ONE cardinal safety instruction: Start low and work up ONLY if you note no high pressure signs and you will do fine. I recently met a man who gets blown primers in an excellant Win 70 in .22-250 with the mid-range book charges he started with! THAT level of HIGH over pressure requires dropping a couple of grains in that modest size cartridge. So, again, no matter what the book charges say, always "START LOW, ETC..."

Doing that one thing will safely allow for any component brand, or rifle, variations you may make.

ragwd · March 8, 2009, 08:13 PM

rn22723, I certainly do follow the load books, I own both the Speers and the Horandy Reloading manuals. I have read both along with the "A B C's of reloading". So I do agree with your statement of not changing components, I would not use a Magnum primer on my ACP and I would not use My regular large pistol on a magnum load. It may be possible but I would not try it. I think we missed the part of my original post of these are Winchester primers marked for both large pistol and magnum. So it was news to me and I was asking not to use a magnum primer in my ACP but opinions on these particular primers. I do appreciate your post though.
wncchester, good advice also in always starting low and work a load up. Thats what I have been trying to do but i cant get enough primers of one brand to get it done, I am out of Remingtons, so starting over with these Winchesters and was wondering if someone had experience with these primers.

ragwd · March 9, 2009, 10:04 AM

Any one have any experiences with Winchester Primers that are marked
" LARGE PISTOL for STANDARD or MAGNUM pistol loads WLP"

kmaltby1 · March 9, 2009, 12:54 PM

I actually have the same info on my box. I have loaded 100 using 230 gn. fmj over 5.9gn w231 with no pressure signs. I just went onto winchesters web site and it only shows primers for large pistol, does'nt have a seperate one for large magnum pistol.

Pathfinder45 · March 9, 2009, 01:05 PM

What cartridge are you using them in? My experience with them is limited to .45 Colt in a Ruger Vaquero and in a Marlin Cowboy. It's one of my favorite primers, so I've used lot's of them. However, I will not use them where a magnum primer is indicated. Here's why: When I tried them with W-296 powder about half of them hang-fired while an otherwise identical load using CCI-350 magnum primers had no problems. Never the less, they are very good primers. One of the things I like about them is their distinctive brass finish in contrast to the nickle plating on most others. My plan is to use up all my nickled primers so that all my loads with magnum primers are nickle finish while the remainder are brass. Thus in the event of my ammo pouch having mixed loads there will be a built in identifying factor. This will take a while 'cuz I've got more than a few. Which is a good thing as these days one is lucky to get to be choosy about such things in short supply. Hopefully Winchester will not switch to nickle finish when I get to that point! So, I use CCI magnum or Federal magnum primers with HS-7 and AA-9 powders. I seldom use W-296 powder anymore as it is a finicky powder; but when I do it always gets CCI-350 primers. With Titegroup and Unique I prefer the Winchester primers. I use magnum primers when loading black-powder. Good luck!

Russ5924 · March 9, 2009, 01:10 PM

What are you trying to reload any way and what powder? You said APC is that 45 ACP if so the winchester primers should do just fine

I use them in my 44&45 all the time don't let the word magnum throw you if that is what you are worried about.

Alleykat · March 9, 2009, 01:14 PM

Anybody here really think that Winchester would put for "Standard or Magnum" primer use on the box, if that's not exactly what they meant? The information on the box is unambiguous. Somebody asked on another thread what a "two-stage" trigger was. The name of the trigger tells you exactly what it is!

ShootingNut · March 9, 2009, 01:19 PM

WLP is a larger diameter primer, which I use for loading .45 ACP.
When I load my .357 Magnums, I use WSPM primers. These are the same diameter as the WSP used for 9mm, .40SW, .38Spl, only they are designed for use in the Magnum.
As others have stated, use exactly what is prescribed by your loading data
(not meaning brand), various manufacturers have comparable primers intended for loading like calibers.
Better quit before I get confused!

SN

MrSardonicus · March 9, 2009, 01:40 PM

I use the "Winchester Large Pistol Primers for Standard or Magnum Loads" for all of my Large Pistol applications. I use them for standard loads, and I use them for magnum loads. They work for both. I have seen no signs of over pressure when using a middle or slightly over middle load. I have been very happy with my loads using these primers.

Pathfinder45 · March 9, 2009, 01:41 PM

Based upon my experience, I don't consider them to really be a magnum primer at all. The need for magnum primers is indicated by the use of the kind of powder more than the particular cartridge. So again; what powder are you using, and in what cartridge. What bullet weight? There are some borderline powders that I will experiment with using both magnum and standard primers. IMR-4227 comes to mind in that catagory. In that case, both primers seem equally reliable but perhaps one will prove to be more consistent.

Steviewonder1 · March 9, 2009, 09:27 PM

These primer cases were printed in Large and Small Pistol for primers made in the early 1990's. I have a few K of each and it says Regular or Magnum on the cover of the primers. Just a bit older, but if properly stored, still going BANG when you need them. This series of primers is the one's that do NOT always go BANG in my Glock 21 for Large Pistol, hence my changeover to Federal Primers in 1995.

ragwd · March 10, 2009, 12:24 AM

Thanks to all who read and posted, Being a new reloader I come across stuff I dont know and I try to learn as much as I can. So your help is appreciated. I am glad to hear that they can be used, since I am having real issues finding large pistol primers. I do have a order in with Wideners and hope for them soon. I did have some Remington, but what I had left will be gone this weekend. I have been working on .45 ACP using my once fired Sellier Belliot, with the rem primers, using 230 grains ball FMJ, and charged with 4.9 grains of Hodgdon HP-38, I started at 4.2 and worked up to 4.9 and at a over all length 1.257 to 1.260. When I use the Winchester primers I will change to my once fired winchester cartridges, same bullet and powder but I will prolly start off at 4.5 grains as the 4.2 really under performed and wouldn't return to battery. If thats the correct term for stovepiping and not sending the slide back far enough. Anyway I do read alot but appreciate the input I get from this forum, seems as a bunch of guys willing to help, thats a good thing.

mkl · March 10, 2009, 01:06 PM

I've used the Winchester standard or magnum large primers for several years.

For me, they have worked well in everything from mild 45 ACP loads up to super-magnum loads for my Bowen conversion in 45 Colt.

I have never had an ignition problem with six or eight different powders.

WESHOOT2 · March 10, 2009, 01:16 PM

You will not need to reduce your load when switching to those perfectly-fine-but-smart-to-ask WLP primers, as your 4.9g HP38 load is well below maximum.
Well below.....

In certain conditions a Magnum primer will be required for reliable ignition when using certain powders in specific chamberings, but rarely in the 45 ACP.
Magnum primers can safely be used for igniting many 45 ACP loads.

bgdv1 · March 10, 2009, 04:02 PM

ive been using the winchester primers for years. i load 308,270.30-338 winmag,30-06 all using the same lrg rifle primer and have had -0- problems.

ShootingNut · March 10, 2009, 06:04 PM

A WSPM primer, will not fit into a .45 ACP primer pocket, as it is smaller in diameter. My .45 ACP take the WLP which is a larger (diameter) primer.
My .357 Mags take the WSPM primers. Seems like the "labeling" on the WSP Winchester primer boxes has caused a lot of confusion.

SN

lonewolf5348 · March 10, 2009, 06:35 PM

I had someone give a few boxes of winchester large rifle pimers to my surprise I never seen a large rifle primer state also for Magnum Loads.
I used them in my 30-06 which takes a large rifle primer works great but as far as the box they seem maybe from the 80's

MrSardonicus · March 10, 2009, 06:36 PM

on my box of primers:

"WINCHESTER
Primers

LARGE PISTOL
FOR STANDARD OR
MAGNUM PISTOL LOADS
WLP"

maybe it is just me, but I'm confused about what is confusing about the statement "for standard or magnum pistol loads"....

People, these primers are designed for and are perfectly acceptable to use in either standard or magnum loads. More to the point they work WELL in both.

March 8, 2009, 07:19 PM	#1
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	winchester primers I have Winchester Primers, says on the box "Large Pistol for Standard or Magnum pistol Loads WLP. I am new to reloading, so I always heard that you use large pistol "OR" magnum. I wasn't aware that any one made one primer for either. Any opinions?

March 8, 2009, 07:37 PM	#3
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"I always heard that you use large pistol "OR" magnum. I wasn't aware that any one made one primer for either." Now you know. The book advice to stick to the components is lawyer talk. What they fail to mention is that the single greatest change we can make is the firearm it's used in, but we MUST load for ours, not theirs! We may use any comparable component we may wish IF we follow the ONE cardinal safety instruction: Start low and work up ONLY if you note no high pressure signs and you will do fine. I recently met a man who gets blown primers in an excellant Win 70 in .22-250 with the mid-range book charges he started with! THAT level of HIGH over pressure requires dropping a couple of grains in that modest size cartridge. So, again, no matter what the book charges say, always "START LOW, ETC..." Doing that one thing will safely allow for any component brand, or rifle, variations you may make. Last edited by wncchester; March 8, 2009 at 07:43 PM.

March 9, 2009, 01:05 PM	#7
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	I like 'em...... What cartridge are you using them in? My experience with them is limited to .45 Colt in a Ruger Vaquero and in a Marlin Cowboy. It's one of my favorite primers, so I've used lot's of them. However, I will not use them where a magnum primer is indicated. Here's why: When I tried them with W-296 powder about half of them hang-fired while an otherwise identical load using CCI-350 magnum primers had no problems. Never the less, they are very good primers. One of the things I like about them is their distinctive brass finish in contrast to the nickle plating on most others. My plan is to use up all my nickled primers so that all my loads with magnum primers are nickle finish while the remainder are brass. Thus in the event of my ammo pouch having mixed loads there will be a built in identifying factor. This will take a while 'cuz I've got more than a few. Which is a good thing as these days one is lucky to get to be choosy about such things in short supply. Hopefully Winchester will not switch to nickle finish when I get to that point! So, I use CCI magnum or Federal magnum primers with HS-7 and AA-9 powders. I seldom use W-296 powder anymore as it is a finicky powder; but when I do it always gets CCI-350 primers. With Titegroup and Unique I prefer the Winchester primers. I use magnum primers when loading black-powder. Good luck!

March 9, 2009, 01:10 PM	#8
Russ5924 Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2005 Posts: 1,874	What are you trying to reload any way and what powder? You said APC is that 45 ACP if so the winchester primers should do just fine I use them in my 44&45 all the time don't let the word magnum throw you if that is what you are worried about. __________________ Russ5924

March 9, 2009, 01:40 PM	#11
MrSardonicus Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2009 Location: Cody, WY Posts: 101	I use the "Winchester Large Pistol Primers for Standard or Magnum Loads" for all of my Large Pistol applications. I use them for standard loads, and I use them for magnum loads. They work for both. I have seen no signs of over pressure when using a middle or slightly over middle load. I have been very happy with my loads using these primers. __________________ "I like my town with a little drop of poison. No body knows,...they're all lining up to go insane. I'm all alone. I've smoked my friends down to the filter; but I feel much cleaner after it rains..." Those convinced against their will are of the same opinion still.

March 8, 2009, 07:22 PM	#2
rn22723 Junior member Join Date: December 10, 2001 Location: Burbs of Minneapolis Posts: 676	You use what the loading manual you are going by says to use! Pretty Plain and Simple! Follow the directed components list to the letter. Once you get grounded in reloading then you can start swapping out components and then you rework up your loads.

March 8, 2009, 08:13 PM	#4
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	rn22723, I certainly do follow the load books, I own both the Speers and the Horandy Reloading manuals. I have read both along with the "A B C's of reloading". So I do agree with your statement of not changing components, I would not use a Magnum primer on my ACP and I would not use My regular large pistol on a magnum load. It may be possible but I would not try it. I think we missed the part of my original post of these are Winchester primers marked for both large pistol and magnum. So it was news to me and I was asking not to use a magnum primer in my ACP but opinions on these particular primers. I do appreciate your post though. wncchester, good advice also in always starting low and work a load up. Thats what I have been trying to do but i cant get enough primers of one brand to get it done, I am out of Remingtons, so starting over with these Winchesters and was wondering if someone had experience with these primers.

March 9, 2009, 10:04 AM	#5
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	Any one have any experiences with Winchester Primers that are marked " LARGE PISTOL for STANDARD or MAGNUM pistol loads WLP"

March 9, 2009, 12:54 PM	#6
kmaltby1 Member Join Date: December 4, 2008 Posts: 25	I actually have the same info on my box. I have loaded 100 using 230 gn. fmj over 5.9gn w231 with no pressure signs. I just went onto winchesters web site and it only shows primers for large pistol, does'nt have a seperate one for large magnum pistol.

March 9, 2009, 01:14 PM	#9
Alleykat Junior member Join Date: July 26, 2007 Posts: 3,668	Anybody here really think that Winchester would put for "Standard or Magnum" primer use on the box, if that's not exactly what they meant? The information on the box is unambiguous. Somebody asked on another thread what a "two-stage" trigger was. The name of the trigger tells you exactly what it is!

March 9, 2009, 01:19 PM	#10
ShootingNut Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,475	WLP is a larger diameter primer, which I use for loading .45 ACP. When I load my .357 Magnums, I use WSPM primers. These are the same diameter as the WSP used for 9mm, .40SW, .38Spl, only they are designed for use in the Magnum. As others have stated, use exactly what is prescribed by your loading data (not meaning brand), various manufacturers have comparable primers intended for loading like calibers. Better quit before I get confused! SN

March 9, 2009, 01:41 PM	#12
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	Back again.... Based upon my experience, I don't consider them to really be a magnum primer at all. The need for magnum primers is indicated by the use of the kind of powder more than the particular cartridge. So again; what powder are you using, and in what cartridge. What bullet weight? There are some borderline powders that I will experiment with using both magnum and standard primers. IMR-4227 comes to mind in that catagory. In that case, both primers seem equally reliable but perhaps one will prove to be more consistent.

March 9, 2009, 09:27 PM	#13
Steviewonder1 Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2009 Location: John's Creek, Georgia Posts: 328	Winchester Large/Small Primers Regular or Magnum These primer cases were printed in Large and Small Pistol for primers made in the early 1990's. I have a few K of each and it says Regular or Magnum on the cover of the primers. Just a bit older, but if properly stored, still going BANG when you need them. This series of primers is the one's that do NOT always go BANG in my Glock 21 for Large Pistol, hence my changeover to Federal Primers in 1995.

March 10, 2009, 12:24 AM	#14
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	Thanks to all who read and posted, Being a new reloader I come across stuff I dont know and I try to learn as much as I can. So your help is appreciated. I am glad to hear that they can be used, since I am having real issues finding large pistol primers. I do have a order in with Wideners and hope for them soon. I did have some Remington, but what I had left will be gone this weekend. I have been working on .45 ACP using my once fired Sellier Belliot, with the rem primers, using 230 grains ball FMJ, and charged with 4.9 grains of Hodgdon HP-38, I started at 4.2 and worked up to 4.9 and at a over all length 1.257 to 1.260. When I use the Winchester primers I will change to my once fired winchester cartridges, same bullet and powder but I will prolly start off at 4.5 grains as the 4.2 really under performed and wouldn't return to battery. If thats the correct term for stovepiping and not sending the slide back far enough. Anyway I do read alot but appreciate the input I get from this forum, seems as a bunch of guys willing to help, thats a good thing.

March 10, 2009, 01:06 PM	#15
mkl Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Location: DFW area, Texas Posts: 494	I've used the Winchester standard or magnum large primers for several years. For me, they have worked well in everything from mild 45 ACP loads up to super-magnum loads for my Bowen conversion in 45 Colt. I have never had an ignition problem with six or eight different powders.

March 10, 2009, 01:16 PM	#16
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	actual You will not need to reduce your load when switching to those perfectly-fine-but-smart-to-ask WLP primers, as your 4.9g HP38 load is well below maximum. Well below..... In certain conditions a Magnum primer will be required for reliable ignition when using certain powders in specific chamberings, but rarely in the 45 ACP. Magnum primers can safely be used for igniting many 45 ACP loads. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

March 10, 2009, 04:02 PM	#17
bgdv1 Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2009 Location: butler,pa Posts: 146	ive been using the winchester primers for years. i load 308,270.30-338 winmag,30-06 all using the same lrg rifle primer and have had -0- problems.

March 10, 2009, 06:04 PM	#18
ShootingNut Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,475	Correct Me If I'm Wrong A WSPM primer, will not fit into a .45 ACP primer pocket, as it is smaller in diameter. My .45 ACP take the WLP which is a larger (diameter) primer. My .357 Mags take the WSPM primers. Seems like the "labeling" on the WSP Winchester primer boxes has caused a lot of confusion. SN

March 10, 2009, 06:35 PM	#19
lonewolf5348 Member Join Date: January 20, 2006 Posts: 93	I had someone give a few boxes of winchester large rifle pimers to my surprise I never seen a large rifle primer state also for Magnum Loads. I used them in my 30-06 which takes a large rifle primer works great but as far as the box they seem maybe from the 80's

March 10, 2009, 06:36 PM	#20
MrSardonicus Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2009 Location: Cody, WY Posts: 101	on my box of primers: "WINCHESTER Primers LARGE PISTOL FOR STANDARD OR MAGNUM PISTOL LOADS WLP" maybe it is just me, but I'm confused about what is confusing about the statement "for standard or magnum pistol loads".... People, these primers are designed for and are perfectly acceptable to use in either standard or magnum loads. More to the point they work WELL in both. __________________ "I like my town with a little drop of poison. No body knows,...they're all lining up to go insane. I'm all alone. I've smoked my friends down to the filter; but I feel much cleaner after it rains..." Those convinced against their will are of the same opinion still.