Anyone use small pistol primers in small rifle cases?

[Wulfmann]

I have read the difference between SP primers and SR primers is the hardness not the size.

It takes no effort to see the size is the same and figuring there is a big difference in soft/hard in various SR primers I surmised if the same is true in SP then some may actually be hard enough to use on my AR bolt Daewoo DR-200.
I used 10 each (SP and SR) in Radway Green brass and 10 each in S&B commercial.
I used a start Speer book load of 25gr BL-C-2 (W846) and Winchester small pistol and small rifle primers. No other brand of primers was tested.

The Radway, both SP and SR all grouped together at 100 yards and the S&B grouped about 2 inches lower, again, both SP and SR the same (Obviously the military cases had less capacity and therefore higher pressure so this was expected).
The cases also were ejected to the same areas.

Note, the depth thickness between large rifle and large pistol is considerably different and they can not be so interchanged.

Anyone else do this and if so which primers and what results?

Does anyone know of definitive manufacture specs on this???

Wulfmann

[hodaka]

You are taking an unecessary risk. I often go the other way and use small rifle primers in 38 and 9mm's but as you know, the rifle has much higher pressures and the pistol primers are not designed for that level of pressure. Sure, they will work, but you run the risk of a blown primer and eye injury.

[M14]

A lot of old time loaders use SP primers in the .22 Hornet case for full throttle loads. The SAAMI max pressure for the Hornet is 39K psi as I remember.

[Wulfmann]

I know people that claim CCI SP are too hard and won't use them for pistols but will use them in SR loaded for an AR-15.
So far have not heard of any blown primers.
Reason I mentioned all this was to see if, by chance, they are actually the same thing in a different labeled box.
No guessing, does anyone know, can confirm, not suppose that they are in fact a different primer.

Wulfmann

[amamnn]

I've known people who used SP primers in .223 rem/5.56 loads and blanked the primers. No real damage done, but the performance of the cartridge was definitely degraded.

[Slamfire]

I have a chronograph, and sometimes folks want to shoot their home brew loads across it. In this instance, a shooting bud named Jim had reloaded some .223 loads with CCI pistol primers. He told he used IMR 3031 and his load was ½ grain under max. According to the Lyman manual that would be 24.0 grains of IMR 3031.

As a comparison , in the interest of science, we shot some of my reloads through the chronograph in his rifle, and that is the AA2520 sequence. The velocities in his rifle were a little faster than what I get out of my AR’s. I get about 2800 fps, and I am happy with that as I do not have pressure problems in 100 F weather during rifle matches.

None of the pistol primers pierced, leaked, anything unusual. The velocities are lower, and for awful bullets, the group size was a little better. But you would have to shoot some match bullets in a match barrel before having any credibility about making claims of improved accuracy. FMJ’s are good for busting rocks, that is about their accuracy level.


DPMS Rifle Mod A-15 Jim’s rifle
20" 1:9 Chrome Lined barrel

69 Sierra MatchKing 24.0 grains AA2520 BHA cases WSR (Brass)
22-Aug-04 T = 75° F
Ave Vel = 2865
Std Dev = 14
ES 43
Low 2850
High 2893
N = 6

55 FMJ 24.0? grs IMR 3031 CCI Pistol Primers LC02 Jim's load 1/2 gr off max
22-Aug-04 T = 75° F
Ave Vel = 3053
Std Dev = 43
ES 150
Low 2990
High 3140
N = 10



55 FMJ 24.0? grs IMR 3031 CCI small rifle primers LC02 Jim's load 1/2 gr off max
22-Aug-04 T = 75° F
Ave Vel = 3114
Std Dev = 46
ES 142
Low 3040
High 3182
N = 10

[Martyn4802]

I use Small Pistol Primers in both of my 22 Hornets with good results. Of course, I work up loads from the bottom up in powder weights.

Martyn

[Thesenator]

I do the opposite, I use small rifle primers for all of my small pistol applications.