Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

Before I attempt to swap them out at the local shop with some probably unobtainable regular SPPs, can you gents weigh in on the option of just using these in my usual 9mm starting pressure loads?

These are just target/competition loads. It is not an accuracy concern, I think, just a safety one. I have heard from other reloaders that they always use Magnum PP.

Tweaker wrote: weigh in on the option of just using these in my usual 9mm starting pressure loads

In general the recommendation is to use the lowest intensity primer that reliably ignites the powder charge. There are some loads, where experience has taught us that you just use a magnum primer for this combination. i.e. H110/W296 magnum loads.

There are a few loads where magnum primers can cause a significant degradation in accuracy, but its usually a more-rare combination of medium size case, and easy to light powder, and usually in rifle cases.

For 9mm you should be OK with magnum primers, but I'd definitely start with a minimum load, and re-work up the load. You are likely to get much more ignition, sooner, and hence a higher pressure spike with the same powder charge and a standard primer would produce.

You might want to consider using them with light for caliber projectiles, or slow for the cartridge powder choices to help reduce the pressure spike.

jdonovan wrote:

Tweaker wrote: weigh in on the option of just using these in my usual 9mm starting pressure loads

In general the recommendation is to use the lowest intensity primer that reliably ignites the powder charge. There are some loads, where experience has taught us that you just use a magnum primer for this combination. i.e. H110/W296 magnum loads.

There are a few loads where magnum primers can cause a significant degradation in accuracy, but its usually a more-rare combination of medium size case, and easy to light powder, and usually in rifle cases.

For 9mm you should be OK with magnum primers, but I'd definitely start with a minimum load, and re-work up the load. You are likely to get much more ignition, sooner, and hence a higher pressure spike with the same powder charge and a standard primer would produce.

You might want to consider using them with light for caliber projectiles, or slow for the cartridge powder choices to help reduce the pressure spike.

+1

Magnum primers just have a bit more than non-magnum. You should be able to use them in 9mm, but max loads will likely be a bit less powder. If you're using a hard to ignite powder for 9mm (e.g. HS-6), then the magnum primers may actually be a good thing for cold weather loads.

FYI, if you ever use something like CCI's NATO/arsenal primers, they're basically a magnum primer (although not labelled as such) with a thicker cup.

Cool. Thanks, experts.

Again, these are just minimum 9mm loads with 124 grain moly coated cast RN.

Tweaker wrote:Before I attempt to swap them out at the local shop with some probably unobtainable regular SPPs, can you gents weigh in on the option of just using these in my usual 9mm starting pressure loads?

These are just target/competition loads. It is not an accuracy concern, I think, just a safety one. I have heard from other reloaders that they always use Magnum PP.

Howdy,

On no account should you use the magnum primers in place of standard primers.

The proper course of action is to obtain the correct hardware to match your primers.

My personal favorite is 11.5 grains of 2400 pushing a .357 125 grain JHP down a six inch bbl.

Merry Christmas,

George

gfost1 wrote:

Tweaker wrote:Before I attempt to swap them out at the local shop with some probably unobtainable regular SPPs, can you gents weigh in on the option of just using these in my usual 9mm starting pressure loads?

These are just target/competition loads. It is not an accuracy concern, I think, just a safety one. I have heard from other reloaders that they always use Magnum PP.

Howdy,

On no account should you use the magnum primers in place of standard primers.

The proper course of action is to obtain the correct hardware to match your primers.

My personal favorite is 11.5 grains of 2400 pushing a .357 125 grain JHP down a six inch bbl.

Merry Christmas,

George

On what grounds? There is nothing special about a magnum primer. All it is, is a bit stronger due to more "RDX" being used. It creates a stronger ignition source, which for absolute max loads and/or easily ignited powders may lead to too much pressure. The whole point of magnum primers is to ignite large, slow burning (read typically harder to ignite) powder stacks. However, as I noted before, the common military primers, such as CCI #34s, are used in standard .308Win loads all the time. Yet, they are magnum primers with thicker cups (to avoid potential slam fires in particular firearms which have a floating firing pin).

Due to everyone being out of regular small pistol primers and no time frame of restocking I ordered up 6000 magnum small pistol primers to use in 9mm and .40. I did a poop load of research across the internet before hand and from what I found I have no doubt I can load safe and reliable rounds for each.

Some people play it safe and not deviate from a book for 20 years... others are tinkerers and make things work. Just start a bit lower and do the standard checks for pressure issues.

On several pages I came across, guys loaded and used several hundred rounds before realizing they had magnum primers in and to their surprise, there was no noticeable difference.

Hell, to push the envelope further, you wouldn't believe how many people use small rifle primers with excellent results too.

Times like this, get whatever primers you can. On top of that 6k I also ordered 2k large rifle, and 2k large pistol. So I should be good to go for a while. I heard stories of the last ban and people being unable to get primers for 6-8 months


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gunderwood wrote: On what grounds? There is nothing special about a magnum primer...

Relax, gunderwood,

All I meant to say was that he should get himself a gun that uses SP magnum primers.

Thanks for pointing out my botched attempt at levity.(insert sarcasm emoticon here)

Regards,

George

gfost1 wrote:

gunderwood wrote: On what grounds? There is nothing special about a magnum primer...

Relax, gunderwood,

All I meant to say was that he should get himself a gun that uses SP magnum primers.

Thanks for pointing out my botched attempt at levity.(insert sarcasm emoticon here)

Regards,

George

I took it as a proffered excuse to "justify" buying another enjoyable firearm. The .357 Magnum is not only a classic that continues to perform well, it's also just plain fun to shoot. Another advantage is that the brass stays put. Therefore, the OP "needs" to have one to match the "mistakenly bought" primers. You know, for "safety" reasons.

CowboyT wrote:

gfost1 wrote:

gunderwood wrote: On what grounds? There is nothing special about a magnum primer...

Relax, gunderwood,

All I meant to say was that he should get himself a gun that uses SP magnum primers.

Thanks for pointing out my botched attempt at levity.(insert sarcasm emoticon here)

Regards,

George

I took it as a proffered excuse to "justify" buying another enjoyable firearm. The .357 Magnum is not only a classic that continues to perform well, it's also just plain fun to shoot. Another advantage is that the brass stays put. Therefore, the OP "needs" to have one to match the "mistakenly bought" primers. You know, for "safety" reasons.

My bad. Fighting off a head cold and missed the sarcasm.

gunderwood wrote: Fighting off a head cold and missed the sarcasm.

Try Cold-eeze and Mucinex, and add a hot toddy before bed.

Regards,

George

Some people play it safe and not deviate from a book for 20 years... others are tinkerers and make things work. Just start a bit lower and do the standard checks for pressure issues.

On several pages I came across, guys loaded and used several hundred rounds before realizing they had magnum primers in and to their surprise, there was no noticeable difference.

Hell, to push the envelope further, you wouldn't believe how many people use small rifle primers with excellent results too.



I knew a guy like this once, a real tinkerer, may he rest in peace.