Large rifle > small pistol primers

[GG686]

Does a large rifle primer usualy take a harder strike to fire than a small pistol primer?
I loaded up some primer loads with plastic bullets in 38 cal useing large mag. rifle primers, they have a very high failure to fire rate out of my mod 60 +686 .
These guns are very reliable with all of my normal reloads.
Is it the nature of the beast or a bad batch of primers
(CCI may be quite old,they were gifted to me)
Thanks
GG686

Ps.
The ones that fire are quite fun!!!

[dk99358]

Rifle primers usually have thicker cups than pistol, (hence your problem). If you fire pistol primers in rifle cases, you will most likely get some piercing of the primer cup due tothe thinner cups and the stronger firing pin spring in the rifle.

There is a reason they make both pistol and rifle primers and not universal primers.

Dale

[notenoughguns]

Just curious , how are you fitting large rifle primers in small pistol primer pockets ?
Quite a difference in size .

Just a side note , when using primers alone to propel wax , plastic or whatever for projectiles , you should open up the size of the flash hole to prevent the primer from backing out of the case upon firing . Do mark the modify cases and never use them to load normal ammo .

[GG686]

I bought a kit ,plastic 38 casings,plastic "bullets" that are sized for large rifle primers.
SPEER is who makes the ones I have.

[Sheldon]

The rifle primer cups have to be tougher to take the higher pressures associated with normal rifle loads. The magnum primers would be even tougher. Depending on the strength of the springs in your revolvers even the regulare rifle primers may not fire reliably, let alone the magnum version. If you have had a trigger job done on the guns and lightened springs were used to replace the factory ones, you may not get the rifle loads to work reliably at all. You could use large pistol primers, but I'm sure the bullet speed will be greatly affected.