What size primers do I use?

[Gary737]

I am thinking of reloading my own ammunition and have a good hold on the basics. I have a press on order, can't wait. The one item that I am having trouble finding documentation on is; "what size primers do I use?".

Right now I want to reload 40S&W, .38 special, and .357 magnum pistol rounds. Where can I find the documentation to tell me what size primers to use for a specific size round?

Thanks,

Gary

[FireHawk77028]

Get a reloading manual. The ones you listed are all small pistol primers.

[Gary737]

Get a reloading manual. The ones you listed are all small pistol primers.

I have the Hanady's (sp) manual, but can't remember seeing anything about primers. I will look again, Thanks.

[fingers80002]

The load charts will state which primers to use.
.40, .38 use small pistol,.357 uses small piston magnum.

[FireHawk77028]

Not to argue... but 'magnum' catridges don't necessarily use magnum primers. Whether or not a load uses madnum primers depends on the powder. I don't do a great deal of pistol catridge reloading, but generally magnum primers are used with harder to ignite powder, such as ball powder for rifles. Magnum tend to be a little hotter than non-magnum. Federal tend to be generally a little hotter than other brands.

[Flash]

I am thinking of reloading my own ammunition and have a good hold on the basics. I have a press on order, can't wait. The one item that I am having trouble finding documentation on is; "what size primers do I use?".

Right now I want to reload 40S&W, .38 special, and .357 magnum pistol rounds. Where can I find the documentation to tell me what size primers to use for a specific size round?

Thanks,

Gary

When you read the manuals the primers, more often than not, are identified by NUMBER (ie: "CCI 550", "REM 7-1/2", etc.). This is code for the sake of brevity and is not intended to confuse you, but rather to hold to higher level of precision.

NOW, you need to learn to read code, as well as the load tables.

But, not to worry, each manual has a secret decoder page translating that code - - your job: "Find that page, learn that code".

Flash

[WVBob]

Everything you listed takes a Small Pistol primer. Pending on the powder you may need a Mag. primer. Check the manual. The Magnum primers are a little hotter and pending on which manual and/or gun writer you read, they are interchangeable, or not. One writer will tell you to use magnum primers, just go a .10 gr light. Others say they are fine anytime. And some say never use them except where listed. In thirty years of reloading, I've used them and have not seen a lot of difference in mid range charges. They do seem to give a better burn for a heavy charge. Just be safe.

[Farbmeister]

When you read the manuals the primers, more often than not, are identified by NUMBER (ie: "CCI 550", "REM 7-1/2", etc.). This is code for the sake of brevity and is not intended to confuse you, but rather to hold to higher level of precision.

NOW, you need to learn to read code, as well as the load tables.

But, not to worry, each manual has a secret decoder page translating that code - - your job: "Find that page, learn that code".

Flash

YOUR reloading manual MAY list by manufacturers number, but many do not. It really doesn't matter if you use CCI or Winchester, as long as they are the correct size, and there are only a 2 - small and large.

There are 3 TYPES of primers: pistol, rifle and magnum.

From there you get the 12 or sombinations:

Small rifle magnum
Small pistol
Large pistol
Small pistol magnum
etc

Some reloading manuals ARE specific with their loads "we used case band X, bullet brand X with a weight of X and profile X with X grains of X powder with X primer.

And for THAT one particular gun is may have been a good load. It may completely suck in yours... but at least you have the recipe to make the load exactly.

For general hunting/shooting its good enough to know 'uses X weight bullet with X grains powder'.

The RULE is: NEVER use a magnum primer unless the recipe calls for it. Thats a good general starting point.

If you want to play with loads, a magnum primer is equal to approx 1 grain of powder.

[FireHawk77028]

"There are 3 TYPES of primers: pistol, rifle and magnum." False

Pistol and Rifle are two types.
Within each are small and large.
Within those tend to be 'regular' 'magnum', but can also include bench rest and mil spec. Mil spec have harder cups to resist floating firing pins (M16/AR15, M1 Garand, M1A/M14, etc).

Thickness/hardness is only a concern if you have a floating firing pin (many military style rifles) -OR- you have a heavy strike that pierces the primer completely (gases can burn your firing pin), a light strike that fails to fire, or are doing some match/targetty goodness.

If you use 'magnum' pistol primers in a rifle (say large pistol magnum in a 300 Win Mag) You have a pretty good chance of blowing through the back of the primer and damaging your firing pin, or worse, who knows.

Also, not a rule, but magnum primers tend to be harder/thicker than standard, thats not to say a regular of one brand is thinner than a magnum of another brand... just tendency. Yea.. primers vary a lot.. but generally most can be used for a given application, but you have to start 10% below your max load and work up, you can't just willy nilly swap primers. end rant

[Bama Man]

All my loading dies are Lee dies, and they come packaged with loading data, which includes primer size for that specific cartridge.
But, even without that data, it is easy enough to look at the base of the cartridge to determine the primer size.
There are only two primer sizes, large and small. Small pistol is the same SIZE as the small rifle, as is the large pistol the same SIZE as the large rifle.
The rifle primers are, I have been told, tougher than the pistol primers, and need a heavier firing pin blow to detonate. ( so I have heard)
Others here may know if that is true.
Magnum primers are the same size as the other primers, just hotter