Put some wrong primers in!

chemo

chemo

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I started loading some 308win this morning and I tought my primer tube was empty, but apparently it wasnt, because I put 40 large rifle primers to prime 40 cases and when I was done priming the cases there was still 5 left, the extras are large pistol primers.

When I realized it, I already had loaded 9 rounds, which I cannot pull because, as some of you might remember, I broke my puller.
I know using pistol primers is dangerous in free floating pin semi autos, but how about my bolt gun? (I do not expect these 9 shots to be accurate nor precise though)

So, among these 9 loaded rifle rounds, and other mixed 36 primers, there are 5 large pistol primers. Say all 5 are in the mixed primers... what's best to do with them? Load them in a pistol? or load them in a rifle?
OR dump em :)puke:)
 
I would just shoot them.
The biggest issue I have ever had is that the firing pin on my rifle will pierce the pistol primer. This was on a 45/70. Cowboy action guys load pistol primers and use them in revolvers and rifles all the time.
 
I would say you must bite the bullet (ha haha ha... oh I kill me) and take a pair of pliers, pull the bullets, then put a drop of oil in the primer, then punch it out. Or shelve this batch until you can get a bullet puller. Large pistol primers most likely WILL rupture and bleed gas back into the action.

You should be able to tell the difference externally because pistol primers are about .006" shorter in height then rifle primers. They will not be flush (or as flush) with the case head with any luck.

Yes, you might be able to get away with it in a .45-70 - I've put large pistol in my black powder cartridges to try them, and many shooters do. But there is a world of difference between operating pressures of the .45-70 (smokeless or BP) and a .308 Winchester. Unless you want to tie the rifle to an ole tire and remote fire it with a string.

G: Is my caveat.
 
You don't have to kill the primer before removing it...
And I won't waste 9 perfectly fine match bullets...


Actually my biggest concern are the 36 primers (which will become 45, If i do have to pull the loaded 9)
 
if you can get the bullet out, then you treat it just the same as any round you want to manufacture- dump the powder back into the hopper or can, and PRESS the primer out- there's no NEED to deactivate it as it takes a SHARP BLOW to detonate , and the decapping pin PRESSES the primer out, and on the WRONG SIDE if the primer to boot- then fish it out of your primer tray and use it properly- oh uea, and i know what i'm talking about - i've done this for coming up forty years, never had a detonation, and i use LEE presses, which means inverted primers, buckled primers and just about everything you can do to a primer- if you don't have a puller, you may be able to rock the bullet enough to widen the neck to pull it out- just don't expect any sort of accuracy for those bullets
 
al100 said:
Cowboy action guys load pistol primers and use them in revolvers and rifles all the time.
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That most likely because the "rifle" rounds we use are actually pistol rounds. Execpt for the .44 WCF (and .32-20 if you want to split hairs) that was originally introduced as a rifle round, but was adapted to pistol chamberings fairly soon after it inception.
 
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t-star said:
there's no NEED to deactivate it as it takes a SHARP BLOW to detonate , and the decapping pin PRESSES the primer out, and on the WRONG SIDE if the primer to boot- then fish it out of your primer tray and use it properly- oh uea, and i know what i'm talking about - i've done this for coming up forty years, never had a detonation, and i use LEE presses, which means inverted primers, buckled primers and just about everything you can do to a primer
Click to expand...

Although I agree the likelyhood of detonation is very low it is possible, as I somehow managed to do it on one occasion without any sharp percussion on my lee press and to this date really don't have a good explantion as to why. Fortunately no harm done, just gave me a good scare.
 
I think I always fail my original post

Here's to calrify:
I Primed 40 cases, loaded 9, realized some where primed with large pistol. Then I deprimed the unloaded cases and reprimed them with primers i knew for sure were rifle primers. That's still 9 loaded rounds.

So now I have 36 primers and 9 loaded rifle rounds, among which hide 5 large pistol rounds. When I get my new puller, I will then have 45 primers among which 5 large pistol primers hide and the remaining are large rifle. What's best to do with the mix? I just want to avoid dumping 45 primers just because 5 are misplaced...
 
apu said:
Although I agree the likelyhood of detonation is very low it is possible, as I somehow managed to do it on one occasion without any sharp percussion on my lee press and to this date really don't have a good explantion as to why. Fortunately no harm done, just gave me a good scare.
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the reason that happened is that you had a SOLID surface or part of the surface under the primer and generated PRESSURE , which will also detonate a primer- this is the reason the lee loader will often detonate during the priming stage- the primer has moved OFF THE CENTER of the priming cup, on to the solid part that holds the CASE and it acts EXACTLY like a firing pin
 
If you loaded these to punch paper I would send them downrange. If intended for hunting might should decap and start fresh.
 
Just shoot em! What's the worst that could happen?
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If a rifle primer is used in a pistol,it may result in a misfire due to the thicker primer cap.
If a pistol primer is used in a rifle cartridge,the primer may be pierced due to the primer cap being thinner, and allow hot gas back into the action.
 
The only problem with Pistol primers in rifle cases is they might be pierced by the firing pin while fireing..... Also if you are anywhere near max load you may want to avoid over pressures as well. If memory serves Pistol primers burn 'faster' than rifle primers, so you could get a bit of a pressure spike.

If it were me & my 308....... I'd just load them and shoot them as plinking loads at the range. My 308 loads are a bit under max loads anyway so it wouldn't hurt my firearm at all.

You should only be concered about hot gasses coming back at your face if you shoot a Tikka. Remingtons, Savages, Wincheters all vent the hot gasses into the magwell in the event of a pierced primer, Tikkas do not, they vent straight out the back of the bolt.

In short I would load and shoot them....... But I don't think I will ever have this problem..... I use Winchester primers for my Pistols & CCI for my Rifles, it makes it really easy to tell them apart!

My $.02

Cheers!
 
some times the inside of the primer is a different colour red/ yellow / brown etc..

that is one way to sort them out unless your rifle and pistol are the same colour
 
You should only be concered about hot gasses coming back at your face if you shoot a Tikka. Remingtons, Savages, Wincheters all vent the hot gasses into the magwell in the event of a pierced primer, Tikkas do not, they vent straight out the back of the bolt.
Click to expand...

Really,would you care to explain to us the purpose of the holes in the bolt?
I believe that they are referred to as vent holes.
 
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