Left Cabelas today without looking at what buddy put in the bag. I asked for small pistol magnum but got small pistol. I want to load some .357 cases with 4.5 grains of Titegroup and a cast 125 grain bullet. Am I good to go with non-magnum primers?
Magnum primer needed?
- Thread starter skookumchuck
- Start date
Just to be clear magnum primers are not automatically needed for magnum rounds. Instead it is all about your powder choice. Some powders don't flash off all that well or consistently unless a better flash that is hotter and more energentic.
The only powder I know of personally that recommends magnum primers is H110. But I'm sure there are others.
The only powder I know of personally that recommends magnum primers is H110. But I'm sure there are others.
Same here as well as using Win 231/HP-38
I used to worry about which primers to use and meticulously followed the recommendations in the loading manuals.
For the past 35 years, I've been using MAGNUM primers for EVERYTHING and never looked back.
I only need to keep the proper sizes in stock for large rifle, small rifle, small pistol, large pistol. Way less inventory and much easier to have the same lot on hand.
I found out through experimentation, while shooting HBR that BR primers and Magnum primers were very close when developing ignition flame and at extreme cold temps, velocities were much better maintained. The difference between winter/summer velocities was minimal.
I had to prove this to an old friend, now deceased, Bruce Lamb, commonly known here as H4831.
Somewhere along the way he had convinced himself that it was possible to "overprime"
His last two years of shooting were done using magnum primers exclusively.
I miss the guy. I miss our conversations, pleasant disagreement and camaraderie. Our mutual friend Luke (Kamlooky) misses the exchanges as well.
IMHO you can't overprime.
There is no cost benefit to using cooler primers and I have yet to see proof that they cause faster barrel erosion.
For the past 35 years, I've been using MAGNUM primers for EVERYTHING and never looked back.
I only need to keep the proper sizes in stock for large rifle, small rifle, small pistol, large pistol. Way less inventory and much easier to have the same lot on hand.
I found out through experimentation, while shooting HBR that BR primers and Magnum primers were very close when developing ignition flame and at extreme cold temps, velocities were much better maintained. The difference between winter/summer velocities was minimal.
I had to prove this to an old friend, now deceased, Bruce Lamb, commonly known here as H4831.
Somewhere along the way he had convinced himself that it was possible to "overprime"
His last two years of shooting were done using magnum primers exclusively.
I miss the guy. I miss our conversations, pleasant disagreement and camaraderie. Our mutual friend Luke (Kamlooky) misses the exchanges as well.
IMHO you can't overprime.
There is no cost benefit to using cooler primers and I have yet to see proof that they cause faster barrel erosion.
That is the opposite of what he is asking though... Most of us who really have an understanding of the particulars wouldn't argue otherwise. I can definitely say that while almost all loads can be developed properly with a magnum primer with more advantages than disadvantages, some loads just need the hotter primer.
As others say, with Titegroup and cast bullets in 357 Mag, SPP will be fine. I would not hesitate to load and shoot them.
My LEE manual only lists SPP for all 357 loads.
My Speer manual says "Slow burning pistol powders require a heavy roll crimp and often a magnum primer to insure proper ignition. Use magnum primers whenever they are specified in the data". Then, the powers I see listed for SPM primers are 2400, 296, H110, HS-6 (some loads), HS-7 (some loads), and, surprising to me, 231 for one load, and AA#7 for one load.
Also pulled out my Lyman manual, where it lists CCI550 SPM for all loads.
Hodgdon online has SPM at http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol
My LEE manual only lists SPP for all 357 loads.
My Speer manual says "Slow burning pistol powders require a heavy roll crimp and often a magnum primer to insure proper ignition. Use magnum primers whenever they are specified in the data". Then, the powers I see listed for SPM primers are 2400, 296, H110, HS-6 (some loads), HS-7 (some loads), and, surprising to me, 231 for one load, and AA#7 for one load.
Also pulled out my Lyman manual, where it lists CCI550 SPM for all loads.
Hodgdon online has SPM at http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol
I don't think anyone minds when you chime in regardless. Your point is a good one anyway. It's either the posting by yourself or Bruce that got me to switch almost exclusively to Magnum primers for all my loading.
