Small pistol and small rifle

[matt491]

Just curious what the difference is. I've been reloading handgun ammunition for over a year now and love it. I've had great success but I will now be starting to reload rifle ammunition (.223 specifically) for the first time. I've got literally thousands of small pistol primers (CCI) and was about to go buy some CCI small rifle primers but I thought I'd ask here first.
What are the differences? Can I use small pistol primers for reloading .223? Pretty sure it's a no, but thought I'd ask if anyone has done it.

Thanks, guru's.

 

[mmattockx]

My understanding is the rifle primers have harder cups.


Mark

 

[New Camper]

I am inclined to agree: I have used S&B small primers and they work fine under handgun pressures, but for (one anyway) near max handload in 222rem, I had some primers springing "gas leaks" around where the firing pin struck. Safety glasses, clean gun... no harm done: They did work for milder loads with no issues, but I would rather keep all the pressure going out the barrel.

My understanding is the rifle primers have harder cups.


Mark

 

[ralphs]

Generally speaking rifles generate higher pressures and handguns generate lower pressures. The rifle primers can withstand the higher pressures that rifle loads will produce. The small rifle and pistol primers are the same size, but the the rifle primers will be designed handle the rifle pressure and to ignite the larger volume of powder that is typically used in rifle loads.

There are certainly lower pressure rifle rounds and higher pressure handgun loads that will blur the distinction, but as general method of operation look at using rifle primers for rifle loads.

As you are loading for .223 that would be a high pressure rifle load. Use small rifle primers.

 

[burnaby]

As already stated pistol primer is typically softer for the lighter strike, rifle harder for higher pressure but requires a harder strike.

The Large rifle primers are ~6 thousands taller??? The 500 S&W revolver uses rifle primers thanks to 60k pressure limit.

 

[mlehtovaara]

I have used small rifle primers in pistol cartridges, but never the other way around for the reasons mentioned above.

Blowing out a primer is bad news!