Regular small pistol primers vs magnum primers.

[Will Lynchem]

I never gave it much thought before reloading cowboy loads, but with the smaller powder loads used, some shooters I have talked to have gone from using regular primers to magum primers to ensure a full burn. Heading to the gun show this weekend to pick up powder and primers. I'm looking for input from those who have used both and what difference if any there was. I'm not that worried about pressures at this
point because I'm loading 38 spl at middle of the load range. For guns that will handle 357 magnums, I'm pretty sure they will handle any pressure increase caused by the magnum primers if there is any at all. Thanks in advance for the info and insite. D. D.

[Blackfoot]

You'll probably not be able to tell the difference.  If you are making mouse fart loads there might be some advantage.  I only use magnum primers when I am using a full house load with a hard to lite powder such as H110 or W296.

Blackfoot

[rickk]

I use light charges of Unique in my 44 mag for a plinking round. When I was heavy into bowling pin shooting I would go thru 500 rounds a week and anything more than a plinking round tended to hurt after a while.

As I was working up the load, I noticed that when I dropped to a certain point, the ignition "felt funny" and the normally tack driving accuracy went to heck.

I switched to Magnum primers and was able to drop it down another 10% or so before the ignition problems came back.

I use pretty much all Magnum primers in light loads now.

Rick

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[Crow Choker]

     Dastardly Den: I don't know what expertise "some shooters" you've talked to have, but unless you are planning on using a slow burning powder such as H110 or Win 296 (both the same powder by the way, just different package, as is HP38 and Win 231), you aren't going to notice any significant outcome in speed, accuracy, or burn. If you're loading 38 Special cases and using a fast burn pistol or shotgun type powder(which I suspect from what is written the vast majority of CAS type shooters use), your maximum grain weight possibilities are such that a regular small pistol primer will set the powder off and you'll get maximum burn in your 357 Mag chambered revolvers. All such powders are considered "fast" burning. If you were loading and shooting black powder, some say the use of mag primers helps, but that is more of the case in the larger calibers.
     Stick to what the powder/primer companies recommend along with reloading manuals. Go off the map and it will only lead to heart ache and sorrow. Sooner or later one small mistake will raise its ugly head and will result in lost fingers, eyes, ruined guns, hurt pride, and in the worst case a life. I'm no complete authority by any means on shooting and reloading, but I've been reloading since the early 70's and have picked up a little experience and knowledge along the way.
     One thing I always do when other shooters recommend a certain loading practice is to check it out. There are too many out in the shooting/reloading world that want to be individuals and not follow the rules, thinking they can fudge on the laws of physics when it comes to what happens when primer and powder ignite. There are also too many that just don't educate themselves enough on reloading and then tell to many untruths about it they have either heard or just theorized themselves. Every once in a while on this forum (have seen it on others also), a question or a statement of reloading practice will be posted that goes against the safe and normal practice of reloading. In the majority of times they will be told of the unsafe and off road practice they are doing or thinking of doing and to consult the many reloading manuals and information available by powder/primer and bullet and or reloading equipment manufacturers. I've had to educate a lot of reloaders I've crossed paths with over the years that had ideas that were either unsafe or wouldn't make any difference in their completed ammo.
     I'm not sure of rick's post, Unique is a fairly fast powder, have never seen the use of Mag primers used or recommended. Have loaded and shot light to heavy charges of Unique for years and haven't seen the need for mag primers with that powder. At CAS distances, using a revolver, the use of mag primers won't make a difference. As I stated before, if your using a fast burning pistol/shotgun powder you'll get reliable burn with a regular primer, even if you were using 357 mag cases or a larger caliber. The only exception would be using a slow burning powder. Alliant 2400 back when it was called Hercules 2400, a mag primer with heavy charges was at times recommended, now the manufacturer has changed the powder somewhat and regular primers are the norm.
     Back in the late 70's when I first started to compete in law enforcement PPC and combat shooting competition, I was reloading 38 Specials with wad cutters. Using 2.7 grains of Bullseye, I had the idea of getting the perfect powder/primer combination to achieve the  best score and time. I played around with going up and down the scale with powder weight and using all the different powder weights with Winchester, CCI, and Federal primers. What a waste of time. Found that just sticking to my tried and true 2.7 grains and any of the primers yielded just as good of scores and time. That competition, as is CAS, isnot 'minute of angle' 100 yard plus shooting. When all is said and done, your scores will be most affected by your own shooting ability, whether it is natural or grinded out by hard practice and not substituting mag primers for regular ones when not needed.
     Good grief, just realized I wrote more than I planned, you did ask for some input, oh well, load and shoot safe.   

[Will Lynchem]

Thanks for the input guys, definitely food for thought. I load my own high performance 308 cartridges for 600 yard and longer bench rest where powder recipes and primer choice can put you either right on or off as much as a foot or two at 600 yards. Being new to CAS, I am forgetting I'm only shooting out to 6 yards or so vs 600. Big difference. Thanks again. D. D.