Lefty McCoy Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Howdy Just started doing this cowboy action shooting, got to say its the most entertaining shooting activty Ive ever done. Anyway I have been working my way thru reloading componets I already had for cowboy loads. Been loading a recipe from one of my books, dont remember which at the moment but it is .38 spl with 158 grn RNFP bullets, x.x grn Red dot and a CCI 500 sm pistol primer. Recipe listed a MV of about 800fps out of a pistol barrel. I have some CCI 550 magnum pistol primers I would like to use up. Anyone got a feel for how much I could reduce my current load to end up at about the same MV? Anything about putting these in .38 brass that is going to bite me? Any other reason why I shouldnt do this? I dont have a chronograph. Thanks Lefty McCoy SASS 91282 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Your load should be fine if you want to swap regular for mag primers. Loads close to maximum are ones you need to be careful doing component substitution. You MIGHT be able to see a 50 FPS difference in a Cowboy type pistol load moving up to mags, if you had a chrono. I do that swap depending upon primer availabilty, and don't notice the difference when shooting. If you wanted to drop a tenth of a grain, it would not hurt you, and might keep close to same velocity. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Hi, please read the forum rules as we are not allowed to post load data. It's a STUPID rule, BTW I've been reloading for over 45 yrs. and with the loads that we use in SASS/CAS you shoud not have any issue with mag. primers. CCI's use a harder cup and IF you have light hammer springs you MAY have some "no-fires". With your light load, be sure to use a very FIRM crimp for a good powder burn. Respectfully, LG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marauder SASS #13056 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 First, check your reloading manual to see where that load is - is it near minimum or at maximum. If it is a max load, then a Mag primer would require dropping the amount of powder a couple of tenths. If it is a minimum or mid-range load, then a Magnum shouldn't be a problem. FYI, we are not supposed to list the specific load on the wire due to possible typos, etc that would mislead folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Four-Eyed Buck,SASS #14795 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 We chronied a middle of the road load of HP-38 in .357 cases, but using std. and mag primers with the same grain lead. IIRC, difference was about 60fps between the two in his guns( revolvers). He said he noticed just a small difference in recoil.......Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lefty McCoy Posted March 17, 2011 Author Share Posted March 17, 2011 Thanks Guys I will read the rules..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Santa Fe River Stan,36999L Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Not all magnum primers provide an increase in velocity.........according to Federal their magnum primers do not.......I know Winchesters DO.......only ones I've tested. Stan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buck D. Law, SASS #62183 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Thanks Guys I will read the rules..... Just in time to avoid a severe lashing with a wet noodle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pit Bull Tex Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 I use federal small pistol mag. primers in my 38s with trail boss.Worked up my load with the mag primers so I dont know if they increase the FPS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Church Key, SASS # 33713 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Not enough difference to worry about; my experience: 10 rounds each, Uberti 20 Carbine (.38 Spl., 125 Gr. RNFP, Clays, 0.3 Gr. < Max.) Primer Type, Average (Mean), Extreme Spread, Standard Deviation Federal Standard, 969, 38, 12 Federal Magnum, 976, 55, 14 I'd say that 7fps is meaningless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marauder SASS #13056 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Thanks, Church Key. Your tests validate what Stan wrote as well about Federal primers. Interesting that the spread was a little more with the Magnum primers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creeker, SASS #43022 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Like a number of others - (especially over the last couple of years) - I purchased whatever I could find and used standard and magnum primers interchangeably. When the primer tray emptied, I grabbed whatever stack was next, so I regularly had magnum primed rounds in the cartridge box next to standards. Now, granted - these were not chrongraphed, but... I never had any noticed difference in feel, recoil or accuracy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madd Mike #8595 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Like a number of others - (especially over the last couple of years) - I purchased whatever I could find and used standard and magnum primers interchangeably. When the primer tray emptied, I grabbed whatever stack was next, so I regularly had magnum primed rounds in the cartridge box next to standards. Now, granted - these were not chrongraphed, but... I never had any noticed difference in feel, recoil or accuracy. ditt0 what hee said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Pony Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Lefty like others I laid in a supply of magnums when standards werent available. Then I stopped loading 38s and have had them on the shelf since then. Decided to try them in my 38Super, went with the base load from the new Lyman cast bullet manual and shot 50 rounds today. Saw no difference in old std primer loads versus new magnum primer loads. Lots of guys shooting these primers, and small rifle primers, when trying to make major power factor with the Super to get a better burn and protect from blowout. At std pressures like we shoot there should be no problems. Now I have to sit down at the SDB and crank out a bunch to have on hand, well after I bump up the load a little that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubious Don #56333 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 All magnum primers do is ignite the powder better. Although the loading manuals caution about reducing the load by 10% and "working up", remember they are always on the conservative side. (A good thing) Some of the Winchester pistol primers I have on hand say "for standard or magnum loads" some don't. I have used magnum primers interchangeably in a number of cartridges and never noticed a velocity increase enough to worry about. If you're using a low to midrange load I'd say you're safe enough. A load closer to the top end, well..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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