Small Rifle Primers for 38 Super?

[hawkeye116]

Someone told me to use Small rifle primers in 38 super reloading . If so why

[GrumpyOne]

It depends. If you are loading them for a normal velocity (I.E. not using them for competition to make major power factor with) small pistol primers would be fine. I use small pistol primers to make major with in my super. I really depends on the load you are developing. The main reason to use rifle primers is that they are harder, which means they won't "flow" back into the firing pin hole under high pressure, but different powders create different pressures. A very fast powder will create more of a spike in pressure when it ignites, whereas a slower powder won't (slower being more of a push than a punch).

Really though, all the small rifle primers do is mask high pressure signs.

[TonyT]

A number of open gun shooters who push the 38 Super as well as 9mm and 40 S&WE up to the max, and then some, use small rifle primers. I tend to keep within powder manufacturers published max loads and use the normal small pistol primers. I only shoot 38 Super in revolvers and use Federal small pistol primers.

[calishootr]

back in the day, before the advent on XL firing pins(why we didnt figure this out sooner is beyond me) we ran rifle primers to 'prevent' primer flow, because copious amounts of win 540 on a 115gr anything, would flow like nobody's business, later on in life we learned that its all in the set-up ofthe gun as well as powder and bullet selection, currently im running standard pistol primers, but with a XL firing pin, its not a cure-all, but it does help

[Jaxshooter]

I use nothing but SRP in 38 SC, 9mm Major and 40 S&W. That way I only need to buy one type of small primers.

[Pezco]

I believe Grumpy said is best. WSR primers used here.

[lynn jones]

WSR primers is all that i have ever used for 38super. the pressure, the pressure.

lynn

[chirpy]

I used to use SR primers in major .38 super loads because of the possibility of pierced SP primers/pressures. Now I use them for IDPA minor loads and have no problems that I can tell just because that is what I have. Also I don't want to use up my limited supply of FSP for my revo.

FWIW

Richard

[GrumpyOne]

I used to use SR primers in major .38 super loads because of the possibility of pierced SP primers/pressures. Now I use them for IDPA minor loads and have no problems that I can tell just because that is what I have. Also I don't want to use up my limited supply of FSP for my revo.

FWIW

Richard

Using them (SRP) in minor loads isn't recommended. The primer may not seal in the pocket as tightly as a SP would, letting gas get blown by, thus causing some breach face erosion. Check out this thread on it.

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=101553&st=0&p=1157490&hl=breachface&fromsearch=1entry1157490

or this one

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=101808&st=0&p=1160163&hl=breachface&fromsearch=1entry1160163

[DyNo!]

I use Federal Small Pistol Magnum with no issues.

It depends on your load. That primer wouldn't work for me if I were still using N350.

When it comes to reloading, if you put something in, you've got to take it away from somewhere else.

[gunracer38]

I have used Small Rifle Primers for many years for 38 Super. I think they are a little harder. However I also have used magnum primers and small pistol primers. They all worked. Winchester,Federal CCI and Wolf. I have even used some primers that were 15 years old and still worked fine.

[bigstick0000]

I use just about anything I can get at this point. I use srp and spp. A very knowledgable reloading friend told me that the srp add about 25 fps on the loads to bump up the power factor.