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Small pistol magnum primers


jstagn

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Ok was the answer I received on using spp verses spp magnum primers with 9 mm Major and 38 sc major loads. However wondering if the same would be ok if using Minor loads such as used in Carry Optics or even 40 minor?? Thanks 

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CCI 550 (magnum SP) are about all I’ve ever loaded for production use. Easier to find in bulk quantities back in the day, and run great.

 

I never saw a change in Chrono data versus a CCI 500 or winchester. 
 

Just don’t try to crank them through a CZ or Tanfo with a light hammer spring. My walthers run the stock striker spring and do not notice them at all.

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Small pistol magnum primers are simply harder than regular small pistol primers. They aren't any 'hotter' as some will claim, just simply harder to handle the increased pressures of the magnum loads without deforming or flowing.  You should be able to run them just fine and with no noticeable difference.  DA/SA pistols or competition revolvers that have a lowered mainspring might encounter lite strikes d/t the harder primer. 

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For a long time I shot Small Rifle primers in everything-- Major 38, Major 40, Minor 9, Minor 40.  They don't work so well in the DA/SA guns with light springs though, so switched back to SP for those.  SPMs are somewhere in between.

 

IME of a quarter million rounds or so, it won't matter except for ignition.  You might get a bit more velocity out of them depending on the brand.

 

 

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On 11/23/2020 at 4:44 PM, BJB said:

Small pistol magnum primers are simply harder than regular small pistol primers. They aren't any 'hotter' as some will claim, just simply harder to handle the increased pressures of the magnum loads without deforming or flowing.  You should be able to run them just fine and with no noticeable difference.  DA/SA pistols or competition revolvers that have a lowered mainspring might encounter lite strikes d/t the harder primer. 

Absolutely not true. Most SPMP use the exact same cup as SPP.

 

 

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1 hour ago, GrumpyOne said:

Absolutely not true. Most SPMP use the exact same cup as SPP.

 

Good info to know but not reflected in my chrono data of regular SPP vs. magnum SPP.  I've chronoed the exact same load only changing the primer because I wanted to answer this exact question for myself.  I had CCI regular & magnum SPP, Winchester regular & magnum SPP, and Federal regular & magnum SPP.  I did strings of 10 shots 3 times for each primer....180 rds,  The averaged chrono for each ended up being the same.  As a matter of fact, the average was also the same among the different brands of primers, not just among the regular vs. magnum SPP. 

 

I printed the loads at 25 yards while doing this chrono work and didn't see an accuracy deference between primers or brands. 

 

Additionally, I was using a DA/SA pistol with a reduced mainspring to shoot these rounds shooting them all in DA so as to test the primer hardness.  There was a difference here.

Federal: both regular & magnum SPP fired fine.  

Winchester: regular primer fired fine & had one light strike with magnum primer.

CCI: regular fired fine and had one light strike with magnum.

 

Since doing that test a few years ago I've run tens of thousands of Federal magnum SPP thru the gun and haven't had a light strike.  I've run 2 cases of Winchester magnum SPP thru the gun and would experience light strikes to the tune of maybe 1 or so per 100, so it was regulated to practice ammo.

 

That is my direct test experience with regular vs. magnum SPP.....because I wanted to know the same thing as the OP.......thus, it is relevant.

 

I did not measure cup thickness between primers.  If the cup thickness is the same then I have to wonder about the possibility of different metallurgy used with regular vs. magnum SPP.

 

 

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45 ACP 250 gr MO wide flat nose over 4.6 grs of AA2,  Gave me the same  velocity with Fed LPM and Remington large pistol,,, well when the Remingtons actually went off. Dang these things are hard. Just swapped out my 18lb MS for a 20,  at lease until I use up these Remington primers I scored at a pawn shop. $ 19 per K for 3k.

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