I decided to try some H380 in my .257 Roberts to push the 100 gr. XLC coated X bullet. The Barnes manual shows all standard primers in the Roberts, but I recall hearing something about using mag primers with ball powder. Is this true? What do you guys think? Thanks for your thoughts.

Gib

Gib, I have heard the same thing and have tried them in my 308 Win using W748 but could not tell any difference. Standard Primers will work just fine.

I use magnum primers for magnum rounds only.

I heard and read the same thing years ago and have been using the mag primers for all ball powder where the mag primers are available. The reason given was the density of that type of powder versus the air space in the stick powders provides better ignition. I espoused this thought and even saw it in reloading manuals. I posted this theory somewhere and someone pointed out that the only reloading manual to do this was the Speer. I've never bothered to check. Bottom line, when you develop a load from a manual you always need to start with all of the specifics published for that load, including primers, cartridge OAL and all the other parameters. After all, they've done the majority of the develpment. If you do that you shouldn't have any concerns on the way to achieving a good, safe load while changing the starting parameters one a time.

In standard cartridges I use non-magnum primers. I checked velocities and E.S. & Std. Div. using Std & mag. primers once and didn't see much diffrence (except less powder) with W748 in my .308 and H414 in my .270

I save the magnum primers for the big belted & mag cases.

If in doubt, ALWASY go with the primer noted in the published data.

Scout Master 54

For what it's worth, Layne Simpson had this to say about ball powders in Nosler #3. "I always light their fires with magnum primers." He reasons that they are a bit more difficult to ignite, especially in the cooler temperatures encountered afield during the hunting season. It stands to reason that backing off your powder charge for the magnum primers is warranted.

Paul

Gib,

I just started reloading my .22-250 with H380. The current Speer manual recommends magnum primers for ball powders.

Art

When I was working up loads for my 22-250 and started working with H380 powder I found that switching from Federal 210M standard large rifle primers to 215M magnum primers tightened up the groups some so I have tried the mag primers and large rifle primers both anytime I work with ball powders and always go with the one that works the best.I read where Ken Waters talked about using magnum primers in his load work with a lot of ball powder applications and also when using compressed loads to ignite more even and uniform when pressures allowed,his thoughts on this are in the section on the 7mm-08.

woods

[ 09-05-2003, 17:21: Message edited by: woodseye ]

Not all ball powders require mag primers. When I talked to Ramshot this summer during load development with Magnum, they emphatically stated it did not need more power to light than stick powders.

It seems that product development in powders moves faster than handloader's "truths". FWIW, Dutch.

I've probably shot a couple of tons of H380 (slight exaggeration ) thru a 22-250 and never used a magnum primer. I've loaded thousands of rounds (no exaggerationn ) in 100 degree Oklahoma and shot them in barely above freezing Wyoming and every one popped and killed sage rats waaaay out there. I've tried them on occassion with both ball and stick powder in standard rounds -30-06, .243, 7-08, etc- and couldn't see where it helped nor hurt me so pretty much discontinued it.
This doesn't mean I'm right and the book is wrong. Its merely relating my experiences, such as they are.