I am relativily new to pistol reloading. I have alot more small rifle primers than small pistol.
Can small rifle primers be used in a .357 magnum load with H-110? All of my .357 pistols and rifle have factory triggers, hammer springs
so I don't think firing pin strike will be a issue. Pressure would be the only variable I can see.

Anyone have a load worked up with these primers?

The external dimensions of small rifle and small pistol primers are the same. The small rifle will be hotter.

However, rifle primers use tougher cups than pistol primers because the firing pin blow of rifles is usually harder than the firing pin blow of pistols.

Thus you may or may not get ignitions is you use small rifle in a 357.

Barstooler

Thanks for the reply Barstooler.
I kind of figured everything you mentioned except for the not firing part. I was hoping someone could give me a load in addition to actual experiences. I assume you had this experience with trying the forementioned primers?

I have tried both small and large rifle primers for handgun rounds. Never had any problems with ignition in any application, nor did I see any signs of excess pressure. That being said, I don't make it a practice to use rifle primers for handgun loads and the loads I tried were what I considered sane, and they started out low and went up a bit from there. IMO, unless you can't get pistol primers there's really no advantage/reason to use rifle primers in handgun loads.

H110 is a good, usable powder in the 357 and burns much cleaner than 2400 which is also frequently used.

I typically use H110 in the 357 with 125 gr jacket HP, and 156 gr cast and jacketed bullets. I don't shoot heavy weight bullets in my 357. If I want to go heavy I use my 44 Mag or my 500 Smith.

H110 and W296 are identical powders just packaged under different brand names.

All the standard load manuals have loads for H110 so I am not going to regurgitate them here.

Barstooler

Prime a case with a rifle primer and pop it off in your handgun. If it fires reliably, go for it. I've once or twice thought of using small rifles in my small pistols because I have so few small pistols...

The reverse, using small pistol primers in rifles can get you a face full of gas. It has me more than once.; Pierced primers. roger

Thank you all for your replies.
BUT, what I was looking for was "a load of
H-110 that would work with small rifle primers in a 357 mag. pistol" and be "safe". I was also primarily questioning whether anyone else has used small rifle primers extensivley in a .357 mag. pistol load with any degree of success and if there were any problems using them?

quote:

Originally posted by Rae59:
Thank you all for your replies.
BUT, what I was looking for was "a load of
H-110 that would work with small rifle primers in a 357 mag. pistol" and be "safe". I was also primarily questioning whether anyone else has used small rifle primers extensivley in a .357 mag. pistol load with any degree of success and if there were any problems using them?

I don't give out or recommend loads. That is why I responded that I use H110 and that "All the standard load manuals have loads for H110 so I am not going to regurgitate them here."

Get your self a load manual and go to town.

Barstooler

I have no. 200 federal primers and they are listed as small rifle and high velocity pistol and I have loaded a lot of 357 mag and 357 max with them using H110.

Rad

There's no hard rule on how much powder a primer change can make. I'd start low and chronograph until you hit the velocity you want. I'd guess a half grain to a grain, but I'd start at minimum load and work up. Once you hit your load then you can load the rest of your stuff.

I would back off ~1.5 grains from the load given in the books using a SP primer, load five and try them. You can work up from there. AndI know the books talk about not reducing H110 loads. Personally, I have never had a problem doing that and working up. You just have to use your head and pay attention.

Years ago Rick Jamison wrote an article in Shooting Times about primers. I have it around here somewhere. If I can dig it up, I will post anything Jamison said that might help. He is not the world's foremost authority but he did do a lot of loading and shooting. He would be nothing more than one more reference...

I may try starting out using the sm. rifle primers with some Unique loads before going to the H-110 and see just what difference it makes.