I have a high-serial-number 03A3 customized many years ago in .30-.338 by respected Tucson gunsmith Harry Lawson. I've had good groups from my own handloads with 165 gr Nosler BTs and now want to move up to all-copper Barnes Triple Shock for elk near Condor country in northern Arizona. Problem: My 165-gr. loads used regular large rifle primers, not magnum primers. Obviously they worked fine for 68 grs of IMR4350, but now I'm looking to push a heavier bullet with 72 grains of H4831 (per my Sierra manual which says that gets me just over 3,000 fps). Questions:

1. If I switch to the magnum primers, will this :
a. change point of impact relative to std large rifle primers
b. increase velocity relative to large rifle primers
c. increase recoil relative to lg. rifle primers(probably true if "b" is true)

2. At the modest magnum loads I'm dealing with, do I need to worry about magnum primers?

Incidentally, the reason I started with std large rifle primers in the first place is my Lyman manual prescribed it. However, I had failed to notice their test rifle had used Fed. 215s.

2.

As to your existing load if it ain't broke don't fix it.
If you do switch in your existing load then it might change point of impact.

There could Velocity and recoil changes but I doubt you could feel or even see them down range.

It is very doubtful that your 180s and 165 will have the same point of impact with or without magnum primers in the 180s.

When I start trying to light over 63-65 grains of slow powder I opt for the magnum primer. The std might work BUT since they are the same price why take a chance.


I'm not sure I answered your questions.

The TSX has a series of grooves on the bullet shank and this may reduce pressures to compensate for this and achieve max velocity it may be possible to exceed max loads listed by one or two grains. You seat the TSX between 0.030" to 0.070" off the lands they rec starting at 0.050". I switched 3 rifles over to the TSX and I just started over again and that was mainly because of the new seating depth. I use mag primers in my 30-338mag.

Thanks for your responses. Even though I already have 29 cases primed with the std large rifle primers, I think I'll start resizing and priming with magnum primers just so I'll feel better about it. The others will just have to be deer loads with 165 BTs.

I load mine with Fed 215 GM but shoot heavier bullets so that is no help there. let us know how you did.