I had loaded some .223 rounds using 50gr Nosler Ballistic Tips and 26.0gr Varget. This has been a very accurate round in the past, with never any signs of pressure, etc., though I do not have a chrony.

Anyway, the stupid thing I did was this: I normally use CCI #400 small rifle primers. I inadvertently used CCI #500 small pistol in a batch of 35 of them. (The #500's have a small letter 'A' etched in them; the #400's don't) Do you think it's necessary to pull these rounds? I don't know how much difference there is between the two, so I'm looking for help here.

Thanks...

Safety wise, they should be fine. Just shoot them.

Should be no problem...

Thanks, the safety issue was my main concern. For all I know, they may turn out more accurate than the ones I had been shooting.

Hey AZ, I'd encourage you to be sure to wear a pair of shooting glasseswhen you shoot them. And look at each Primer as it is fired.

If you notice "Black" around the Primer or in the Firing Pin hole, then the Load is too large for them. Then you will need to Pull the Bullets and reduce the Load a bit.

I've not used Varget in my 223Rem and the other guys who responded are probably correct though.

When I mess with "Reduced Loads" I use Pistol Primers as one more trick to make sure I'm not getting the Pressure too high - by accident.

Best of luck to you.

One of the main differences between rifle and pistol primers is the hardness of the cup itself, pistol primers being softer than rifle. I have a .17 Remington that when using the old Remington 6 1/2 rifle primer, it would pierce the cup and blow gas back at me. I changed to the Remington 7 1/2 primer and problem solved. My point is, that you may pierce those pistol primers right at the point the firing pin strikes them, at which time you will be blowing a considerable amount of high pressure, hot gas in you kisser. Fire a few without putting you head on the stock and check to see if your piercing the primers, if not, you're home free.

Try it, you may like it. Years ago a buddy got an amazing buy on 50,000 Federal large pistol magnum primers, they worked great in the smaller large rifle cases, like 30-30 .308, 7.62x39

While you're shootin'um, do a comparison with a chrony! See if it adds or subtracts from your usual load. Like MajorCaliber said " You may like it"!

The possibility of piercing pistol primers in a rifle is real.

I've done it in a 38 special rifle and my Savage .223. It's a combination of striking force and chamber pressure accentuated at times by the end shape of the firing pin.

You may notice a slight burning effect on the bolt face around the firing pin hole.

Yes! As the man said ware glasses. Pierced primers do produce gas in the face. roger

In both a .223 and 222 Rem Mag, the 6 1/2 Rem primers gas cut the bolt face when they pierced on relatively mild loads. I threw then away. I guess if you try it you'll know if the same thing happens with CCI small pistols.

quote:

Originally posted by unique:
In both a .223 and 222 Rem Mag, the 6 1/2 Rem primers gas cut the bolt face when they pierced on relatively mild loads. I threw then away. I guess if you try it you'll know if the same thing happens with CCI small pistols.

Exactly what happened to me! The rem 6.5 primers are made for the hornet/bee class of lower pressure cartridges. I used them to load a bunch of .223 for a bushmaster AR15. It was a borrowed rifle! I noticed pierced primers, then looked at the boltface. It was cratered badly!

Of course I stopped shooting imediately. I also had to buy the owner another bolt! The rem 7.5 primer is the one for .223.

IF you want to risk a couple to see what happens, then okay, but be warned, it MAY cause damage to your rifle. Since you didn't say what the rifle is, it could get expensive to buy a new bolt!

Do you think it's necessary to pull these rounds? I don't know how much difference there is between the two, so I'm looking for help here.


Yes, pistol primers have thinner cups. I'd change to rifle primers to avoid pierced primers and loose gas in the action! It might not happen, but it COULD!

I guess I am so old that when I was young Benchrest primers weren't easily available and we often worked up loads using pistol primers hoping to get better accuracy. Notice I said "worked up". In more recent times I have loaded a lot of 45-70 rounds with Winchester Large Pistol Magnum primers with perfect satisfaction but my pressures are most certainly less than 30,000 psi. Small pistol primers are often used in the 357 magnum which many load to more than 40,000 psi. How much pressure do you think your load is producing?

On rules of life #1 is watch where you put your feet, #2 is always keep a running set of wheels, #3 is be extremely careful of the company you keep (especially woman).

The rifle is an H&R break-action single-shot. If I pierce a primer and it blows back, that would qualify as a BAD THING. Guess I'll be pulling them tonight.

Better safe than sorry...Thanks for everyone's help.