Lee Loader

This comes up often in reloading, and I thought mundane here we go ?
Who has used magnum primers in 9mm,38 special, 45 acp. And so on. I have in 9mm, and 45 acp, I'm sure others to but would have to dig to check. I never noticed any signs of to much pressure from the magnum primer. I know it's suggested to not use but in past reg. primers were scarce n had to use what I had. So anyone else?

I had to use magnum primers in my .38spl for a while, because I couldn't get any standard primers. I did not experience any significant difference, even the velocities were very similar. Don't remember the exact numbers. In my .45Auto I always use magnum primers, because Federal large pistol standard primers are nearly impossible to get.

I've only rarely used SPMs and in .357 only. I can tell no difference, a chronograph can, and the target cannot.

I don't know. I've never done it. I don't want to find out. I guess I never was forced to try swapping primers. I took my reloading manuals as Gospel and NEVER attempted to violate the rules. I believe it is a since of safety that has keep me from experimenting. I admit to loading by accident some pistol primers into M1 Carbine reloads. When I realized my mistake I dismantled the whole batch.

I've been lucky as I have always been a hoarder of sorts. Growing up in Hawaii without access to real gun store that carried reloading supplies I was forced to order supplies from places like Herters, Montgomery Ward and Sears Roebuck. Back in the day there was no Hazmat but shipping time was at least a month or 2. So it became a habit to order at least a year's worth of component. Because of this back in the early 90s when Wind Sock Willie got elected I was in good shape and realized never to allow myself change my "hoarding" ways tho it had been tempting with so many sources when I moved to the mainland. Only once I was forced to buy Match quality rifle primers because of the Obummer nightmare. It was about that time I became a serious hoarder. :twisted:

I understand the issue of safety. It was lack of options that forced me to try it. After seeing no issues I have since had no worries about it. Now if I'm shooting a max loads in a caliber. I would not mess with anything like this to tempt the fate of the reloading gods.

I use WW large pistol primers that are designated for regular or magnum loads so the 45 ACP and the 45 Colt get them regardless of powder choice. In the Colt I use a lot of H110 and WW 296 and both carry recommendations for magnum primers though I have used CCI standard lp with no ill effects. In the small primer cases magnums in the 357s, H110 and 296 being my main choices for heavy for caliber loads for the '92 and the Black Hawk. I'll use magnum primers in the 9mm and 380 and have had no problem when changing between standard and magnum but none of my loads push max. Were I dealing with a good near max load in either using standard primers and had to use magnums I'd back off 10% and work up again.

In the rifles I use a lot of large rifle magnums but I load a lot of spherical powders and find the magnums get them up and going a slight bit better. I need to do some more experimenting here but need to fix or replace the chronograph and wait for range weather to return to SW Ohio.

Mery Christmas all and make smoke,

I recall gaining about 10fps with 40 S&W by changing to a magnum primer.

Not having any velocity test equipment, I never saw any difference.

I strongly feel it is a VERY BAD idea to suggest there are no potential consequences. Certainly not one of my 6 manuals recommend doing this.

A new reloader SHOULD not try experimenting by doing anything not published in a manual. There is enough of a learning curve with all the different types powder, primers, bullet weight, light loads, max loads and compressed loads. Every gun is not the same and each can respond differently to any change in load data. I've seen overpressure primers using published data.

I'm not as smart as those who publish reloading data.

Whatever you guys do is your decision.

We get the idea.

See above. 10 FPS increase in one case.

My chrono is nearly a year old and is unused.

Sad.