Pistol primers

[Todd Birch]

What's the bottom line on the use of pistol primers in BPCR's? Good idea? Bad?

[semtav]

GM155M's were my go to primer for my GG loads in the 45-90. Haven't tried them for PP ing. YRMV

[Kirk]

You will ruin your breech block eventually,,,

Kirk,

[semtav]

If you do test them and like them. Kermit Hoke makes a swaging tool to reduce the depth of your primer pockets.

[Todd Birch]

OK - then that settles it. All I DON'T need or want is another step in case preparation.

The reason I sked is there is an article in the current issue of BPCN by Harvey Pennington on using them in his '86 Winchester.

[Eric Johanen]

Help me with this. Large Pistol primers are the same diameter as Large Rifle primers. They are however shorter and they seat deeper in the case. When the cartridge is fired the primer backs out and is reseated by the case moving back against the breech block. Now if you use a under primer wad of say 4 to 6 thousands the Pistol primer seats to the same depth as the Rifle primer and they would both move back the same distance and should be moving at the same velocity. Would not the impact against the breech block be the same? If one does not use a under primer wad then the Pistol primer would be impacting the breech block harder and is this the cause of peening of the block? If one wanted to slow the primer movement further, Federal primers are a smidge larger than the others and a tighter fit would slow the primer movement. I use Federal Large Pistol primers with some loads and have not noticed any evidence of peening or gas cutting. What am I missing and not understanding with this practice? I do not want to wear my block prematurely but I am seeing no evidence that this is causing a problem.

[boge]

Help me with this. Large Pistol primers are the same diameter as Large Rifle primers. They are however shorter and they seat deeper in the case. When the cartridge is fired the primer backs out and is reseated by the case moving back against the breech block. Now if you use a under primer wad of say 4 to 6 thousands the Pistol primer seats to the same depth as the Rifle primer and they would both move back the same distance and should be moving at the same velocity. Would not the impact against the breech block be the same? If one does not use a under primer wad then the Pistol primer would be impacting the breech block harder and is this the cause of peening of the block? If one wanted to slow the primer movement further, Federal primers are a smidge larger than the others and a tighter fit would slow the primer movement. I use Federal Large Pistol primers with some loads and have not noticed any evidence of peening or gas cutting. What am I missing and not understanding with this practice? I do not want to wear my block prematurely but I am seeing no evidence that this is causing a problem.

You cannot slow the rearward primer thrust. Too much pressure. Think of a battering ram used against a door. More space = more force as it has a running start so to speak. That is why (most) revolvers have replaceable recoil plates on the breech face as there is more headspace to allow the cylinder to turn. That's not needed in a semi-auto handgun.

[Steve Rhoades]

Boge,
So it looks like the solution is to make the Sharps rifles semi-auto, right?

[boge]

Boge,
So it looks like the solution is to make the Sharps rifles semi-auto, right?

I'll expect to see your prototype within the month.

[boge]

Boge,
So it looks like the solution is to make the Sharps rifles semi-auto, right?

I'll expect to see your prototype within the month.

[bobw]

You will ruin your breech block eventually,,,

Kirk,

All anyone needs to know. Knowing that up front can't be worth any imagined accuracy increase of a few tenths of an inch. 5@200 record was set with WLR's. bobw