Shiloh Rifle Forums

I have inherited 2000 Large Pistol Match primers from a bud that recently passed away. I have only shot Large rifle primers in my BPCR 45-70. I read about some folks on here using Large Pistol Primers and I love to experiment..but do I need to do anything to my cases or rifle to make sure this experiment harms nothing?

Glenn,

There are several ways to load and shoot them.

1. Load and shoot them. You will notice, when seated they will be "deep" inside the primer pocket.

2. Place a wad inside the primer pocket to space the primer flush with base of the case. (When you seat the primer, place a strip of paper between case and primer and the primer will cut and seat the wad.

3. Pick up a primer pocket swaging tool and swage your brass to Large Pistol pockets.

Some have experienced breech face damage with #1. Regardless of so called ash less paper, you will find unburned paper inside the primer pockets when doing this. Finally, if you swage the pockets to Large Pistol , I would not recommend re-swaging if you are not happy with the results.

I have played with all three methods. I have not experienced any breech face damage, so I currently load Large Pistol primers in three of my rifles. The forth rifle, a original 1888 vintage Winchester High Wall sports a large diameter firing pin and so requires the use of Large Rifle primers or they will be pierced.

Woody

I also have been using large pistol primers with no breech face damage.

I do not "punch in' a piece of paper while seating primers. I did try that with no discenrable benefit. However, a newsprint wad or wax paper wad is inserted in the bottom of the case before the powder is dropped into the case. Not sure if that is a stunt for pistol primers only or if guys using rifle primers are also doing that.

Tom

From the damage I've seen on guns other than my own ( I don't use pistol primers) it is from escaping gas cutting around the firing pin hole. I'm guessing this is exacerbated from cases that have been reloaded 40-50 times. I've also heard reports of peening as the short primer cups are pushed back into the block face by pressure which the paper wads underneath should prevent but have not seen it personally.

I found that when I used pistol primer without a wad my firing pin would stick in the primer. It wasn’t long after using them that my firing pin broke. I didn’t see that they did anything different than the correct rifle primers so I didn’t mess with them further.

Given the current primer situation I’d keep them for an emergency supply or perhaps find someone wanting to trade for rifle primers.

Glen Ring wrote: ↑Sun Nov 29, 2020 1:50 pm I have inherited 2000 Large Pistol Match primers from a bud that recently passed away. I have only shot Large rifle primers in my BPCR 45-70. I read about some folks on here using Large Pistol Primers and I love to experiment..but do I need to do anything to my cases or rifle to make sure this experiment harms nothing?

Glen,

I'll trade you straight across for FED 210M large rifle
No need to know anything about them other than they don't work

Too many negatives for a maybe improvement...no experiments for me. I'll stick to the large rifle primers.
Brian
Just a couple of weeks before my bud passed away and willed me his shooting stuff I WON a Kimber 1911 in 45 acp. I'd never had a 45 and was thinking I didn't need it...but after my bud passed away and his widow loaded up my car I found a BUNCH of large pistol primers, 45 acp brass, bullets and reloading dies . I guess I was meant to have a 45 acp. I'll shoot these large Pistol primers in the 45 getting accustomed to it. I am a very experienced pistol shot , but this is my first 45.

You'll wonder why you didn't have one sooner Glen! The Kimbers in 45 ACP are top rail 1911's and one of the best buys out there for the quality! Great cartridge and gun design still after all these years!
I shoot all cast loads in mine and they work very well.

Glen Ring wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 12:40 pm Brian
Just a couple of weeks before my bud passed away and willed me his shooting stuff I WON a Kimber 1911 in 45 acp.

I've got a Kimber TLE RL 2.
It's had feeding problems since I bought it, otherwise very nice, however in a time of need it might get me killed until I get it looked at. Not interested in having to bump the rear of the slide to send it the rest of the way into battery

Not interested in any solutions
Everybody thinks they're a gunsmith & everyone else thinks they're an idiot
There, I've saved everyone from the typical banter

Gunsmiths are a problem around here, aint none

Glenn, you will enjoy that Kimber. I carried a Colt Commander on .45 ACP as my duty weapon, and a Colt Officer's Model also in .45 as my off-duty weapon. I also shoot a Kimber 1911 with three different slides for "Run and Gun", and Bullseye target. The Bullseye setup sports a aimpoint for the .45 and a Kimber .22 conversion kit for rimfire shooting. Regardless of how I set it up, it functions flawlessly and more accurately than I can shoot, and I ain't too bad with a pistol.

Woody

22 lr conversion is a sweet deal

Woody
I have a LOT of experience with revolvers and have shot Glocks for over 20 years. I had a 1911 race gun many years ago in 40 S&W and it was flawless. The 45 is a new thing for me. Since I've become ancient I find the big, slow bullets to be a really good thing. I was surprised how accurate a 45 can be.

Brian
I initially had problems with my kimber and lead bullets. It was a simple head space problem and once I seated the bullet far enough and made sure of the OAL and that the round could headspace on the case rim and not on the rim of a lead bullet, it was flawless.

The tight tolerances of a Kimber 1911 are not as forgiving as my Glock.

Woody wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 2:46 pmKimber .22 conversion kit for rimfire shooting. Regardless of how I set it up, it functions flawlessly and more accurately than I can shoot, and I ain't too bad with a pistol.
Woody

Nice thing about the conversion kit is it will work on most any full-framed 1911. Doesn't have to be a Kimber.

Glen, the 45 ACP head spaces on the case mouth not rim of the case head. I think you probably meant that but it is an important distinction for a reloader.

I found my conversion kit a couple of years ago at a local small gun show. Gently if at all used. This was an older model with aluminum mags. I finally bought some of the Kimber polymer .22 mags. They work flawlessly and are less liable to damage when dropped.

Woody