# Reloading Mistake?



## Maxxdad (Feb 5, 2014)

So I get this call from a friend who I recently turned on to reloading.

"Max!!! I got my dies set up and have started my first batch of 5.5.6"

Great says I, be right over.

He went a little crazy, thou I don't blame him. Bought brass, primers, bullets, powders for several different calibers at the same time. He had punched out about 15 rounds by the time I got there. I pulled out my gauge and checked the length, l looked it over real good and checked his powder and grains. It all looked great. Then picked up a box of Small rifle primers setting on the bench. Still taped shut? Put those back up on the shelf and picked up the box of primers next to the press. SMALL PISTOL. 

Stop........

Now I am no master reloader. I reload, they shoot, I'm happy.

Has anyone every done this?

We took the 15 rounds he loaded up and fired them in his Bushy. No problem, no hickups, no FTF. I no longer own a Chrono thanks to my boy and his 30.06. 

My question is this. In a EOTWAWKI situation any harm in using Small Pistol.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

There are lots of shortcuts one can use in a survival situation. I'm not so sure about testing them, I'd much rather wait until I absolutely had to throw the loading manual out before trying some things. Small pistol primers in a rifle load is one of those things.


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## Notsoyoung (Dec 2, 2013)

IMO generally speaking using small pistol primers in rifle cartridges is not a big problem, using rifle primers in pistol cartridges may be.


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## Smokin04 (Jan 29, 2014)

Does he have a reloading manual? If so, he should be using it. Primer swaps aren't a huge deal. For instance, I use magnum primer in ALL pistol loads. This is a personal preference, but I also charge the rounds accordingly. Check the base for over pressure signs on the primer. The only danger I can forsee is loading the wrong powder, with not enough primer and getting a round that doesn't leave the barrel (which when the next round fires will destry the barrel and hurt the shooter potentially). Or you run the risk of a slam fire. If all of what I'm saying sounds greek, then you really hould stop and reference a good reloading manual.


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## Maxxdad (Feb 5, 2014)

His mistake was not following the manual and double checking which primers he had opened. He pulled the right ones off the shelf, but somehow got confused and pulled the pistol primers down. 

I have helped him arrange and label his stock to keep the mistakes to a minimum.

If nothing else this was a real eye opener and cheap lesson.

His measurements were meticulous. He just grabbed thee wrong primers.


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## bigdogbuc (Mar 23, 2012)

I did this once by mistake, however if I remember correctly, I loaded rifle primers into pistol cases. They are longer and it created a clearance issue. Thankfully I discovered this early on so I only had a handful to take apart.

I'm not sure what would happen the other way around, but it sounds like there wasn't an issue. Though I'm not sure I would have "tested" it in my $1000 rifle. :grin: It would seem that the pistol primer would fit flush when seated (nothing else for it to do) and the biggest problem you would run into is a "soft strike" from the firing pin pushing the primer deeper into the pocket without actually igniting it.

On firing, even if "seated a little deeper" by the firing pin, the primer would launch itself back into the bolt face (where it would stop). Other than a bulging primer or some potential extraction issues because of it, seems like it's okay.

But rule of thumb, especially when reloading; If you have doubts, STOP and figure it out. If it isn't right, STOP and disassemble the round. It's the responsible thing to do. DO NOT risk injury to yourself, by-standers or your gun. Period.

And buy him one of these Kinetic Bullet Pullers. They're invaluable. Mistakes happen.


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## Smokin04 (Jan 29, 2014)

Agreed, bullet pullers are cheap as well.


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## wallyLOZ (May 12, 2013)

Agree with the posts above. Risking damage to your firearm, bystanders or yourself is just not worth it. Get a bullet puller.

My understanding of the difference between a pistol and rifle primer is in the wall thickness in the cup. The rifle primer has a thicker cup wall. Therefore the reference above, a pistol primer will work in a rifle case, but not necessarily the reverse.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

I have a kinetic and collet bullet puller.
I use the kinetic when I have a couple to pull. The collet puller comes in handy for larger scale operations.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

There are a couple of problems with using pistol primers in rifle cartridges, I won't go into each one, yet just for fun lets sample one of problems that may arise. Lets say you use a pistol primer in a rifle that has a free floating firing pin *cough* AR 15. The primers cups (especially) for these types of rifles are normally constructed of a heavier material to prevent the occurrence of slam fires, that unfortunate and yet exciting phenomena that occurs when the forward inertia of a free floating firing pin sets off a round as the bolt goes home. Cool huh? Not so much. 

What is necessary to understand is that pistol primers are made from thinner cup material by necessity as most pistols simply cannot exert the same impetus to the firing pin as a rifle. When you couple a thinner primer cup with a system designed to set off a primer with a heavier cup, you have introduced the potential for slam fires. 

Okay, back to survival...can one do this yes, it's a last resort kind of thing...


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## Notsoyoung (Dec 2, 2013)

When reloading my attitude has always been "when in doubt, pull it all out", in other words if you are not sure if you have made a mistake or not, pull the bullet, dump the powder, if necessary unseat the primer. Take your time and be sure that it is right. If you have to re-do 100 rounds, so what? Quicker and allot cheaper then damaging your firearm or having to go to the emergency room.


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## reloader7.62 (Oct 27, 2013)

Primers are like the spark plug of an engine some are hotter some are not. Also cup thickness,material,height and other specifications are different from primer to primer as well as between mfg. Any reloading manual will specifically state that when your change a component for the listed date that you should start from scratch and work the load back up.

The only pistol and rifle primers that I know of that are identical are the CCI 550 SPM and CCI 400 SR primers. According to the CCI tech there identical in every way.

A god article on primers in Semi-Autos and Milspec weapons Primer Info & Chart + Milspec Primers for Semi-Autos & Other Primer Applications


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