Has anyone used small rifle magnum primers in .454? I'll be using H110/W296 powder, probably 300gr bullets. Generally I see regular small rifle in the books, but I have a gross of small rifle mags. Not shelling out the $80 for regular small rifle would be great. Hodgdon's hasn't answered the question yet.
.454 Casull primers
- Thread starter benstt
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TEXASforLIFE
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I haven't tried any rifle primers in pistol cartridges. The only thing I've done is use large magnum pistol primers in my 44mag and 50ae unlike what data books show (regular). If simply are compatible on size of lpp's you should be gtg. As far as adjusting for primer differences it should be a lower charge weight? A few other forums other than this 1 would have better info and with actual hands on experience! Haven't seen you on here in a while. Hope all's well!
TEXASforLIFE
SAINT
I have some cci's in every primer except for small magnum pistol. I can check cup dimensions on what I have (smrp and lpp/lmpp). I use a lot of 296. Starting to use h110 and Lil gun in 300bo and 44mag and 50ae.
That's the thing, charge weight and pressure. Going light on 110/296 is not a good plan, but overpressure on an already high-pressure round is not good. .454 calls for small rifle, not pistol. I guess to get that 60,000+ CUP pressure. Getting the primer too hot and burning powder too fast seems like a recipe for overpressure and grenading the revolver (and my hands). Hence my reluctance to use magnum primers if the load data calls for not magnum.
I'm doing good. I stayed away during the election because I know I have opinions different from most on here and would get into some arguments. No need for that, so I didn't post.
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Lil gun is a great powder for subsonic .300blk loads. It only takes about 6.8grs to move a 220gr bullet down range just under the supersonic limit. A little powder goes a long way.
TEXASforLIFE
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I've never looked at the 454 data, but that's different.
TEXASforLIFE
SAINT
I've only used 1680, 296, h110 and Lil gun thus far and weights up to 185. I try and keep all at 1k of muzzle energy as speed varies with weights. Hopefully chrono to confirm 1 day. If I ever get a shusher I'll give heavies a go. Thanks for the heads up! BTW, are you using 300bo dedicated mags?
I've used both mag types in the past without issue for FMJ subsonic 220gr but I've run into FTF issues using factory Hornady Sub-X in 5.56 mags. I've since picked up more .300blk dedicated mags for this reason.
TEXASforLIFE
SAINT
finally got to of my reloading books and according to hornady they use fed205's (small rifle as i had to check). going from 454cas and up, all were using small rifle primers, except for 480ruger and 50ae (i already knew that 1). didn't see anything for 500spl (most likely large pistol).
i've read that going from standard to magnum in the same size primer you back off 1/2gr? i will say that using cci350's in lieu of 300's it does produce more pressure with same powder weight. i've only confirmed this in my 50ae/44mag de. i usually run top pressures (based on load data), but haven't split any cases or popped any primers because of. depending on where you're at load data wise you might back off 2-3grs (if near top) or just start where you're at (if in the middle). i only have had 1 firearm that i needed to treat differently because of the chamber.
TEXASforLIFE
SAINT
were those 220's berry's or lapua as i don't see many 30cal fmj's that heavy? 185's are the heaviest i've bought for 300wm and shoot, but am going to try in my 308win pistol trying to keep muzzle energy between 1,500 and 1,750. thing weighs 10.5# and kicks like crazy using m80 (pmc bronze 147fmj).
Rifle primers typically are harder than pistol, magnum primers are a bit hotter. If your load calls for standard primers and you’ve got magnum ones go lighter on your charges and work your way up to where you want to be. Never use max loads with the hotter primers (but frankly max loads tend to be less useful and accurate than midrange anyway. If a midrange load in 454 isn’t enough load you need to move up to what, a .460?
Ditto. I’m a .44 Mag guy. Have been for years. Heavy loads will take anything I’ll ever go after. Light “special” loads in a mag case make great target loads ( and still carry a stought hit).