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Do you use magnum primers for 357 mag?

17K views 22 replies 16 participants last post by  gdmoody 
#1 ·
I'm not seeing much on this in a Speer manual I have in paper form - the Speer book. The manual says to use magnum primers only when specified but the loads listed in the Speer book do not specify the use of magnum primers.

I bought some new Remington brass that has been primed at the factory. I'm not sure what primers have been used, however.
 
#2 ·
the powders that I have used in my manual does not call for a magnum primer. Some powders may recommend magnum primers though. I think that 110 does.

I know a lot of people just use a standard primers for many magnum loads but if my manual says to use a magnum primer, I would want to use it just to get the maximum benefit from the powder
 
#4 ·
Yes and no. It depends on the powder I'm using; Unique, W321, and Universal get standard primers. WC820, some loads with 2400 get Magnum primers. Some loads will work better in certain guns with the opposite, but generally I use the above...
 
#5 ·
I am now loading three different bullets in .357 and all three "formulas" I am using call for magnum primers per five reloading manuals and guides but........... I am always on the lookout for Power Pistol, Bullseye and Unique powders and when I find some and start loading with these powders I will follow Alliant Powder's load data from their 2014 Reloaders Guide and use ONLY small pistol primers such as CCI 500. 'Cause they call out for small pistol primers in all of their .357 loads using their powders, NOT magnum primers and I've got to believe they have a reason based on their testing.

One thing embedded in my brain by many forum members here is to follow PUBLISHED Reloaders Guides without deviating or making substitutes based on what some people say on internet forums...... regardless of how many agree or how long they have been loading.

With all due respect, I would disregard a generic phrase like "Remington recommends using mag primers in all high pressure loads" unless it can be substantiated by something in print by Remington.

As far as the primed Remington brass, was it purchased from Remington already primed or by someone else simply using Remington brass? If by the factory, I would think a phone call could answer the question as to which primers were used.
 
#8 ·
The only .357's I load are with Win 296, actually the same powder as Ho 110. the manual calls for magnum primers, that's what I use. I shoot a lot of .38's thru these guns, but regular primers are used there, and usually Bullseye.
 
#11 ·
BTW; you can use Magnum primers in all .357 Magnum loads, but it isn't necessary. Some may suggest Magnum primers exclusively for inventory/purchasing reasons; it's easier to keep/use only one type primer. Some manual's techs. will use Magnum primers in the developing and reporting of load data, so they will recommend Magnum primers to use with their suggested data...
 
#13 ·
With all due respect, I would disregard a generic phrase like "Remington recommends using mag primers in all high pressure loads" unless it can be substantiated by something in print by Remington.

So you would disregard it without checking it out for your self? Why, because you have been reloading for so long and you know all?
 
#14 · (Edited)
With all due respect, I would disregard a generic phrase like "Remington recommends using mag primers in all high pressure loads" unless it can be substantiated by something in print by Remington.

So you would disregard it without checking it out for your self? Why, because you have been reloading for so long and you know all?
Of course I would! Why take someones word for such a broad statement then spend hours trying to find out if it is true or not or even relevant or not. I'm guessing that no where on Remington's website or in their literature would I find a statement where Remington says....... "To make life simple, disregard what any of the reloading manuals and guides say, just go ahead and use magnum primers on all of your high pressure loads and be done with it, never mind powder types or any other factors!"

It just sounds like personal advice to me with an implied authoritative overtone to give it some credence.

And as far as your comment about me being new to reloading....... Not very accurate, I have never posted anything claiming to know it all, that would be ridiculous. BUT, in my short time of reloading I have learned several things, one is not to take for granted what anyone says regardless of how long they have been reloading or how many presses they have in their shop. When I see someone with hundreds of posts, I don't automatically assume they know all there is to know and by you making such a broad statement as you did, you sorta backup my assumptions!

Enjoy your reloading!
 
#15 ·
From Midway USA regarding Remington 1 ½ standard primers
These primers are NOT recommended for loading high pressure loads such as 357 Mag, 357 Sig or 40 S&W.
Yea, you are correct, you go ahead and use standard Remington primers in high pressure rounds if you want. Thanks for you open mindedness and willingness to learn from somebody who has been at it for 30+ years. You go right ahead and disregard.
I never posted anything about disregarding and manuals but since Remington makes the primers they should know which to use.
 
#17 ·
You guys made me look. I have to confess...

The Winchester large pistol primers I have been using for years have a label claiming suitability for 'standard and magnum loads'. The Winchester small pistol primers (also used for years) says for 'standard loads'. In my mind I had conflated the two and have been using the small pistol primers for all my .357 Magnum (and .40 S&W) loads for - quite some time now.

The .40 S&W loads I do are pretty much 'normal' loads, for practice and such.

.357 Magnum loads range from modest to earthquake level.

I've never had a primer fail as a result of over pressure. No piercings, no extrusions, no 'flowing' into the firing pin hole. No gas leaks.

I had one .40 S&W case lose a head, very neatly at the extractor groove juncture. Didn't sound like an overload to either me shooting or the man running the firing line. (I was right next to him in a bowling pin shoot.) The incident broke the extractor, but the primer was unremarkable.

Now I'm going to be nervous.
 
#18 ·
Let me clarify, the OP asked, what type of primer would be in Remington 357 brass. Remington states that the 1 ½ standard should not be used in high pressure rounds, thus if the brass was factory primed by Remington, a 5 ½ Mag primer would be used. The same primer Remington uses in all high pressure factory loads. This in no way implies the CCI or Winchester (or any other brands) standard primers are not up to the task and should not be used. It should be obvious Remington is going to use and recommend Remington and no other company’s primer. Also if you did use 1 ½ primers this is no guarantee that you will have problems only that you may.
So let me say it again, Remington recommends using “Remington” 5 1/2 Magnum primers in all high pressure rounds.
 
#19 ·
So let me say it again, Remington recommends using "Remington" 5 1/2 Magnum primers in all high pressure rounds.
Can you cite a source for this quote? Google doesn't pull up anything so at the very least you would be paraphrasing which can lead to inaccuracies.

I use SPM for my 357 loads because the manuals say so, but there are some load that I don't use that call for SP only. I don't think I've ever seen one of my manuals calling for a magnum primer for 40 S&W, but I also don't use Remington primers or Midway website load data so it is possible.
 
#20 ·
I'm not seeing much on this in a Speer manual I have in paper form - the Speer book. The manual says to use magnum primers only when specified but the loads listed in the Speer book do not specify the use of magnum primers.

I bought some new Remington brass that has been primed at the factory. I'm not sure what primers have been used, however.
Well RAJBCPA, I re-read your post and focused on the second half of one sentence in bold above.

Since your manual says not to use magnum primers unless specified and YOUR loads do not call out for magnum primers, I offer the following passages from two respected reloading manuals to help you decide what to do, see attached photo (Nosler basically said the same thing as Hornady and Lyman).

It appears that there is a little more going on with changing primers than one primer having a little more umph than another. Reading how the pressures could be drastically altered as well as other load characteristics would be enough to make me stick to what is written.

Just something to think about!
 

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#21 ·
I don't know which Speer manual you have, but all three of mine #8, #9, and #12 , have an * asterisk in front of the powder charges that require ( or are recommended to use) magnum primers. At the bottom of each page is
* Denotes use of CCI 550 Magnum primer. When so marked I use the magnum primer , no asterisk means use regular primer.
 
#22 ·
If your all worried about "magnum" enough, just use small RIFLE MAGNUM primers, those are hotter still. THEN find who makes the HOTTEST small rifle magnum primers and use it for everything! Problem solved. (That's what happened in the 500 s&w, pistol primers aren't hot enough, so you use rifle primers for good ignition).

This thread turned into a big dick contest! Try to JUST answer the question, and don't go off on tangents.
 
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