So, was reloading for my 257 Roberts tonight and primed about 100 cases before realising I had used my 338 rum primers (never done that before).
What should I do? I use federal 210, but primed with Federal 215 by accident. Should I just punch them all back out or is there a big enough difference to worry about. Would 215 cause pressure spikes ot just crappy accuracy?
Unless you are using a max load I would just load 5 and see how it works out.
On the other hand punching them out and repriming is only a couple of minutes of work depending on the tools at hand. You can re-use the magnum primer so nothing is lost.
If you are not sure, deprime and reprime. I would use a universal decapping die if you have one instead of the sizer die, makes it just a bit easier.
If you don't have an universal, get one the Lee is only a few bucks.
Thanks for reply. This is also part of the reason I asked. Spokane seems to have a shortage of Federal 215 primers (maybe elsewhere too) . Since I dont actually have a ton of them, I would like to salvage these to burn the Retumbo in my 338 RUM
You of course can do what ever you choose but reloading manuals warn against de-priming live primers. They can go off during de-priming. That being said, I have de-primed many live primers over the last 30 years and have never had one go off but there is always that chance. I do not recommend it to others.
The only difference between the regular primers and magnum primers is how active the flame front is. There is a big variation in the activity between different manufacture's regular primers such that it probably makes little difference safety wise unless you are loading a maximum load. In fact, Winchester primers in some sizes are so active they don't even offer a magnum primer.
To be safe just load up the ones you primed at the starting load or about 10% below where you are now.
Thanks everyone for replies. Ive been reloading since I was a kid and maybe out of luck, have never loaded wrong primers. Lucky I didn't load 500 that way...lol
I have an incredibly fast and accurate load for 338 RUM that involves 100.5 grains of compressed Retumbo and federal 215m's. I may have to do the work, and work up a new load with cci, as I cannot for the life of me find 215m anywhere.
If you do decide to reload a couple please give range report. I myself have used magnum and standard primers in place of each other on many a 9mm, 357 or 38, and many a 223; but NEVER on something heavy like your situation.
I would push them out and start over. I would also mark the package that you put them in as being reclaimed. You have already set the anvil in the primer which may may them a bit more sensitive when reusing them.
I'd just de-prime the cases and re-prime them. LD is spot-on about reloading manuals specifically advising NOT to de-prime live primers, and like him - I have also done this a few times over many years of reloading. I have had one or two 'pop'. I'd advise not to do it, but if you do - wear eye and hearing protection for certain! I'd also segregate the reclaimed primers, mark them as such, and just use them for plinking ammo.
I am not crazy about the idea of using those same primers as-is with reduced loads. You will only burn up good powder and waste good bullets for nothing. The primers are much cheaper than the bullets.
Are your loads near maximum? If so, remove the magnum primers and save them. I not, just load as per usual and watch for hard extraction, case head marking, etc. BTDT on purpose though...
I would never reuse a primer that had been seated once.
1. The primer is a press fit into the primer pocket, and if removed from the case it will now be about .0010-.0015 under size for the primer cups outside diameter. If you would reload them into a primer pocket again, they will probably be a loose fit.
2. When a primer is seated, the primer anvils legs will comperes the primer charge which is a hard substances. This can crack the primer compound. Then if you push them out unfired, the pressure from the dies decapping pin on the primers anvil, will in all likely hood cause the primers compound to crack even more which can lead to erratic ignition of the primer.
3. Primers cost about 3.5-4 cents per. Eat the loss and learn from this.
2- the amount of pressure it takes to push a primer out is very little. The primer cup doesn't get crushed when seated. Therefore, the priming compound isn't going to crack.
3- there's no need to toss a perfectly good primer.
I've reused primers that were seated in a case before. Never had a problem. Just be slow and careful when depriming and seating in a new case. I would only use it in practice ammo, though. Don't know if I would trust them in defensive or hunting ammo.
I agree I'd deprime and then put them back. I've done something similar before both with shotgun, and metallics. Over never had a primer go off on me when popping it back out with the Lee universal depriming die
I've never had one pop on me using the RCBS universal decapping die either.
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