Sub Sml Pistol Mag Primer in .38 Spl & Burn Rate Powder

[Zekest Crowe]

When you sub a small pistol magnum primer in a .38 special case with reduced powder load, should you favor a faster burning powder or a slower burning powder?

For example use a faster burning powder like Hodgdon Clays, or a slower burning powder like Winchester 231/Hodgdon HP-38?

Thank you,
Zekest

[Crow Choker]

Good Day Zekest Crowe, interesting handle(must be some story behind it)! You always/can use a mag primer with slower burning powders, but why do you need a mag primer with any of the powders you mentioned? Everyone of them is considered a 'fast burning' powder on the scale of powders. Check out a powder burning guide. I've never used Clays, but have loaded 1000's of rds with Win 231 and a pretty good pile with Hodg HP-38 using only standard Small Pistol primers. Both 231 and hp38 are the same powder anyway, just different wrappings.  How much of a reduced load are you doing. If your loading 38 Spec loads with anything close or at a 150 grain bullet, 3.0 grains plus or minus a few 10th's is a good load and mild.. Anything  much less than around 2.8 grains may give ya 'not happy results'. I once loaded a batch of up 38 Spec rds starting at 2.5 grains and going to I believe 3.2 using Bullseye and 231. The best accruacy was around 2.8 with the Bullseye and 3.0 with the 231. Recoil wasn't alot different in any of the loadings. I loaded 1000's of rds with 2.8-3.0 grains of 231 back in the day I shot Police Comp, both PPC and Combat courses and had excellant results. When using the powders you mentioned for mild 38 Spec lds, your not using a whole lot of powder-3.0 grains of say 231 isn't much, reducing it to much can give 'not good' results, ie maybe squibs, powder positioning prior to ignition, erratic burn, etc. Using a small mag primer for the powders you posted  would be like putting high test racing fuel in your lawnmower. Can and will give you pressure peaks. 'Standard' small pistol primers are all you need for the powder your using. The only pistol loadings I use small mag primers are for loadings with Alliant 2400, Win 296, and IMR 4227 (all considered slow in the pistol  range) and these are for 158 grain cast and jacketed 357 rds. Check your loading manuels.  

[Delmonico]

I know some peole get tired of me saying to follow proper established data, but it is the truth. 

Here, read this a couple times, the real answer is there.

[Zekest Crowe]

The reason I was asking is that small pistol primers are becoming harder to find, if they can be found at all. Sometimes all the local store has is small pistol magnum primers.

[Delmonico]

But the answer is still it's not a real good idea.

[Professor Marvel]

Greetings Zekest Crowe -

As our good Del has pointed out,

It Is Good To Follow The Manual
Specifically in this case, as Crow Choker said
Can and will give you pressure peaks.

That sort of event is said to be "not good"     ...  

However I do understand the problem regarding getting the specific primers you need.
Since that is the actual  problem, let us put our noggins together and try to come up with a solution that is also safe,
both to you, your firearms, and those around you. KaBooms are extremely unpleasant and must be avoided at all costs....

Here are some ideas:
1) use the magnum primers you can get , but go back to the Loading Manual to come up with a published load that is safe and close to what you want. You may get a wee bit more recoil, but probably not enough to matter much.
And Its SAFE

2) mail order (yeah it's a pain and hazmat fees, but better than a KaBoom)
wideners says they have  CCI Small Pistol in stock
http://www.wideners.com/itemview.cfm?dir=278|284|316

Powder Valley says they have  Tula Small Pistol in stock
but you have to work your way down to find them....
http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/

And these guys say they have Federal and Win Sm Pistol in stock
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Primers/products/674/

these folks  say they have Federal small pistol match in stock
http://www.gamaliel.com/prodcat/small-pistol-primers.asp

3) advertize locally, here, and other cowboy pages  as "wanted to buy" or "wanted to trade"

lastly-
you might consider converting to Cap & Ball!
I have not had any problems getting percussion caps....  

in all seriousness I do hope this helps and even if we get all grumpy please realize that our concern really is to help our
pardners shoot safe

yhs
prof marvel

hey Del, can I please get some more noodles over here?

[G W Wade]

WELL GUYS-KNOW LOTS OF PEOPLE SUBSTITUE MAG FOR STANDARDPRIMERS BIT HAVE NOT HAD TO MYSELF.  REMEMBER ALL PRIMERS ARE NOT EQUALL.  WINCHESTER NEVER USED TO MAKE MAG--ONLY COMBO STANDARD MAG .  AQLWAYS LAUGHED AT MOUSEFART LOADING GUYS-DONT NEED POWDER JUST USE MAG PRIMER.  IDLE THOUGHTS FROM AN IDLE FELLOW!

[Professor Marvel]

IDLE THOUGHTS FROM AN IDLE FELLOW!

My Good GW -
I resemble that!
yhs
prof (idle) marvel

[Delmonico]

hey Del, can I please get some more noodles over here?

We're havin' hash now.

[Professor Marvel]

We're havin' hash now.
[/quote

And Fine Looking Hash it is, too!

would I be amiss in requesting an order of hash
on top of noodles?

your hungry servant
prof marvel