Magnum Primers or Not?

[D21ALASKA]

So I'm having a lot of trouble finding any Large Rifle Magnum Primers anywhere around for my .375 H&H. So I stopped in to talk to one of the old timers that runs a shop here to pick his brain a bit and to see if he had any. No luck on any in stock, but he mentioned I should just use my normal Federal Large Rifle Primers and they'd work fine in the .375, said he'd done it for years without any problems at all. Just wondering if anyone out there has any like experience, and really wondering if the Magnum Primers are even all that necessary?

Thanks

 

[wayno945]

What powder are you using?

 

[D21ALASKA]

Sorry, forgot that. I've got some H4350, some Accurate 4350 and am trying to track down some RL15 to try out.

 

[FOTIS]

You should be ok....

 

[DrMike]

Possibly in extremely cold weather, you could experience a misfire, using H4350. However, under most conditions, the large rifle primers will ignite the powder column.

 

[D21ALASKA]

Yes and unfortunately extreme cold weather is a definite possibility where I live. It's just something I'll have to try out and see how it works I guess if the search continues to come up empty.

 

[DrMike]

I do understand cold weather. Fire at the range, testing in cold weather. I can only remember a couple of failures to ignite when using large rifle primers.

 

[D21ALASKA]

Yes luckily it's hovering right around 0°F right now so if I can get some loaded up before I go back to work it should be a decent test. Maybe I'll even bundle up well if the temp dips way low into the negatives to see how it does. The Bison hunt I'm hoping to get a tag for, and use this rifle for, is mainly a winter hunt and in that area -40°F isn't uncommon. Would hate to get out there and have her go click.
Thanks for the advise guys. We will see how she goes.

 

[DrMike]

I've hunted down to -40 C (which is -40 F), but I quite shooting at the bench whenever it dips below -15C (5 F). My solvents begin to freeze at about that temperature. If its my own loads, I will check them at -30 C or so; otherwise, its a no go.

 

[sask boy]

It is too bad you didn't live here in Canada as primers are one of the few things that I have a real good supply of :wink:.
Sure hope that the supplies open up real soon!

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Divernhunter]

How many do you need?

 

[joelkdouglas]

D21,

Powder Valley has CCI magnum primers in stock...

http://powdervalleyinc.com

I don't know about shipping to Alaska, though. Good luck!

 

[D21ALASKA]

I don't need all that many to get started Diver, but like Joe mentioned its the shipping up here to AK that is the real problem. Government says it's a no-no. I can't have primers or powder shipped from the lower 48 to me here. I really appreciate it though. I'll just have to keep looking local and take what comes like everyone else.

Mike, yes I don't think I'd like to spend too much time at the range working at development at those temps either. I think I'd just leave a few rounds out overnight and take them down just for a quick session to make sure they went bang when I pulled the trigger. Plus this particular model comes in at just over 7 pounds so it doesn't really lend itself to hours of enjoyable shooting at the range in this caliber.

Thanks for all of your suggestions and offers of help. I'll post some results when I've got them.