Large Primers in 223 case with reamed pocket?

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Large Primers in 223 case with reamed pocket?

Post by ash_hendo » 07 Jun 2019, 6:38 pm

I was wondering if anyone knows, if all you had on hand was large rifle primers, could you ream out the pocket on a 223 cartridge case and use them?

(of course I mean in a SHTF scenario where going to the store was not an option.....)
Last edited by ash_hendo on 07 Jun 2019, 9:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Large Primers in 223 case with reamed pocket?

Post by Oldbloke » 07 Jun 2019, 8:02 pm

NO buy the correct small rifle primers.
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Re: Large Primers in 223 case with reamed pocket?

Post by bladeracer » 07 Jun 2019, 8:14 pm

ash_hendo wrote:I was wondering if anyone knows, if all you had on hand was large rifle primers, could you ream out the pocket on a 223 cartridge case and use them?


You probably could, in a pinch but the brass would be screwed. Go and buy some primers.
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Re: Large Primers in 223 case with reamed pocket?

Post by marksman » 07 Jun 2019, 9:32 pm

The large rifle primer has more energy than the small rifle primer, you would have to lower the powder charge
small rifle primer cases are much stronger in the case-head area than the long rifle primer cases and small rifle primer brass lasts longer

IMHO it can be done but it would be way less hassle to just buy some decent small rifle primers :drinks:
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Re: Large Primers in 223 case with reamed pocket?

Post by ash_hendo » 07 Jun 2019, 9:56 pm

marksman wrote:The large rifle primer has more energy than the small rifle primer, you would have to lower the powder charge
small rifle primer cases are much stronger in the case-head area than the long rifle primer cases and small rifle primer brass lasts longer

IMHO it can be done but it would be way less hassle to just buy some decent small rifle primers :drinks:




I was thinking it would need less powder, the flash hole also looks the same size, I was not expecting any issue other than not enough metal holding the rim...

Anyway, hope I'm never in the situation where I'd have to, but nice to know anyway......
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Re: Large Primers in 223 case with reamed pocket?

Post by SCJ429 » 07 Jun 2019, 10:16 pm

There wouldn't be a lot of brass around the primer but it may work for one shot.
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Re: Large Primers in 223 case with reamed pocket?

Post by flutch » 08 Jun 2019, 10:58 pm

Wouldn't be relying on guns if the shtf anyways, realistically unless you horded enough ammo, presumably so much this original question is a non issue, the gun would be simply an ornate stick to bash things with, and even then a gun would be the last thing you would want to be discharging, far better off with a bow and snares and save the firearm for defensive purposes... In which case you wouldn't want dodgey rounds making it inoperable or ineffective
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Re: Large Primers in 223 case with reamed pocket?

Post by duncan61 » 09 Jun 2019, 9:04 pm

.222c.jpg
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.222a.jpg
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Out of curiosity I have taken some rough measurements of a .222 case it is about 38.5 mm from neck to internal base and 43 mm overall so plenty of brass to mill out the primer pocket to large rifle.Why would you want to :D :D :D
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Re: Large Primers in 223 case with reamed pocket?

Post by ash_hendo » 12 Jun 2019, 8:37 pm

marksman wrote:The large rifle primer has more energy than the small rifle primer, you would have to lower the powder charge
small rifle primer cases are much stronger in the case-head area than the long rifle primer cases and small rifle primer brass lasts longer

IMHO it can be done but it would be way less hassle to just buy some decent small rifle primers :drinks:



Interestingly, I drew this up to scale, left is 223, right is 308, bottom is 308 pocket super-imposed on 223, seems to have as much brass between the powder as the 308, so probably no problems.....

Primer.jpg
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Re: Large Primers in 223 case with reamed pocket?

Post by duncan61 » 12 Jun 2019, 9:51 pm

Nice work
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Re: Large Primers in 223 case with reamed pocket?

Post by SCJ429 » 12 Jun 2019, 9:58 pm

The problem is the lack of brass left around the primer pocket. They would not retain their size after firing, at the very least you would have a very loose primer pocket.
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Re: Large Primers in 223 case with reamed pocket?

Post by Oldbloke » 13 Jun 2019, 7:09 am

SCJ429 wrote:The problem is the lack of brass left around the primer pocket. They would not retain their size after firing, at the very least you would have a very loose primer pocket.


Correct. Plus there is more energy on a LRP. Recipe for disaster. Just use the correct primer as designed. We are not balistics or explosives experts.
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