Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Primer size for Hornady 7.62x39 brass

I have gathered together the necessary components to load hunting rounds for my Ruger American Ranch Rifle in7.62x39. I was not sure what size primer, small rifle or large rifle, that the cases took. There is nothing on the Hornady web site that addresses that question. I called them, and one fellow told me that they made brass for that caliber in both primer sizes. I thought about that for a few days, and called back. This time I was told that they only made brass that took large rifle primers. Good enough.
The ordered cases came in, and dang if they don't take small rifle primers. I looked and looked. I pulled out other caliber cases, and compared the primer pockets. Cases that I have been loading for years and that take large rifle just are not the same as these Hornady brass pockets. I set my RCBS hand primer tool up for small rifle primers, and they fit perfectly in the brass. I checked Hornady steel cased hunting ammo, with the SST bullet, and those cases take large rifle primers. All the mil surp stuff I have around seems to use large rifle primers.

Is this sort of thing unique to this caliber? I guess I'll call Hornady back tomorrow and ask the question again, but frankly, shouldn't the manufacturer of the brass kinda know what primers their product takes?

Yes they should.

I always wondered about the small primer 45 acp brass.

Just read an article in Shooting Times (March 2018) that the factory Hornady ammo had large rifle primers, but the component brass had small rifle, so it sounds like it's just a Hornady issue.... I just picked up a Ruger Ranch myself, but have been collecting 7.62x39 boxer-primed brass for a couple of years (I also have a SKS and a AK) and a few were small rifle, but most were large. I just tossed the small ones.....

Remington used to produce small rifle primer pockets in 7.62x39. The hot rodders liked them because the pockets would remain snug longer.

Exactly!
Luckily I have some Remington brass..

I primed 50 cases this morning. I had Winchester small rifle on hand, so I used those. Talked again to Horandy, this time to some fellow that is a 'technical supervisor'. He told me that Hornady does indeed use both primer sizes from time to time. I gave him the product number and lot number of what I had, and he confirmed that those match the drawings on file. That guy feels that the small rifle size is better for this caliber..

Well, It is similar to the 6ppc and they are small primer. I had a Mini Mauser in 7.62x39 and used small primer. I rechambered it in 270x39 Imp and use small primer. It is now a 220Russian and still small primer. I have seen the 7.62x39 with large primer, but never shot any.

Interesting that brass is available in both small and large pocket sizes. I'm thinking about reloading for my CZ so this is useful info.

I would imagine it's going to be hard to specify which you want, since even (this) marketer does not know what they have in stock or are getting.

Many years ago I worked up with both the small primer RP and the large primer WIN, and could not find much power with either before loose primer pockets.
I had an out of control variable.... could be me, could be soft RP brass. I remember i blew the firing pin out of the SKS. Since then I build a 98 Mauser in 7.62x39mm, but have not shot it yet.

True, Sam. I guess I would just order some quality brass and buy the appropriate sized primers afterwards?

I have many brass for this caliber. And have not seen any with small rifle primer pockets. Presently I load with A1680 and BLC-2 before that. Always used a moderate loading and Remington 9 1/2 standard primers. Didn't notice primer pocket expansion yet. The Ruger Mini 30 does beat up the cases though.

I loaded up a batch of cartridges this morning. I'll try to get to the range with the Chrony this week and see how they do. I used IMR 4198 powder and Winchester small rifle primers. The bullets are Sierra Pro Hunter .311, weighing 125 grains. The powder I wanted to use was CFE BLK, but I just can't find any.
Should be a good round for Florida and Georgia deer. Hogs too.

I'm definitely interested in seeing your chrono numbers, Sam.

The 6.8 SPC and the 6.5 Grendel also come in both primer sizes, a pain in the neck actually. However I make it a point to get brass with small rifle primer pockets.

What is the case volume of the Hornady brass - water weight?

I've reloaded and shot six different brands and the volume varied considerably. From 33.6 to 37.9 grains (ww). That's a huge swing for a smaller case.

I was looking in the brass bin today and found 6.8 brass with both size primers.

had a fit when de priming cases the pins kept getting stuck in the small holes or broke off.

Not to hijack this thread, but what brand brass had the small flash holes?

I bought 1K SSA small primer brass back before Nosler bought them. At the time they made brass with both size primers but the general consensus was that small rifle primers had the better SD numbers. I have had no problems reloading them. I have never loaded LR brass to compare SD numbers.

I suspect that 7.62x39 brass with small rifle primers will also give better chrono results.

7.62x39 is supposed to use large primers, and most do, but of course every company is free to do as they please in that regard. I suspect Hornady sometimes makes them with small primer because they also make 6.5 Grendel brass which is small primer, and they're using the same basic case for both when it's convenient.

There are both SR and LR primers for the (Hornady Brass) 7.62x39 cartridge. I just got loading some up and was having fits with the Hornady Reloading Manual telling me that it was LR and I could clearly see that it was not. I have a picture that I will try to upload. [Linked Image]