Favorite Primer Talk

[44hunter45]

I'm betting this has been knocked around on HT before.

I pulled this @ImBillT post over from another thread.

Low SD/ES is more a function of consistent charge weight and consistent ignition. Improving those numbers happens through several ways. Charge weight can vary a lot more than you think without making much difference. Even plus or minus .5gr can yeild some pretty good SD/ES numbers. Using good primers is a requirement. Wolf, PMC, S&B, Federal Gold Metal, and CCI-450’s all have good reputations. Next, getting good conditions for the powder at hand is important. Ball powders are hard to ignite and sometimes require magnum primers, not just consistent primers. Jumping or jamming a bullet can change how consistent your ignition is. Some powders are most consistent at very high pressure. Others get erratic at high pressures. Regardless of pressure, you’ll almost always get your best SD/ES with a nearly full case.

I'm a CCI branded guy. Some tell me they think these are not accurate primers. I'm hoarding some Norma Large Rifle Magnums for my .358NM loads.

What are your favorite primers, and why?

 

[Addicting]

I was using CCI and they worked ok. I stumbled into a old brick of Fed 210m at a estate sale. I when I ran out of CCI I used the Federals. I saw my groups improve. I decided to do a primer test and tried the same load with 4 different primers. Overall, the Feds were a lot softer than the others but proved the most accurate with the lowest ES. I am sure I could of played with the others to dial them in but didn’t see the need to. I just switched over, the others are being used up as barrel break in and fouling loads.

 

[VikingsGuy]

I've started with CCI and stayed with it. Have gotten good loads every time I have used. Haven't done any head to head comparisons. It's one rabbit hole I have not yet gone down (that and neck turning, brass weighing and bullet sorting). But when I retire, watch out.

 

[ccc23454]

I use them all... Just each recipe get what it calls for also helps when supply issues arise. I do the mil primers in all my ARs, they seem harder for firing pin to nipple.

 

[MThuntr]

I buy no less than 1k of primers at a time. I hold no official allegiance to brands however the last purchase was 10k of Federal primers. I have seen a significant improvement in SD in my 280AI when I switched from Rem Standard to Fed Match Mag primers (admittedly I changed powder too so I can't definitively say it was only primers). Steve with Hammer bullets made that suggestion.

My plinking 5.56 ammo gets S&B and they work just fine. Small pistol gets whatever since I tend to load light in those and I'm ok with that since I'm mostly playing around at less than 10 yards.

 

[.270]

I have always used federal primers, never messed around with any other.

 

[Gunner46]

I usually use either Win, or CCI, for any of my current loadings (which ever is in stock at the time I decide I need more). I can always get around 3/4 - 1 1/4" groups, with a proper powder, and walk away as a satisficed reloading numb-nut that keeps making 1 shot kills with a scary consistency.

 

[DamascusSteel]

How do you determine which primer to use large rifle or magnum? Thinking about getting into reloading this year or next

 

[Losing_Sanity]

I like CCI. I have worked up loads with other brands just because you never know when you wont be able to get what you want. Like the Obama era when you couldn't get anything for a while. I also like Federal.

 

[MThuntr]

How do you determine which primer to use large rifle or magnum? Thinking about getting into reloading this year or next

There's no hard and fast rule about if you should shoot large rifle or magnum primers. General thinking is that a double based "ball" powder, slower powder, or a longer column of powder needs a hotter primer for consistent ignition however that may be an older way of thinking. I choose mag primers for my "mag" cartridges that use slower powders and standard for the rest. I went to mag primers in my 280ai based on a suggestion from the manufacturer of my bullets.

Personally I'd use a similar primer type to the one suggested in the load data you are wanting to use.

 

[44hunter45]

How do you determine which primer to use large rifle or magnum? Thinking about getting into reloading this year or next

There's no hard and fast rule about if you should shoot large rifle or magnum primers. General thinking is that a double based "ball" powder, slower powder, or a longer column of powder needs a hotter primer for consistent ignition however that may be an older way of thinking. I choose mag primers for my "mag" cartridges that use slower powders and standard for the rest. I went to mag primers in my 280ai based on a suggestion from the manufacturer of my bullets.

Personally I'd use a similar primer type to the one suggested in the load data you are wanting to use.

+1

It is usually true that the manuals will tell you when to use a mag primer. I've had the techs at CCI chastise me for using Mag primers when they did not recommend it. Not because it is dangerous, but well, they didn't recommend it.
CCI #34 and #56 primers have magnum "brisance" but are designed to be used mainly in "non-magnum" military rounds. I suspect the reason is that ball powder is so common in that application.

The Speer #10 manual says this:
"...On ignition, magnum primers give a longer burning, hotter flame. Their use is recommended for (1) any ammunition that will be used at or below 0°F. (2) with most Ball powders and (3) with slow burning powders like MRP and 4381 in very large cases. "...
"As when changing other components, it is advisable to reduce powder charges on initial loading with magnum primers"

 

[Addicting]

To be honest, I’ve switched to almost all magnum primers. I run Fed 215m in my 260ai, a 280ai, and in a 300 Sherman. My 6.5 Creedmoor and .243 is the only rounds I still use Fed 210m in.

I made the switch when I switched to Hammers. Talking with Steve about load development and they run almost all Mag primers in their load development. I figured if he does it with his experience level there must be something to it. I have seen better ES on loads when they are at or above 100% case capacity. The jury is still out on if it will have a negative effect on brass life. So far I am only on the second reload and the primer pocket is still tight.

 

[std7mag]

Federal Match for all my rifles.
Either Federal or CCI for my pistols.

 

[ImBillT]

Federal and CCI both have the hardest cups I’ve used, so that’s good for running hot loads. Winchester cups are probably the softest. I use them in a lot of mild hunting loads because they’re cheap and usually available.

“Russian” primers have had a cult following in many competitive disciplines.

With Federal, the only difference between “blue box” and Gold Metal is that they use their most experienced employees to make the Gold Metal primers. It’s the same priming mix on the same paper. Apparently they believe that something along the way can yield less consistent results if not done properly. In a .308Win, I don’t care to use anything but a 210M.

CCI uses a different priming mix in their BR and Magnum primers than in their other primers. When the BR primers just came out, they had recently made a change in the priming the mix on their magnum lineup and were really touting its consistency. It’s possible that the magnum and BR primers are actually the same. When I was shooting F-Class the CCI-450 was pretty much the only small rifle primer being used, and it was being used in everything from 6BR’s, to 6.5x47’s to .308’s(yes there are .308Win cases with small rifle primer pockets).

I bought a few bricks of S&B during the last shortage and have shot a lot of single-digit SD’s using them.

Generally, for hunting purposes, the only important factors in a primer are that the cups are hard enough for the pressure you’re running, and that you’re using a magnum primer if you have a large powder charge. Magnum primers are usually recommended with ball powders, but I’ve broken that rule with the two most accurate rifles I own, so it’s not always a requirement. That said, using a magnum primer will not usually hurt anything regardless of what case you use them in. They really can’t fit much more priming mix in a primer than they already do. Magnum primers generally have a milder, but longer lasting burn.

 

[Bigjay73]

Russian primers are great, they teach you how to clear a misfire better than anything else on the market.

 

[The Yetti]

I prefer Federal Gold medal match in my 7x57 and Federal Gold medal match magnum in my 300 WM. Just seems to be the most consistent in my experience.

 

[ImBillT]

Russian primers are great, they teach you how to clear a misfire better than anything else on the market.

“Russian” primers generally refers to Wolf and PMC, and if they misfired, there wouldn’t be multiple national level competitors sponsored by the likes of Berger and Sierra who used them.

Feel free to continue being a bigot.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I let my rifle tell me which primer to use. I’ve had a change in primers really tighten loads up.

Magnum cartridges get magnum primers, as does, ball powders in non magnum cartridges.

 

[cahunter805]

I prefer to use Federal 210/215M and CCI Br2/Br4. Once I find my powder node and seating depth I usually test primers.

 

[Bigjay73]

“Russian” primers generally refers to Wolf and PMC, and if they misfired, there wouldn’t be multiple national level competitors sponsored by the likes of Berger and Sierra who used them.

Feel free to continue being a bigot.

You lost me on the bigot part. I actually studied Russian language culture, and history through school, I quite like Russians. As far as the primers, I do admit I have limited experience. Bought 1000 Wolf primers 5 years ago and had about 15 misfires, could have been a bad batch. Make a deal with you, I won't judge a primer manufacturer off of one case of primers, if you don't judge people off of one post on the internet.