Favorite Primer Talk

[EastTNHunter]

I’m like VikingsGuy in that I started with CCI and gotten good results, so rarely changed. I have used some Federal primers due to their increased sensitivity (a competition shooter tuned me into this) in rifles that tend to give light primer strikes.

 

[Don Fischer]

When I had to buy primer's I didn't care what brand I got, you got what the store had or went without. Right now I have a lot, to me, of Wim, CCI and Herter primers. Inherited the Herter primer's.I have fooled with changing primer's for better accuracy and the only real improvement was when I substituted any with the Herter primer. Herter out shot every other primer! But, not by enough to make any real difference in a hunting load! Bad thing about Herter primer's is you can't get them anymore, what I have are about 40yrs old at a guess! I have about 10K of them! Ikeep thinking that they were made for Herter by Norma but not sure. If I think there's one thing really over done in hunting loads it's the search for accuracy! We go to extreams to find the absolutely best accuracy we can believing it trump's every thing else in killing, I don't believe it does and yep, I'm one of those guy's!

 

[ImBillT]

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.

My comment was over the top.

Your experience was not what was reported 10-15yrs ago or they would not have had the cult following that they did.

 

[morgaj1]

I started with CCI's but bought some Federal's when I had a rifle that made light primer strikes. I still use both but haven't seen a difference in accuracy between the two.

 

[MTLabrador]

I use CCI 250 magnums for everything from .22-250 to .300 win mag, probably just because I don’t know any better.

 

[Don Fischer]

Just spit balling here. Seem's I'd always read that Federal primer's had harder cups. If you have a rifle getting lighter primer strike's wouldn't the harder cup be a problem? I've only experienced light primer strike's once in a great while. Problem was usually fixed by taking apart the bolt and cleaning it inside. Seem's I've also read that Federal's are hotter primer's. Never figured out how to tell if one primer is hotter than another. As for magnum primer's, I've always believed they were best for large case's of slow powder and ball powder as ball is supposed to be harder to ignite. Hate to say this but ran out of mag primer's one time with ball powder and tried standard primer's. They worked fine.

 

[Brian in Montana]

When I was first starting down the handloading rabbit hole, I read somewhere (I don't remember where) that Fed 210M tended to be the most consistent in some primer test, so went with those and still use them in most loads. However, I have found that some bullet/powder combos do shoot better with CCIs or Winchester WLRs. I've never had any luck with Remington primers.

I will also add my most accurate loads use F210Ms. But it is also true that I've experimented a lot more with them than others. As far as magnum primers go, I don't load any magnum cartridges and have never tried magnum primers even with slow powders, but the slowest powder I've ever used is H4831.

 

[ImBillT]

Just spit balling here. Seem's I'd always read that Federal primer's had harder cups. If you have a rifle getting lighter primer strike's wouldn't the harder cup be a problem? I've only experienced light primer strike's once in a great while. Problem was usually fixed by taking apart the bolt and cleaning it inside. Seem's I've also read that Federal's are hotter primer's. Never figured out how to tell if one primer is hotter than another. As for magnum primer's, I've always believed they were best for large case's of slow powder and ball powder as ball is supposed to be harder to ignite. Hate to say this but ran out of mag primer's one time with ball powder and tried standard primer's. They worked fine.

Yes a harder cup would be a problem for light strikes, BUT, as you mentioned, light strikes are caused by a firearm problem, and are not a primer problem themselves. Harder cups allow you run higher pressures without piercing primers. if you run those pressures, you do so at your own hazard, and if you aren’t behind “three rings of steel”, or if you are but use a sako/m-16 style extractor(Howa, and many custom actioand) then the most important “ring” is compromised and if you have a case failure you’re much more likely to be injured.

CCI and Federal cups are both very hard. If one is harder than the other, it isn’t by much.

 

[Brentc]

I often test for best primer when the conditions call for it. I have CCI, Federal, Win, and Rem primers on my bench with different flavors within each brand. My loads almost always end up using CCI or Federal for best performance. The Winchesters collect dust. I don't concern myself with cup hardness as long as they produce consistent and reliable results.

I have noticed a few trends over the last 20 years after loading for dozens of cartridges. Some of the trends are, if I'm loading RUM cases with H1000 or N570, I always start with a CCI250 and I usually meet my expectation of 1/2 MOA or less with single digit ES with minimal load testing. Actually, If I use H1000 in any cartridge I always start with a CCI250. My current 300 Win Mags use Fed 215(M) with RL26 and CCI250 with H1000. For 6.5 cartridges from Creedmoor to PRC, the Fed 210M is what I start with and I usually get the results I need.

 

[Fullquiver]

For small rifle I use Rem 71/2 for large rifle CCI 200 or Fed 210M depending upon load. I have noticed certainly component combinations just shot better or had better velocities.. In my son's 7mm RM I use WLRM and get great performance..

 

[Pharmseller]

I started buying Winchester primers a decade ago, mainly because they were readily available. Now that I’m using ball powders in my 7mm-08s and .30/06s, WLRM are all I use for the bigger guns.

I use CCI400 for all the .223s, only because that’s what I bought when I started.

If anyone knows where CCI400 can be had in good numbers, let me know. I have scads of WLR for trade.



P

 

[Blaser270]

When I was first starting down the handloading rabbit hole, I read somewhere (I don't remember where) that Fed 210M tended to be the most consistent in some primer test, so went with those and still use them in most loads. However, I have found that some bullet/powder combos do shoot better with CCIs or Winchester WLRs. I've never had any luck with Remington primers.

I will also add my most accurate loads use F210Ms. But it is also true that I've experimented a lot more with them than others. As far as magnum primers go, I don't load any magnum cartridges and have never tried magnum primers even with slow powders, but the slowest powder I've ever used is H4831.

Same same for me. I started with cci’s, probably because thats what the store had in stock when i started. Then i read somewhere, or someone, like my dad had a friend, and his neighbor, who had an uncle, his brother-in-law, 38 years ago, read in a magazine, said that the Federal Match were more consistent.... so i switched. I think. Something like that.
I have none now. WILL WORK FOR PRIMERS !! ANY PRIMERS !!! (for 270 win)

 

[Addicting]

Given the current supply, I am going to say what ever I can get my hands on is my new favorite.

 

[Brandon270]

Match-Grade Rifle Primers: Are They Better and Worth the Extra Expense?

Jospeh von Benedikt conducts a test to see if match-grade primers really make a difference.

www.rifleshootermag.com

I came across this article a while back, the results are interesting. I'm surprised different primers changed the outcome so much. I'm sure it's just like powders or factory loads, every rifle will have it's favorite and one isn't the best for everything but some are more consistently accurate than others.

 

[Mike lasko]

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

I pulled this @ImBillT post over from another thread.



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?

I’m a cci guy my dad taught me to reload when I was 12 yrs. old been doing it ever since

 

[Bigjay73]

@Brandon270 Interesting article, but yes, you would need to do the same test with multiple bullets, powders, out of multiple rifles to get a true sense of it. Im now interestd to try different primers in my already dialed in loads to see what happens, if for nothing more shits and grins.

 

[Mike lasko]

I use cci mag primers in every thing I shoot from 243 to 338 win mag I like the cci never had a fail or mis fire with them I’m loading 200gr. Sst Hornady with 74 grs.of imr 4350 and a magnum primer and I’m cutting holes at 100 yds.

 

[44hunter45]

Match-Grade Rifle Primers: Are They Better and Worth the Extra Expense?

Jospeh von Benedikt conducts a test to see if match-grade primers really make a difference.

www.rifleshootermag.com

I came across this article a while back, the results are interesting. I'm surprised different primers changed the outcome so much. I'm sure it's just like powders or factory loads, every rifle will have it's favorite and one isn't the best for everything but some are more consistently accurate than others.

Interesting article. But I'm gonna wanna ask him if he controlled all the other variables, like brass and bullet weight, fully prepped each piece of brass exactly the same, etc.

Or if he had used the same lot of fired brass, re-prepped exactly the same for each loading cycle, to run each primer lot through in a serial fashion.

I can't see that he controlled all the variables.

 

[Brandon270]

Interesting article. But I'm gonna wanna ask him if he controlled all the other variables, like brass and bullet weight, fully prepped each piece of brass exactly the same, etc.

Or if he had used the same lot of fired brass, re-prepped exactly the same for each loading cycle, to run each primer lot through in a serial fashion.

I can't see that he controlled all the variables.

There's definitely a lot of variables to consider to make it an exact science. I think the results still point to a possibility that testing different primers on a decent load is worth a try to further tighten groups.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

+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"

My old Number 3 Nozler Manual (1989)(David Petzal) recommended magnum primer for .270 Win....never tried that or heard about it since. "In almost all instances , you'll find better results with a magnum rifle primer". He did not specify what "better results" meant.