I recently got a great deal on several thousand CCI BR2 Primers. Way back when, there were many reloaders who claimed that bench rest primers should not be used in loads for hunting in cold weather due to inconsistent ignition. Anyone have any views on this, pro or con?

That's a new one for me. Never heard about cold weather ignition with BR primers. The only thing I know about Federal BR primers is they receive a different inspection than their standard primers. But, they are the same primers as far as design goes.

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Way back when, there were many reloaders who claimed that bench rest primers should not be used in loads for hunting in cold weather due to inconsistent ignition.

It sounds like an urban legend to me. I've used bench rest primers almost exclusively for years in all kinds of weather with no problems.

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Originally posted by brytstar:
Way back when, there were many reloaders who claimed that bench rest primers should not be used in loads for hunting in cold weather due to inconsistent ignition. Anyone have any views on this, pro or con?

The only difference between STD and BR primers according to CCI is the BR are held to tighter priming compound tolerance. The priming and cup materials are the same. I don`t about Winchester, Federal, ect, but I wouldn`t doubt the same holds true.

My thoughts are the same, it was (or is) a Urban Legend or pure BS. I will use them in my next batch of hunting loads. Thanks Guys.

quote:

Originally posted by brytstar:
I recently got a great deal on several thousand CCI BR2 Primers. Way back when, there were many reloaders who claimed that bench rest primers should not be used in loads for hunting in cold weather due to inconsistent ignition. Anyone have any views on this, pro or con?

Yea, here's my view, all of those reloaders, way back when, could have been right, WAY BACK WHEN. As far as the last 20 years, well, it is BS.

I've had no difference whatsoever in multiple rifles from temps over 80 to under 10 below.

Whoever said that had it backward. If a primer is going to be inconsistent it's the one not built by the best assemblers and inspected more thoroughly. On the other hand, he might have had the same or similar experience with CCI BR primers I had some years ago. There was no temperature related problem with them though.

That's wrong.

They've worked fine for me in cold weather.

I've been using BR primers for my predator hunting here, in temps below -10 here without any issues.

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Originally posted by Ol` Joe:
The only difference between STD and BR primers according to CCI is the BR are held to tighter priming compound tolerance. The priming and cup materials are the same. I don`t about Winchester, Federal, ect, but I wouldn`t doubt the same holds true.

+1. This is exactly the way it was explained to me by CCI engineers. Tom.

I have shot Federal BR primers for the last several years now. The coldest I have shot them in the field was 22 below in Colorado and Alberta. Never any issues. Good shooting.

I would agree mixture is held to tighter tolerances in BR primers . Flame patterns tend to be more even . So maybe slightly different mix ?.

It's kind of like Brass an annealing , nobody really is going to " Give away secrets " !.

Some place on the web , shows differences in flame intensity and pattern in all sorts of primers they tested . Actual Photos so you can see for yourselves .

Should never be a consideration about using BR or Std. primers while hunting .

Mag primers are a longer duration burn , so as to ignite large case capacity of slower powders .

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

Just an opinion, but if you are going to hunt in the cold, why not use magnum primers?

Benchrest primers, well they are for target shooting.

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Originally posted by SlamFire:
Just an opinion, but if you are going to hunt in the cold, why not use magnum primers?

Benchrest primers, well they are for target shooting.

Accuracy... I get better groups with BR primers than standard primers.

quote:

Originally posted by brytstar:
I recently got a great deal on several thousand CCI BR2 Primers. Way back when, there were many reloaders who claimed that bench rest primers should not be used in loads for hunting in cold weather due to inconsistent ignition. Anyone have any views on this, pro or con?

There is a tiny connection to this line.
Remington manufactured the small primer pocket .308 brass for forming benchrest cartridges such as the 7mm BR. I read at least one article in which the brass was used to form 7MM-08 brass. This brass was loaded and fired in cold weather with SMALL RIFLE benchrest primers and gave hang fires. Probably had NOTHING to do with benchrest primers but with a small primer on a full size case.

Slanfire ----- Primers are produced in Magnum Bench Rest, or 215M in the Federal and Regular Bench Rest or 210M in the Federal. I use whichever offers me the best accuracy. For instance with my .300 Winny, when I use the Magnum primer (215M) they call for, my group blows to 2 inchs, instead of the 210M one hole group. Good shooting.

I actually had problems with CCI Br primers:

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/...=139102495#139102495

Wildboar ----- I shoot thousands of rounds per year and have used every primer known to man and reloaders. For the last few years I shoot nothing but Federal Primers and besides consistency and good accuracy, no misfires. Good shooting.