I have a couple boxes of Fed 215 mag primers collecting dust. Is it safe to use them in a 30.06, 280, or 280 Improved with my standard loads without doing anything different?

Assuming you have safe standard loads the answer is yes.

quote:

the answer is yes.

but I'd sure want to back off a couple grains and try a few shots first.....then work back.....

Any time I ever switched to magnum primers, I worked back to the same level I was before!

If you are running the ragged edge, I would back off 1gr & work back up, but depending on the primer you use now, you should be ok.

Mag primers major draw backs are while being used with faster powders and

less than a full case of powder . As others have stated you should be OK provided you back off initially

to insure proper pressure . No funny looking or messed up primers or blown primers .

Magnum primers original intention or purpose are Large full cases of Slow burning Powders which magnum

cartridges are .

I've used large rifle magnum primers in various cartridges including the likes of 30/06 & 7mm/08 and there was no need to back off the load. When I tried large rifle magnum primers in a 44 Rem. Mag. I did have to back off 1 to 2 grains.

The primer serves to light the fire. It's kind of like if you light your fireplace with a blow torch vs a match, the resulting fire won't be much different. The extra explosive in a magnum primer in larger cases is very small compared to the amount of powder being burned.

You want to back off your loads by two grains and work back up. Federal recommends this with their primers since their primers are hotter than most other brands.

You "may" notice a change in accuracy of some sort. The greater bristilance in Federals than other brands does affect accuracy but not always in a negative way.

The big difference between manufacturers in primers is the amount of bristilance. It does vary and no one is saying how much their particular primer has. Which is why no one has ever seen a bristilance chart! I would measure it and make one but I am not sure there is a method to measure bristilance between manufacturers.

Whenever you change ANYTHING in a load recipe always back off a couple of grains or to the minimum load for that powder and work back up.

Remember, it is your face and fingers you are saving, so it is in your best interest to do it right and not get lazy.

RobertD

quote:

bristilance

What is it? It is a term that I have never heard.

quote:

Originally posted by loud-n-boomer:

quote:

bristilance

What is it? It is a term that I have never heard.

It was spelled wrong...

quote:

bri⋅sance   /brɪˈzɑns; Fr. briˈzɑ̃s/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [bri-zahns; Fr. bree-zahns] Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun the shattering effect of a high explosive.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Origin:
1910–15; < F, equiv. to bris(er) to break (< Celt; akin to Ir brisim (I) break) + -ance -ance

The A-Square manual has a chapter on component changes and their effects on the load. They tested 7mm Rem Mag and a load of 66.0 gr H4831 and a 160 gr Speer SPBT in Win brass with a WLRM, WLR, Fed 215, CCI-250, Rem 9.5, and a CCI-200.
The pressures piezo for these loads ran in order;
WLRM = 67.6K
WLR = 64.4k
Fed 215 = 61.4k
CCI-250 = 61.5k
Rem 9 1/2 = 59.3K
CCI-200 = 54.8K

This was a spread of 12,800 PSI or close to 20% of MAP, not a small amount. The change might not be as pronounced in another cartridge, or may be greater, you don`t know without the ability to measure it.

I chrono my loads when I work them up and record them. Any time I change to a new component lot I back off a few grains and reclock the new load. If the velocity is close to the original loads I go back to the previously developed loads level. If not I rework the load from that point.

Bullet lots in my limited experiance don`t change much but powder lots do. Primer, brass or bullet style or brand can make a big difference.

It is my experience that sometimes it is for the individual rifle to decide. I have 2 bbls. for the same Sauer 202 rifle :

- 7x64 : likes 160 GK / N 160 / 56.0. With std. primers, I get vertically elongated groups. Substituting CCI 250 primers, groups make one nice round hole ;
- .30-06 : shoots .5 MOA with 165 GK / N 160 / 60.5 with WLR std. Switching primers goes unnoticed.

I use sometimes in winter magnum primers with .30-06.
No need to reduce then loads.




Winter in Finland means frost.