I think I asked this a long time ago, how big a difference is there between normal primers (meaning the non-match type)? Are CCI any worse than Federal or others? I use CCI normally in the large rifle primer, but think that the magnum I have in there are Federal. Does it make a difference as long as I am not interchanging them in a load?

Red

Yeah,
there is a significant difference between brands. Every two years the hook and bullet writers will shoot a generic load and use every different primer brand out there to show the pressure and velocity differences. It usually isn't enough to make you lose sleep in Medium to large rifle loads, but as they say: "start light and work up carefully".
JCN

I haven't tested all primers in all loads, but have found a few times that the federal primers provide noteably better accuracy than the CCI's, this in large rifle primers. I also found when testing CCI 200, CCI 250, Federal 210 and Federal 215 with a cast bullet load I was working up, the CCI 200 had consistant hangfires, while all the other primers lit off the charge with no problems. That said, I was using a load that filled the case ~2/3 full and was shooting in the winter ~20 F.

DagoRed: No difference except as to cost. I buy the cheapest and have not noticed any variation.

In association with this topic, have any of you observed any consistant size (diameter) differences in the primer brands? Specifically, are any minutely larger than the others?

Red,

I used to use W-W Large Rifle primers in all of my 22-250, 243, 25-06 and 300 winmg pd guns. (4-5000 rounds annually). I switched to using CCI and CCI BR primers several years ago and have not observed any difference, in any loads, in any guns.

BTW thanks for the info on the p-17�s. I have 2 good ones and one that binds.

Later, pdhntr

(7 days, 9 hours, 5 min.)