I came into about 17k CCI Small Rifle or Small Pistol primers.

I'd like to know which of those they are.

The outer box only indicates that the primers are "Small Arms Primers" and that they were made by CCI.

The inner boxes are all white, the only marking on each of them is: 063-59 1455

Can anyone help me identify these?

Thanks in advance.

What color is the foil?

quote:

Originally posted by delloro:
What color is the foil?

Red

might be #41 mil primers for 5.56. I had some a few year back but the boxes definitely were marked #41 small arm primers.

A quick search brings these up. The CCI # 41 Mil primers are usually clearly marked on their boxes and individual packets.
The ones you have maybe for commercial use as per those in the image below.

You can find a picture here. I posted it on an old blog I once wrote.

If these are CCI #41 primers, they are a different color. The #41s I have are gold and come in the larger trays. The mystery primers are silver, like the CCI 400 primers.

It sounds like you have a part number or lot number. You could call CCI and see what they say.

Worst case is consider them dubious small pistol primers, start low and work up.

I tend to agree they were some sort of OEM or military primer and not marked for individual use.

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
It sounds like you have a part number or lot number. You could call CCI and see what they say.

Worst case is consider them dubious small pistol primers, start low and work up.

I tend to agree they were some sort of OEM or military primer and not marked for individual use.

Yeah. I was slowly coming to that conclusion but I needed a push.

Thanks.

quote:

You could call CCI and see what they say

Or send the a email might be faster.

I ended up with several thousand Military grade large and small rifle primers.

A friend was looking for some primers during the pass shortage.

I offered to sell him those. He turned up his nose at them.

His loss later he was begging for some.

There is actually not much difference in SR and SP primers. The dimensions are identical. SP primers sometimes have thinner cups, but not always. Most SP primers will withstand the normal pressures of most SR loads. The amount of fuel in the SP primers may be smaller, but it is still sufficient to reliably ignite most SR loads (with the possible exception of relatively slow burning spherical powders).

On the other hand, an SR primer used in a handgun round may marginally increase pressure, but not dangerously so. If the SR primer has a hard/thick cup then it may not reliably ignite under the (sometimes) lighter blow of a handgun striker.

Bottom line, I wouldn't be adverse to experimenting with such a lot of primers to determine their appropriate uses. Just proceed with caution in rifles to assure that they don't pierce with excessive pressure, and back off a tiny bit with handgun loads to assure that there is no detrimental pressure excursion.

CCI states that their small pistol magnum and small rifle primers are the same thing . And as I understand it, the milsurp variations are the same as standard rifle, but with thicker cups. So that narrows down the possibilities, really there are only three possibilities in regards to primer charge.
Worst case scenario, if you have a good chronograph, a little testing could point toward small rifle, small pistol, or small rifle magnum. Considering the "small arms" label, I would venture to guess likely the former.

I would start under the assumption that they are the weakest, small pistol, and compare velocities to known primers. If they are, or are not the same it should show up with good testing.

Thanks to all for your thoughts and suggestions.

I called CCI and had a good talk with one of their guys. The long and the short: he did not have an answer, but invited me to send him the specifics and to include a picture of the markings on the primer tray sleeves and boxes, and to provide any specifics I could (I included foil color).

In his turn, he will forward my note to his boss, who was not available until Tuesday (the 12th).

If he cannot resolve my dilemma, I'll start experimenting, as suggested above, being ever so careful.

One way or another, I'll report back when I have more info. whenever it might be.

Again, thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by Wstrnhuntr:
CCI states that their small pistol magnum and small rifle primers are the same thing . And as I understand it, the milsurp variations are the same as standard rifle, but with thicker cups.

Both of the "Speer" reloading manuals I have state that the #41 and CCI SRM primer are the same "mix", except the #41 has a thicker cup.

quote:

Originally posted by slivers:

quote:

Originally posted by Wstrnhuntr:
CCI states that their small pistol magnum and small rifle primers are the same thing . And as I understand it, the milsurp variations are the same as standard rifle, but with thicker cups.

Both of the "Speer" reloading manuals I have state that the #41 and CCI SRM primer are the same "mix", except the #41 has a thicker cup.

Yup. I suspect they prolly are the #41 primers. I would test them in a 223. If they have the thicker cups they may struggle to fire in some pistols.

CCI SRM= Small Rifle MAGNUM. A "hotter" primer than Small Rifle. Used in military ammunition as reliability is require in all climates. #41 is the same as CCI Small Rifle MAGNUM, except for the thicker cup used for the #41. Thicker cup to mitigate slam fires in automatic and semi automatic firearms. In my personal Rem. 700 .223 Wylde, with a Hart barrel, I see an increase on the average of 43fps if I use a #41 instead of a CCI Small Rifle primer, with all other componets and specs being the same.