I was loading up a batch of 06 last night,and the primer pocket seemed stretched out when I was priming with WLR. On this load I'm below max and the primers looked fine. Just as an experiment I put in a CCI mag primer and it fit tight. Loose primer pocket or WLR are smaller in diameter?

This primer fit situation is another concern. In the past I used to jam them in and had high primers etc.

Primers like everything else must have tolerances and then you have the situation that things are not always within the tolerances anyway.

I have found that the CCI primers that I have are short and that Fed 215's are the highest.

As to the diameter that you are concerned about I would just measure what you have and try to fit as best as you can but if they are too tight then the primer pockets may be out of tolerance! There are tools for opening pockets and qualifying the depth also.

Someone wrote here that primers without plating are smaller in diameter?

In general if it seems wrong then it is.

A number of factors can affect the resistance with which primers seat. As the previous post notes, there are tolerances with any item. If the diameter of a batch of primers is on the smaller or larger end of the tolerance range then they will seat with more or less resistance. The thickness/hardness of the cup can also slightly affect seating resistance, as can the bevel of the leading edge of the primer cup. I can't say that I've seen any one brand consistently "larger" or "smaller" than another brand, but the variations you note can arise.

When Winchester changed over from the silver primers to the brass colored ones, the latter were noticeably smaller. They fit too easily in pockets where the older silver ones fit tightly. I read somewhere this was a common problem in the changeover and they were correcting it.

After a number of reloads and some primer pocket expansion, I've found different brands will many times fit more tightly than others. I have a batch of Rem 91/2M's that I've saved to squeeze out a few more reloads out of brass with expanded pockets where other primers won't stay in. I don't think the situation is peculiar to one manufacturer. I think their manufacturing tolerances, while close, make them all susceptible to these variances from time to time.

I find that WLR primers are smaller than CCI primers too (recent purchases - I didn't use WLR primers until recently). I've also had to cut Winchester brass primer pockets deeper to get WLR primers to seat flush or below.

In spite of all the negative press on RP brass I've not had the problems with RP brass that I've been having with Win Brass. I have shell holders that Win brass won't fit in. Winchester brass also has larger variation in length than the RP brass I've bought, and in my gun (Ruger MII -06) Remington ammo is far more accurate (factor of 3).

You guys just answered a problem I had with a 270 in October. I was getting it ready for a hunting trip and was working up a new load. I just had it rebarreled. I kept blowing primers. No other signs of pressure. I blew them even at minumum load. I bought a new batch of primers and they were the Winchester brass type. That was the only change. I'll have to measure the OD of the new primers and compare them to the old.

Bob338, I have noticed the scenario you mentioned with CCI250 primers. The bricks I have are very tight fitting and seat well, where the Rem 9 1/2M in the bricks I have fit loose in most brass. Probably the next lots will be different.

I load for a Savage .308 that works well with BLC-2 and WLR primers, now I have less than 10 primers left and will probably try something else rather than keep those here just for that rifle. It sometimes is just a guessing game.

I have had great success with the gold colored WSP's in my 9mm loads and it's all I use for all my pistols loads, and they fit great in most brass.

In .223 I have had great success with Rem. 7 1/2's and now use them 100% of the time.

Unlike most here, I have had better results with seating primers on the press than using the RCBS hand tool I bought.
Regards------------Chainsaw

Greg, I have the same issue with WLRs and WLRMs in once fired Win 300WSM brass where CCI250M pre blount ie Speer and Fed 215M and 210M are snug.

Loren, I have been having trouble with the thickness/height of the Win brass rims causing it to be difficult to place in my shell holders. I had never had this problem until I started with the WSM brass. I thought it may be case related....but I guess its a Win thing. Cant wait to try the new Norma 300WSM brass.
Dave

Here is some data from AccuLoad:

WLR: diameter 0.2114, height 0.1210
CCI20: diameter 0.212, height 0.1180
CCI215M: diameter 0.2086, height 0.1290
CCI250: diameter 0.2113, height 0.1180
CCIBR2: diameter 0.2086, height 0.1290

These are manuacturers' published specs.

Damn ... I hamfisted the keyboard again ...

CCI200: diameter 0.2112, height 0.1180

I reckon the Federal 215M primers are definitely bigger !!