Although i have loaded for my .243 for several years i am new to reloading for this calibre, i am using H335 with 50gr Vmax & H4895 powder with heavier match bullets 69-75gr with very good results, i am not sure about primers. I have been using fed GM205M, but have noticed most people are shooting with milder primers, i am not getting any presure problems so i would like some info back on why other people use different primers. Any advice would be helpful.

I have used Remington 7 1/2 primers in all my .223 loads for over 20 years. Outstanding accuracy and I have never had a mis-fire.

NRA Life Member

"get busy living... or get busy dying"

I will second the Rem 7 1/2
It is the only small rifle primer I use

Johnch

I've been lucky I guess.....any small rifle primer has worked well for me...any at all!

I use the Federal GM primers, and I am happy...

Cooperman, if they shoot well in your rifle... burn'em up!!!

I've given up trying to get consistant good groups with Rem 71/2 BR primers.

I've had good results with CCI BR and stantard Win. I think it's a crap shoot.

i've used mostly remmy 7 1/2's for years with excellent results, but then again i've had good results with all of the others too

I have used winchester primers without any problems but pretty much use the Fed GM primers for my .223 without any problems as well

Do NOT use magnum primers in the .223

When I began loading for the .223, I got 1000 CCI small rifle primers, and since I wasn't sure which would be better, regular or magnum ones, the dealer allowed me to mix them and I got 500 regular and 500 magnum ones. With any powder I tried, the magnum ones gave me significantly poorer accuracy than what I got from the regular ones.

So if anyone needs some small rifle magnum primers, I have 400+ I'd like to swap for something else -- preferably large rifle regular ones.

I have myself as have others i know,only shoot CCI Mag primers with better results. Some barrels don,t like that extra umphh that the primers gives. All barrels are different llike woman,and if you find a bullet,load ect that works use it. van

IMHO they're two things to avoid with the .223: Federal brass and Winchester primers. Federal brass is soft and the primer pockets will go south long before they should. Winchester primers fit the primer pocket loosely and are physically smaller than others.