Hey All. I am just wondering what you all have found out for relaibility in primer brands. Personally I like CCI primers. After a bad lot of Winchester brand primers and input from friends. I would like to know your experience with the primer brands. I don't have the time to do a lot of testing and would like to gain some help/experience from others. Let me know of your experience. Thanks a ton, I don't want to miss anymore critters

I’ve had a few not go off over the years. Mostly Remington 9 ½, 3 each in total. I had a Federal GM215M not go bang just a few months back, that was the First Federal primer that never went off for me. 2 each CCI 350s didn’t go off many years ago in a Ruger Red Hawk I had.

I had a bunch not go off last year when I was fooling around with speed hammers in a number of Ruger No 1s I own but that wasn’t primer failure, that was the failure of the fool pulling the trigger.

I don’t know if these primers were bad from the factory or if I did something wrong while loading them. All I know is that they didn’t go bang and it happens so infrequently I don’t worry much about it except when I get a misfire in a revolver. That’s a little unnerving.

I've used more CCIs than any other, but quite a few Remingtons as well. From a quality and reliability standpoint I found little differenc.

But with the current primer "shortage" I would not be at all surprised to see more and more foreign made primers showing up over the next year. Should be interesting.

F. Prefect

I've been using CCI for all of my loading for 25+ years. I don't know whether they are better or worse than anything else but, I know that when I pull the trigger my weapon will go bang.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!

I use CCI and Win in small rifle, Win in large rifle and Fed in large rifle mag. Never had a misfire due to primer in 35 years and I would average arround 500-1000 rounds a year.

Von Gruff.

Once read that about 95% of benchrest shooters use Federal brand -- good enough for me. r in s.

Primer cup thickness varies between brands and within company product lines to accomodate trigger/striker pull. Be sure the primer loading tool you use approves the primer brand you use. i.e. brenchrest shooters use thin cup thickness primers, but use single primer loading tools as opposed to Lee or RCBS hand held multi-primer tools.


Proud Citizen of the Bolt Trash Nation of Riflemen

quote:

Originally posted by ray in seattle:
Once read that about 95% of benchrest shooters use Federal brand -- good enough for me. r in s.

I suppose when it comes down to accuracy and nothing but accuracy, it's hard to go wrong following the benchrest shooters although many times the loads they use in competition may be 2 or 3 hundred fps slower than the best hunting load you can produce using the same or similar cartridge. At such times a little bit of compromising might be in the cards.

F. Prefect

quote:

Originally posted by Buliwyf:
Primer cup thickness varies between brands and within company product lines to accomodate trigger/striker pull. Be sure the primer loading tool you use approves the primer brand you use. i.e. brenchrest shooters use thin cup thickness primers, but use single primer loading tools as opposed to Lee or RCBS hand held multi-primer tools.


Proud Citizen of the Bolt Trash Nation of Riflemen

I have for years used a Lee hand priming tool to prime cases for my 22PPC as I felt it gave me a much better control of the amount of pressure used to seat the primer as opposed to using the upward stroke on the handle of a reloading press. (I don't use a "standard" reloading press to necksize or seat bullets for the PPC cases, rather handheld tools from L. E. Wilson for both tasks) What are you referring to as "single priming tools"? The Lee primer I have used for years to prime PPC rounds as well as 222s is a single priming tool. Is there a more accurate single priming tool available?

Federal 205, 210 and 215, along with Rem 7 1/2's, WLR's and WSR's, and CCI BR4's. The load dictates with ones I use.

I've never found a brand or type of primer that wasn't exceedingly reliable. This includes some now-obsolete foreign brands like Herter's (made in Japan), Alcan, Fiochhi, and RWS. I have a sleeve of Magtech (Brazil) in the cabinet right now, but haven't used any yet, so those may be the exception that proves rule.

I've also found very little actual difference in velocities and no discernable differences in pressures generated by various brands and types, whether "magnum" or "standard".

Of course, I've only loaded for forty-something cartridges over 44 years, 38 years with benefit of a chronograph, so more experienced reloaders may have noticed something that I haven't.

Just did an experiment this past week end trying to determine an accuracy difference in my 700 .223 at 100 yds. For 3 targets of 3 shots each the average group for BR4 was 0.351" and WSR was 0.300".

quote:

Originally posted by MikeMichalski:
Just did an experiment this past week end trying to determine an accuracy difference in my 700 .223 at 100 yds. For 3 targets of 3 shots each the average group for BR4 was 0.351" and WSR was 0.300".

Mike, Excellent accuracy. What was the rest of the load? Bullets and Powder?

Thanks,

Don

Don, The rest of the story: 50g V-Max, 25.2g Varget, Lock-N-Load 2.859" (your chamber will vary) and used a Lee Factory Crimp die to finish.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeMichalski:
Don, The rest of the story: 50g V-Max, 25.2g Varget, Lock-N-Load 2.859" (your chamber will vary) and used a Lee Factory Crimp die to finish.

Mike,

Thanks. Never tried Varget in my 223, but have some and will give it a go.
Just a thought, there are so many good 50 and 52 grain bullets available, I almost can't find one that won't shoot well. Berger's Varmint bullets are shooting well for me now, in 222, 222 mag and 223.

Don

quote:

Just did an experiment this past week end trying to determine an accuracy difference in my 700 .223 at 100 yds. For 3 targets of 3 shots each the average group for BR4 was 0.351" and WSR was 0.300".

This is not a test of primer accuracy. The powder load must be adjusted to make up for the difference in primers.

Tex,

This is not a test of primer accuracy. It’s a test of primer variances. One brand of primer is not exactly the same as an other brand. I’ve run the same tests too.

Is there a real difference between any of them? That depends on what you are looking for as far as accuracy goes. Some people say no and some people say yes.

Agreed Mick.

quote:

There are good days, bad days and days like today

I know all about those days, I have one each at least once a week.

Every day above ground is a good day. And if you get a chance to shoot, well then, it' a great day.

I prefer Federal. Will try Wolfe as soon as I can find some, I've had excellant reports from highpower shooters on them.

I had a CCI LR primer not go off as I was shooting at what would have been my first elk. I'm still elkless but I believe it was an anomaly. I shoot almost exclusively CCI as they are almost always available and seem to be very consistent.

I don't use Winchester Small primers as I've read that they can slam fire in AR's. Not sure if that's true but why tempt fate.

quote:

Originally posted by MThuntr:
I had a CCI LR primer not go off as I was shooting at what would have been my first elk.

As I have learned through my own stupidity that this can be caused be Newbie mistakes during the reloading process,,, luckily this was a piece of paper not an animal.

Its really easy that you made one tiny tiny error along the way with that round..

yet it is still possible that the fellow making that primer made a tiny tiny error,, sorry about your loss of the elk,,,, that would have been tough to not throw the rifle.. I never would throw mine but I know the thought would be in my mind

quote:

Originally posted by swampshooter:
I prefer Federal. Will try Wolfe as soon as I can find some, I've had excellant reports from highpower shooters on them.

Swamp,

Read a post this morning about a place in Florida that has Wolf Primers.
Here's their link:

http://www.spacecoastbullets.com/index.htm

I have used Rem,Win and CCI and i must be real lucky cuz I have never had one not go bang.I know,I know I just jinkxed myself.Good Luck

For what it's worth a few years back when I was shooting a lot of metallic silhouettes Remington primers were considered too hard and had more misfires than any others. Primer of choice was CCI mags with Winchester ball powder. I shot many thousands and never had a failure.

quote:

Originally posted by plainsman456:
I have used Rem,Win and CCI and i must be real lucky cuz I have never had one not go bang.I know,I know I just jinkxed myself.Good Luck

Well you're not alone and I hope this doesn't jinx us both, although I probably have not reached the 20,000 round mark excluding shotgun shells. Probably about 80% have been CCI, the balance Remington in all sizes and types. Bought some Federals and Winchesters over the weekend, but probably won't use 'em unless I absolutely have to.

I have no evidence to support this, but close to 90% were hand seated with a Lee or RCBS hand priming tool, which I believe when loading benchrest rounds can you more control over the seating pressure from one cartridge to the next rather than yanking up on the handle of a reloading press.

F. Prefect

Speaking of primer seating tools, which one is recommended for Federal match primers? I've heard using the Lee Autoprime is a bad idea. I've always used CCI but recently lucked into 1000 Federals. They seem awfully tight in the primer pocket. Is there a tool similar to the Autoprime that will work for Federals?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by gofast:
Speaking of primer seating tools, which one is recommended for Federal match primers? I've heard using the Lee Autoprime is a bad idea. I've always used CCI but recently lucked into 1000 Federals. They seem awfully tight in the primer pocket. Is there a tool similar to the Autoprime that will work for Federals?[/QUOTE

Wish I could be of help, but the only benchrest primers I have used have been CCIs. Perhaps I'm not using my Lee in what you refer to as autoprime. One of my Lees does not even have a tray, meaning I have to "load" a primer on top of the seater before sliding the cartridge into position but I really don't see that should make any real difference. I have heard that the Feds are a bit tighter but having never used them, I really have no idea of the force recquired to seat.

However I have say if they are seating to the same depth while using a similar amount of force, the accuracy of the round should not be effected if they are separated from the rounds with the CCIs. I have been told that it would be very difficult to ignite a primer that you describe as being "tight" using a hand primer as they are detenated more by a sharp quick blow rather than constant pressure, but I suspect it would make a person a bit "itchy"
none the less.

F. Prefect

quote:

One of my Lees does not even have a tray, meaning I have to "load" a primer on top of the seater before sliding the cartridge into position but I really don't see that should make any real difference. F. Prefect

I have one of those Lee Priming tools that seats primers singly; you must maually put a primer in the tool to seat it in each rifle case. I had mine modified to include a hollow cylinder the surrounded the primer pocket when seating a new primer. It's is similar to the Sinclair Priming tools made today.
I quit using the Lee Autoprime tools and went to Sinclair's single seaters. They seat primers better I think.

quote:

Originally posted by plainsman456:
I have used Rem,Win and CCI and i must be real lucky cuz I have never had one not go bang.I know,I know I just jinkxed myself.Good Luck

I wouldn’t worry about it. I’ve seen 3 times as many factory ammunition duds as compared to my paltry 6 primer duds over the last 40 years.

As a firing line assistant to the range master of a popular public gun range (years ago) I’ve seen some amazing things. Particularly in the weeks preceding the big game seasons.