[Pioneer]

Can anyone give me facts on how much different primers actually change things or do they really matter that much ? I have been reloading for 30 years and have always stuck with what ever primer I was using during my load work ups and never bothered to try anything else, even if I had to wait or shop for that brand to come in. I use winchester large rifle/mag, Federal 215 mag rifle and CCI 200 and CCI 250 large rifle.

How critical is the brand and # of the primer. It is all about igniting the powder and that charge means all the world, but setting it off, once it is ignited the primer is done. I am asking this cause sometimes I get into a reloading mood and get everything ready and sometimes run out of the primer I had been using for that gun and I am stopped dead in my tracks.

It's not like a blasting caps setting off an entire bank of loaded holes that need timing, that is timed the ignition is when it is set off.

So any experience in swapping back and forth between them as long as they set off the powder what is the difference ?

THanks

 

[Pard]

All preform within SAAMI specs.
Some are hotter than others, some have a closer variation, some have a longer flame.

I think its all anal to worry about. Use what you like.

I use CCI #34 because they are the hardess primer made for gas op firearms.
I use Winchester Magnums because they have the most uniform burn.
Tho the Federal GMmatchM primers are a tad hotter. Which is what I used to use

 

[Pioneer]

Thanks, I guess what I wanted to know is will it really make any difference if I use what ever primers I have on hand for loads, could it be possible to screw up the loads I have worked up over the years by simply changing them all to the same primers ?

 

[janott]

One thing to remember when making a change in a load is to make one change at a time, like the primers and changing brands is not such a big deal but changing another component with it can change your shooting pattern from what you are used to.

 

[Pioneer]

Yes I understand that thanks, but I was asking since I use a few different primers for different loads and run out and stopped dead in my tracks until ther stores get more will it really make a difference using a different primer ? I was thinking of just making all my loads for all my guns the same primers over time to save a lot of hassle when what I had is not available. Without having to work up all new loads. In otherwords would just changing the primers make a difference in point of impact and speed, it did not seem likely to me, but wanted to know from others

 

[Charlie98]

I think it really comes into play when you are approaching maximum loading for a specific cartridge... if you are at max pressure, and switch to a hotter primer, it may push the pressure curve of the igniting powder beyond max safe pressure.

Kind of like different lots of powder... it's the 'same' powder, just different. ;D

 

[308/338]

I think it really comes into play when you are approaching maximum loading for a specific cartridge... if you are at max pressure, and switch to a hotter primer, it may push the pressure curve of the igniting powder beyond max safe pressure.

Kind of like different lots of powder... it's the 'same' powder, just different. ;D

I agree with Charlie98. In my neck of the woods it's hard to get primers or powder so when August comes I start loading and putting in some range time. When I go to the gun shop to buy primers and the load doesn't call for mag. primers I buy LR standard primers in any brand if no choice. I don't find a difference and I always work up my charge with a new pound of powder even if it is the same type I have been using. For what I have read in the pass sticks in me head for when using a mag. primer, drop a grain of powder because the mag. primer is worth a grain more of powder over standard primers. As long as I stuck to this belief in hand loading, hand loading has been safe for me.

I also like to add. I don't shoot competition I'm just a target shoot for hunting accuracy. But I do want the holes in the paper where I want them.

TO NY

 

[swany]

Long ago I experimented with different brands of primers for benchrest shooting. While a lot of folks said this one or that one was better, one thing I noticed if you just stuck with one brand for all it sure was a lot easier.

Next is to stick with what's available in your area, I stick with CCI for this reason, I've used Fed, Win and Rem and a few others. Once got a deal on some milsurps left over from Korea era for $1 a thousand, I bought 20,000 and sold half, loaded mostly plinkers with the rest.

I use CCI 200s in all large primer pockets, CCI 400s in all small primer pockets. Mind you I still have a lot of other primers on stock because of the shortage I use for plinkers, I have several 1000 that were given to me during that period. I am currently using them up.

For load developement I use no mag primers and I load for a 7 and 300 mags, both are very accurate with slow burning powder use.

Bottom line check out the particular loads with a common primer and go with it if it works, try your best to keep it simple.

 

[Pioneer]

Thank you. I guess maybe I will just have large rifle and large rifle magnum primers and buy a bunch now or when I can and just run the two. I mainly load for my 22-250 , 444, and now my new 375 Ruger. I was kind of hoping to just run large rifle mag primers for all of them, but maybe best not to.

Thanks again...Mike

 

[papajohn]

When primers were scarce I bought what I could get, and often had to substitute mag primers for standard in a lot of loads. I don't shoot maximum loads very often, and when I do it's under very carefully controlled conditions. But most of my loads are between 80 and 90% of the maximum allowed, and I couldn't tell any difference in pistol loads, whether fired from rifle or handgun, either on target or over the chronograph. I try to use the same brand all the time just for consistency, but I'm like Swany.........if the loads don't have a serious purpose other than going bang, I use whatever I have.

In high-powered rifle ammo, I won't switch to magnums on a whim. I keep enough ammo in reserve that I can wait for my brand of primers to become available again, then I'll load a bunch of ammo to make up for what I shot, plus a lot more, if I have the components on hand. That's not usually a problem. 8)

 

[Halwg]

I mainly use CCI-200 as my LR primers. All of my 30-06 and 35 Remington loads were developed with them. When the primer shortage hit I could not find a single CCI primer. I did find 3000 Remington 9 1/2 primers and I bought them. In every load I substituted the Rem primers for the CCI primers there was absolutely no difference except that the Remington primers are slightly harder. The performance of the round is identical. I have also shot some Winchester LR primers in these loads in the past and again, no difference.

What I won't do is substitute a LR magnum primer for a LR primer. If I did that, I would probably back the load off and make sure I wasn't getting higher pressures.

 

[Charlie98]

I actually switched from CCI LP primers to Winchester LP primers, the Winchesters are either-or, so I have my bases covered on them. I still have mostly CCI for my rifle rounds, although that may change when I go shopping for rifle primers.

I am switching to CCI #34 'Arsenal' primers for both the 7.62mm and .30-06 (M1a and Garand, respectively) and may wind up with the CCI #41 primers if I stick with the 5.56mm in my AR's (or the 6.8mm if I move to that.) I don't think I use any other magnum rifle primer, so that narrows down my primer inventory.

 

[Pioneer]

Thanks guys I will just go now and get a few rifle primers and mag primers and just run the two and not worry about brands and #'s