hay shooters, like I have said before I have been reloading for 20+ years but it's all been learning on my own by trial and error, thankfully errors have been on accuracey not blown up firles. The man that got me started gave me HIS recipe for a .223 and I have been useing it forever. Well, he died and I starting loading other calibers after that. He used CCI magnum primers with H335 powder. CCI magnum primers is all I use because that's all I've known. I now load .223, 6.5 creedmore and .243. Am I missing the boat by not playing with different primers ? Nosler gives thier most accurate load with powder, velocity and primer but I've never tried the primer that they used. Like I said, am I missing anything by useing CCI magnum primers on all calibers ?
Primers
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Mikecr
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If you're determined to use one particular primer then load develop with it and consider tuning your primer striking for best results.
This can be done by varying released firing pin protrusion as measured at the boltface.
It's a pain in the butt test, that will take you in/out of tight grouping, and it's the only way to know your best striking(per primer) for sure.
For this to work in testing & use, your pockets have to be set to standard depth, and primers have to be set to standard crush in those pockets. Otherwise you have more than one change going on at a time.
This can be done by varying released firing pin protrusion as measured at the boltface.
It's a pain in the butt test, that will take you in/out of tight grouping, and it's the only way to know your best striking(per primer) for sure.
For this to work in testing & use, your pockets have to be set to standard depth, and primers have to be set to standard crush in those pockets. Otherwise you have more than one change going on at a time.
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Rich Coyle
Well-Known Member
That's the wrong question. It should be, am I missing anything by sticking with one primer? The answer is absolutely yes. Primers are the last thing I change in my quest for accuracy. Different rifles like different primers. Here is a page from when I played with a .223 for 2,000 rounds. These five shot groups were fired over a couple week or more.
Savage 26" heavy barrel .223
Here are some loads with Varget and JLK 65 grain VLD's and different primers.
The powder charge: 27.5 grains. The primers used are as follows: Federal 205 and 205 M, Remington 7 1/2 Bench Rests, CCI BR 4 and 450 magnum and Winchester WSR. All groups used five shots at 100 yards.
Federal's 205 made three groups. They measured .519" @ 3220 fps, .962" @ 3224 and 1.216" @ 3210". The 1.216" group had a couple of fliers. They averaged .899" @ 3218 fps.
The 205 M from Federal is a match primer. There are records for four groups. They show groups of .709" @ 3224 fps, .726" @ 3224 fps, .644" @ 3224 fps, .757" @ 3227 fps. Their four group average was .709" @ 3225 fps. This primer produced the most consistent velocities that I have seen in any firearm.
Consistent velocities did not translate into the best accuracy, though.
The four Remington 7 1/2 Bench Rest primer's groups measured .744" @ 3211 fps, .682" @ 3211 fps, .676" @ 3224 fps and .682" 3223 fps and averaged .696" @ 3217 fps.
Winchester's WSR primers worked as follows: .582" @ 3220 fps, .399" @ 3249 fps, .830" @ 3219 fps and .812" @ 3219 fps. The average for WSR is .656" @ 3227 fps. All of the WSR primers were pierced by the firing pin.
The next primer is the CCI 450 magnum. It produced .684" @ 3200 fps, .546" @ 3207 fps, .711" @ 3234 fps, .544" @ 3219 fps, .806" @ 3191 fps and .525" @ 3218 fps. The average for the magnum primer was .636" @ 3211 fps.
The last one tried was another bench rest primer. It is the BR 4. We saved the best for last. The groups measured .492" @ 3245 fps, .477" @ 3250 fps, .441" @ 3245 fps, .452" @ 3232 and .460" @ 3229 fps. Its phenomenal five groups average is .464" @ 3240 fps. It also produced the highest velocities.
With the same rifle using the same powder firing the same bullets groups with the "best" primer are half the size of the worst groups.
When I tried the 52 grain JLK's I tried only two primers: the Remington match and the standard CCI. After eight groups of five shots with each primer the standard primer's groups were about 3/16" smaller on the average than the match primers.
moosekiller99
Well-Known Member
Have been using Fed GMM LP Primers. I thought I had finished my load development with the 147 ELD-M and R-26 in the 6.5 CM. 47.8 of 26; Starline LP Brass; 2800 fps out of Bergara HMR 22" Barrel. If I can get my hands on some more 26 I will give the primer change a try.
just country
Well-Known Member
morning, if possible I use Fed. primers. my choice. I have 4 223's.
the 2 ar's use 205's with 24.5grs of tac. the 700 SPS left 223
25.5grs. tac. 205's, last my 223AI 27.5grs tac. 205's.
all Winchester brass. bullets in the AR's the new technologies 55gr.
the AI uses the 77gr. bergers and the bolt gun uses 53gr TSX
and 55gr. TTSX. accuracy is a consistant .500. in all
my larger caliber non-magnum use the 210M. my
magnums I use the 215. can not find any 215M's.
.750 and less size groups.justme gbot tum.
the 2 ar's use 205's with 24.5grs of tac. the 700 SPS left 223
25.5grs. tac. 205's, last my 223AI 27.5grs tac. 205's.
all Winchester brass. bullets in the AR's the new technologies 55gr.
the AI uses the 77gr. bergers and the bolt gun uses 53gr TSX
and 55gr. TTSX. accuracy is a consistant .500. in all
my larger caliber non-magnum use the 210M. my
magnums I use the 215. can not find any 215M's.
.750 and less size groups.justme gbot tum.
Capt RB
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Try the 215m I had tightest es with that over a standard primer. There is a reason why BR2's are never on sale
just country
Well-Known Member
morning, I will have to try the BR's brand of primers.
justme gbot tum
justme gbot tum
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The reason your freind used mag primers is because h 335 is a ball powder back in the day it was thought you need a mag primer to ignite ball powder because it's harder ignite but thoughts have changed a little bit usually you need a mag primer when powder charges get around 65-70 grains I think I would follow your reloading manual suggestion on which primer to use good luck
Thanks yoteslayer, I did t know why he used the CCI's but now I know. I was trying not to have 3-4 different primers sitting around ( the old noodles don't like that kind of stuff) but I think I will head your advise.
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Also like has been said before some guns & powder like different primers so it's probably a good thing to have a couple of choices just in case you don't have to go crazy with different ones unless you want to lol depends on what kind of accuracy your looking for if your not trying to squeeze every bit of accuracy you can get then probably doesn't matter to much probably still should have some regular and some mag on Hand tho good luck
I've also heard that the magnum primers my create greater chamber pressures. My magnum primers with 35 gr of Varget flattens the primer. I have seen the primers upon ejection and couldn't figure out why there was a very small indentation on them. Couldn't u derstand how the shells were even firing with suck small imprint. Then all of the bells went off. Too much pressure ! I may not be real smart but I make up for that with dumb luck
