Reloading : Primers?

[seabast]

Hi Again,
In another thread someone mentioned using a different primer. I have been using CCI200 since I started my reloading adventure and I understand it might have a slight difference between large rifle primer of different brands but are they that different that it could change the performance of my reload?
Are some burn faster/hotter than other?

Thanks
Seabast

[Fox]

Rifle primers and pistol primers do not vary as much as 209 shotgun primers but they do have some variation. The Winchester ones are supposed to be hotter, like a Magnum primer and good for BP cartridge rounds but I do not know how true that is. The idea though is that they are different and cannot be interchanged. If you are running a certain primer with a load run up to max in your gun and you change the primer you need to start back at the bottom and work up the load to be safe, a primer change can bump up the pressure enough to push that pressure level into an unsafe condition for your gun. If you are considering that your primer may not ignite the powder the same as another primer, maybe if you are using really heavy powder loads but I tend to not believe that if your primers are in the range of what was used with the tested published load.

[jaycee]

Hi Again,
In another thread someone mentioned using a different primer. I have been using CCI200 since I started my reloading adventure and I understand it might have a slight difference between large rifle primer of different brands but are they that different that it could change the performance of my reload?
Are some burn faster/hotter than other?

Thanks
Seabast

In some instances there could/ will be a slight difference in load performance, the answer to the second part of your question, most definitely yes, some are hotter than others.
Some powders , especially slow burning ones in large volume cases, require a hotter primer ie. mag . primer.
Most reloading manuals will also state that magnum primers should be used when ball powders are are suggested for a particular load.
Rifle Primers come in, Small Rifle, Large Rifle, Magnum and Bench Rest

The different manufactures, have their own designations for each, the same goes for Handgun cartridge primers and also shot shell primers, when loading shot shells, you most certainly have to stick to the primer as listed, because there is quite a difference in brisance , and switching can lead to dangerously higher pressures.

[jaycee]

More info on primers;
http://www.chuckhawks.com/primers.htm

Very informative.

[Kilo Charlie]

I've hand loaded for several different cartridges over the past 20-odd years. Mostly small to medium cartridges using 4831, 4350 and Reloder 15-class powders, to wit, .250 Savage, .250 Ackley, .257 Roberts, .7mm-08, .280 Remington, .30-30 Winchester, .30-30 Ackley, .300 Savage, .30-06, and .300 Holland and Holland.
All except the .300 H&H required Large Rifle primers, and I have used Winchester, Federal, Remington and CCI primers with no discernible change in my loads. Mind you, that was before I bought my chronograph last year, but I saw no change in trajectory or point of impact. I did read an article in Handloader Magazine some time ago that suggested that Federal primers are "softer" than the others and will ignite more reliably if you are experiencing light firing pin strikes.
Most reloading manuals will suggest that you reduce and work up your loads if you change brands; never a bad idea.

Edited to add: What Chuck Hawks says about seating primers is gospel to me. I was experiencing the odd misfire with my .280 and was definitely overthinking it what the problem could be. I had the headspace checked (it was fine) and I ordered and installed a new firing pin spring. Then I read an article similar to Chuck's, or maybe even that article, and ensured that I was seating my primers fully. Not one misfire with that rifle in the last 20 years, lol!

[skypilot]

I use the CCI BR primers mostly for my bolt guns.

I try to stay away from Winchester primers in semi auto military style firearms for the extra protection/prevention of slam fires although the other primers aren't 100% immune unless mil primers are used.

Federal seems hotter to me, Win seems to fire with light pin strikes and will slam fire, CCI BRs seem the most consistent although I've not used a lot of the Wolf and other brands.

If you do go to Varget it likes to be towards the max load, a compressed load, at the max load or beyond slightly. Your brass, primer and bolt will tell you when to back off as you work up. The good thing is you can usually shoot that load winter and summer.

Also a change in primer brands may not make much difference without a good clean flash hole.

What twist is the 243 barrel? Must be 1/10 if it shoots 100gr well.

[Fox]

I've hand loaded for several different cartridges over the past 20-odd years. Mostly small to medium cartridges using 4831, 4350 and Reloder 15-class powders, to wit, .250 Savage, .250 Ackley, .257 Roberts, .7mm-08, .280 Remington, .30-30 Winchester, .30-30 Ackley, .300 Savage, .30-06, and .300 Holland and Holland.
All except the .300 H&H required Large Rifle primers, and I have used Winchester, Federal, Remington and CCI primers with no discernible change in my loads. Mind you, that was before I bought my chronograph last year, but I saw no change in trajectory or point of impact. I did read an article in Handloader Magazine some time ago that suggested that Federal primers are "softer" than the others and will ignite more reliably if you are experiencing light firing pin strikes.
Most reloading manuals will suggest that you reduce and work up your loads if you change brands; never a bad idea.

Edited to add: What Chuck Hawks says about seating primers is gospel to me. I was experiencing the odd misfire with my .280 and was definitely overthinking it what the problem could be. I had the headspace checked (it was fine) and I ordered and installed a new firing pin spring. Then I read an article similar to Chuck's, or maybe even that article, and ensured that I was seating my primers fully. Not one misfire with that rifle in the last 20 years, lol!

Federal primers are known to be soft, they look like you have pressure signs due to flattening out but it is perfectly normal for those primers, you cannot take primer flatness as a pressure sign on its own anyway but this makes it even harder. Be aware of military spec primers, the SKS needs a harder primer, something like a soft Federal primer would probably cause slam fire.

[Mr.Boiler]

I asked almost the same question of large rifle primers vs. magnum premiers. I scored a sweet deal on almost 5000 magnum primers when LeBaron closed their doors. Regular price was 7$ for 100 but I paid 2.50 per 100. Then I wondered if I could use them with my 30-30, 308 and 243. Did some asking and a little web surfing but got no definitive answer. So, I started reloading for the various calibers I had and started from the low end and worked up. In the end I found a difference of about +50fps on some and some times no difference at all between a LR primer and LRM primer. None of my loads are at the max. Most are 1/2 grain to 1 grain below max. Accuracy wasn't really affected either.
Im not loading for competition just for hunting so with me its just an opportunity to shoot more with the money spent.