Are all primers the same?

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Arkie

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Hey there everyone...

I do hope that everyone is staying out of the Heat!

It's really hot in Arkansas with all the humidity.

I was wondering what a good Large pistol primer is.

I can find CCI, Winchester and Remmington. There are no Federals around here that I can find except for maginum.

Can I just use Winchester? They have lots of them here.

Thanks!!!
 
They are not all the same, but in bulk pistol ammo loading the differences are not noticeable. Winchesters are fine, that is what I have most of.
 
Yeah, the heat is the reason I'm sitting inside in front of the computer this afternoon. Although, I'm pretty sure we don't have the humidity you have there in Arkansas.:barf:
Mr. Watson is right - all primers are not created equal. I used CCI for years, mostly because they were the most readily available around here (they're made in Idaho) but I've recently switched to Winchester for my handgun loads. The Winchester primers I'm using are for "standard or magnum" loads, and that eliminates one hassle for me. I no longer have to worry about whether or not I stuck magnum primers in the handgun cases I got ready to charge with powder a week ago.:confused:
 
I've have too many Winchester duds to trust them anymore. I've had good luck with CCI.

What part of Arkansas are you in? By the way, you beat me to the THR user name "Arkie" by a couple of weeks.
 
I've had good luck with Remeington in the past.
It's hot in Kansas too.:fire: I'm off work till' Monday & right now the temp is 104. I quit the yard work about 2:00 p.m. when it was 107! Just thought a cold beer & a computer with some A.C. thrown sounded much better!;)
 
I've been reloading for about twenty some years, and I don't think I've ever had a primer misfire with any brand I've used. And I've pretty much used them all.
 
Different heat and hardness

Each company manufacturing primers use their own cup which may be a little harder or softer...most consider CCI to be somewhat on the hard side and Winchester on the soft side. This makes a difference in reliability with weaker or dirty firing pins and springs making softer strikes.
Each LOT of primers from any given company will be a little different and each company's primers will be a little different.
That said, any time you change any component, (bullet, brass, primer, powder, seating depth, amount of crimp) you need to work the load up again as pressure, velocity and POI will change.
You should consider even a new box of identical primers as a component change just as you would a new can of powder from the same company even though it's the "same" powder.
Be safe while you reload.
 
What part of Arkansas are you in? By the way, you beat me to the THR user name "Arkie" by a couple of weeks.


I'm in the Northwestern corner of Arkansas. Now that's pretty close. lol...

Thanks ya'll for all of your help. :)
 
I have only used Win & Fed. I like Fed better but I use the match grade primer.
Frankly that is the only reason I switched. If Win had a “Match grade Primer”. I would most likely stay with Win. One note for Pistol Win. Does not have “Large Pistol, Magnum” only has “Large Pistol” primers… For Winchester “Large Pistol” & “Large Pistol, Magnum” are the same… so they are pretty hot. If a load calls for WLP primers.. and it’s a Magnum clarify before you load.
 
What I'll be loading is regular ole rounds that I can put downrange. The ones I want to load is,,, 45, 40, 9, 380. for now. LOL...

I've heard that Federal 150 is good but I cannot get them around here. They are always sold out or they are not stocking them.

I can get the Win, CCI and Remmington though.
 
Here are the differenced I have observed:

1. Winchester primers give a few fps faster velocity than CCI (can't remember, but I think Federals were in between);

2. Federal small pistol primers fit the primer pockets noticeably tighter than either CCI or Winchester;

3. When upside-down and getting picked up in the primer tube, Federals slide around smoother than either CCI or Winchester. The anvils must have been tumble-deburred or something????

4. The only revolvers I've ever seen that would not ignite CCI primers had hammer springs adjusted to about 1/3 less (not "of") than what S&W specifies for their wheelguns, AND gave wider and more erratic extreme velocity spreads than other round guns with decent hammer fall.

5. In .308, I've had MOA or less 5-round groups, iron sights or scoped, with both CCI standard and Winchester standard primers, at 200 and 300 yards.:)

IOW, the differences have always been trivial. Never used Remingtons, as they just don't show up on the shelves where I've shopped.
 
We use a Lee progressive loader and the book says not to use Remington primers because they may ignite during seating. Never heard of this happening but I think it's interesting that Lee would single out a particular primer manufacturer.:confused:
 
Can I just use Winchester? They have lots of them here.


The answer is yes. I buy both large and small Winchester's by sleves of 5000 and have for years. Hardly shoot anything else in my sixguns. Never had a problem................Creeker

HPIM0389.JPG
 
As I understand it, Lee's concern is with a multiple primer explosion. That's part of why all their primer feeds are side by side, never stacked. Apparently they have also determined that CCI and Win primers are least likely to be set off by their priming tools, hence their recommendation of those brands (only.)
 
I use Winchester large pistol primers and W231 almost exclusively for my .45 ACP loads, and have never had a problem with either. I have about about 500 Remington large pistol primers that I have used on occasion with no problems either; I don't use them that much for consistency purposes but the price was right for 1000 of them.
 
In regard to pistol primers, ccis are reliable but only if you have enough hammer strike and/or firing pin protrusion. winchester and remington are reliable and somewhat easier to set off than ccI. Federal are the choice of shooters who use lightened mainsprings. Compare the appearance of fired CCI vs Federal primed primers and it is obvious that the federals are much flatter. Prime some empty cases and snap them in your handgun and the federals will have much deeper firing pin impressions than the cci.

Nevertheless, it is an article of faith* among several gunwriters and experienced industry people that all primer cups are of the same toughness, dimensions and brissance.

* " Faith? Why faith is believing something that any reasonable person knows perfectly well, ain't so!" - Mark Twain
 
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