Varget, cold and 9.3x62: what kind of primers?
- Thread starter medvedqc
- Start date
My first thought is that Varget is not difficult to ignite, so a regular primer would work.
But hunting requires 100% reliability. In southern Ontario, I would use a CCI or Winchester. In the Yukon, I would feel better with a hotter primer.
I would also wash the firing pin channel with break cleaner to make sure it was clean and dry.
But hunting requires 100% reliability. In southern Ontario, I would use a CCI or Winchester. In the Yukon, I would feel better with a hotter primer.
I would also wash the firing pin channel with break cleaner to make sure it was clean and dry.
of course Kevan.
and i remember him telling us about those primers. why people are not taking notes when they got feedback from first hand???
i was thinking a little lower than -15c ....
But then you'd have to do your own testing.
Average daytime temps for September/October and into November are probably above -15C.
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I saved this graphic some time ago, which may be of interest. I have no idea now where it came from, or if it is accurate. German Salizar in the US has done a lot of primer testing. Here is a sample of his testing. Unfortunately he had two detailed articles which have now been moved to a private blog. His interest however, seemed to be in finding a "soft" primer, or one that gave the right amount of ignition - not too much and not too little.
Several years back we were hunting elk in a late season and morning temps were around minus 40. One of our group got a shot at an elk and all he got was a ..click.. We all decided to try a couple shots. My rifle had been shooting sub 1 inch groups @ 100 yds was suddenly shooting 3 to 4 inch groups. That night I loaded up a handful of rounds using CCI 250 large rifle mag primers instead of std large rifle primers. Groups returned to 1 to 1 1/2 inch in the cold. So like Harold I use mag primers in all my hunting loads.
People are completely geared up to think that bigger is better and when it comes to primers, bigger is better always wins the argument. Not because anyone has proven that magnums work better, but because of the solid argument of virtual no difference in cost, so why not use the biggest primers?
From my own experience with shooting in severe cold, I concluded there was no difference in primers igniting the powder, whether in normal, or extreme cold weather.
My best argument for this dates back to when Canadian Industries Ltd. made ammunition headstamped D.C.Co., which they knew would be used to keep many northern Canadian rural families with winter food, by killing big game in very severe cold weather. The same normal primer was used for all seasons in their ammunition.
However, every hunter in those conditions knew they had to use kerosene to thoroughly clean all oil from the firing mechanisms of their rifles in the fall, then leave them dry all winter. Every time I hear of someone shooting in what he considers cold weather and has some misfires which he blames on weak primers, I will bet the farm the problem is stiff oil around the firing pin.
The cold weather test that Boomer made to test primers virtually proved that it made no difference, even with ball powder in very large calibre rifles, whether the primer was standard or magnum. Any differences, one way or the other, were well within the realm of standard tolerances, including the chronograph.
From my own experience with shooting in severe cold, I concluded there was no difference in primers igniting the powder, whether in normal, or extreme cold weather.
My best argument for this dates back to when Canadian Industries Ltd. made ammunition headstamped D.C.Co., which they knew would be used to keep many northern Canadian rural families with winter food, by killing big game in very severe cold weather. The same normal primer was used for all seasons in their ammunition.
However, every hunter in those conditions knew they had to use kerosene to thoroughly clean all oil from the firing mechanisms of their rifles in the fall, then leave them dry all winter. Every time I hear of someone shooting in what he considers cold weather and has some misfires which he blames on weak primers, I will bet the farm the problem is stiff oil around the firing pin.
The cold weather test that Boomer made to test primers virtually proved that it made no difference, even with ball powder in very large calibre rifles, whether the primer was standard or magnum. Any differences, one way or the other, were well within the realm of standard tolerances, including the chronograph.
I would agree with you on that. I use throttle body aerosol cleaner to clean my bolt. I do not oil the bolt afterwards. There is only a very light residual of oil left when the volatile solvents evaporate. The same issue exists in rimfires, which are probably even more sensitive to firing pin strike force.
