- Location
- Tumbler Ridge, BC
Hey I bought components to start reloading 30-06 for a Garand the other day. I read somewhere that the federal primers I bought are too soft for a semi. Are they safe? I really don't want to have a slam fire.
Federal primers safe for a Garand?
- Thread starter flying pig
- Start date
With my Garand, I load with CCI #34's when I find them, if not, then I use the Winchester Magnum Rifle primers as they have the hardest primer cup of all the commercial primers available. They do increase pressure a bit, but as long as you are not reloading at max you will be fine ! The gun needs a hard primer to avoid possible slam fire from the floating firing pin. Safety first !
I also uniform my primer pockets, but even without this step I have fired many properly seated Winchester Large Rifle and WLR Magnum primers in the M1 and M14 with no problems.
Many say the Federals are softer and can cause problems in some guns and some reloading tools. This may or may not be folklore but since I have a good supply line I will keep using Winchester primers in my loads for most/all cartridges.
Many say the Federals are softer and can cause problems in some guns and some reloading tools. This may or may not be folklore but since I have a good supply line I will keep using Winchester primers in my loads for most/all cartridges.
Actually it's not folklore. I remember reading last year or so a member here had a chain detonation in a reloading tube from Federal primers.
Ever notice how Federal primers are the only ones that come in those large boxes which spread the primers farther apart? It's more expensive packaging, so why might they be doing that?
All you need is one slam fire to ruin your day...
Yeah most of the storys of problems with Garands at matches are of Federal primed reloads. Also Lee issues warnings about Federal in some of their equipment. A couple people on this forum posted about blowing up their priming equipment as mentioned.
I have reloaded thousands of pistol rounds on my Dillion, I had one chain detonation near the start of my reloading experience, it was with Federal primers, it was not a fun experience, I still have the hole in the ceilng above my press as a reminder.... I do not use Federal primers and would never use them in any rifle with a floating firing pin..
I use fed primers in .38 spl, for absolute reliability, and have never had a reloading kaboom with c-press or dillon 650. However i would never use federal in garand or ljungman, have experienced slam-fire? in both. Never drop the bolt on a chambered round with empty mag! Always deep seat primers and feed cartridge from the mag.
If you want to be absolutly safe use only miltary primers when you are loading for a Garand. If you have never experienced a slam fire you have no idea how bad they can be.
It is true that most of them happen when you let the bolt slam shut on a cartridge that you have droped in the chamber. They are no where near as lickley to happen if the cartridge is picked off the clip and chambered properly. But you never know what might happen with a solf primer and there is no question that the Federal primers are softer then most
It is true that most of them happen when you let the bolt slam shut on a cartridge that you have droped in the chamber. They are no where near as lickley to happen if the cartridge is picked off the clip and chambered properly. But you never know what might happen with a solf primer and there is no question that the Federal primers are softer then most
