hard primers in .223/5.56mm

[lookout]

The major manufacturers obviously use different primers when they make their commercial ammunition. Who is known for making their primers soft and who on the hard side?

 

[contact148]

federal primers are known for being soft

I personally use winchester primers for my .223 and never had a problem with them being soft

 

[recce]

CCI makes large and small rifle primers that are harder for military rifles. I believe that the large ones are CCI 34's, can't remember what the small ones are.

 

[beltfed]

CCI makes large and small rifle primers that are harder for military rifles. I believe that the large ones are CCI 34's, can't remember what the small ones are.

Small rifle are 41's

 

[sunray]

CCI 34's are a marketing thing. Regular primers work just fine.

 

[recce]

Didn't say regular ones wouldn't work.
He asked who made soft and hard ones, and those are the hardest I'm aware of.

 

[knockknock]

CCI 34's are a marketing thing. Regular primers work just fine.

Yes regular primers will work but they will make a full auto sometimes uncotrollable. The #34s &41s are primaily designed for use in FA firearms. The is no advantage I can see to using 41s or 34s in anything but an auto.
Besides, they are harder to find too.
KK

 

[beltfed]

Yes regular primers will work but they will make a full auto sometimes uncotrollable. The #34s &41s are primaily designed for use in FA firearms. The is no advantage I can see to using 41s or 34s in anything but an auto.
Besides, they are harder to find too.
KK

Fully automatic fire is the reasoning behind crimping the primers in. I doubt primer type would make very much of a difference.

I've done a fairly un-scientific test where I have loaded different primers including the 41s and loaded each one into the chamber of an AR, and letting the bolt slam home. I saw no difference in the size of the firing pin dimple left between any of the different primer types.
Off the top of my head I tried Federal Sm Rifle & 205m, Winchester Sm Rifle, CCI Sm Rifle & #41.

 

[Proutfoo]

Besides, they are harder to find too.
KK

really? I went over to my local gunsmith and he ordered me a box of 34s and 41s in a jiffy.

the 34s were a misunderstanding (yo Calum! ), the 41s I have yet to go and pick up.

 

[knockknock]

Fully automatic fire is the reasoning behind crimping the primers in. I doubt primer type would make very much of a difference.

I've done a fairly un-scientific test where I have loaded different primers including the 41s and loaded each one into the chamber of an AR, and letting the bolt slam home. I saw no difference in the size of the firing pin dimple left between any of the different primer types.
Off the top of my head I tried Federal Sm Rifle & 205m, Winchester Sm Rifle, CCI Sm Rifle & #41.

The crimp is part of it you are correct, but for sustained full auto use the highly paid technical guys at Ordnance proving at Lake City Arsenal , where I worked many years ago told me that the reason all that ever came to the plant was CCI 34s,35s. and 41s was that they had harder cups, which may runaways and slam firesless likely.
I don't know but I was told...........

Intersting to note that ATK which owns CCI, Federal , Winchester, RCBS and Speer to mention a few of their brands, has not seen fit to dump some of the spare brands. All of their primers are now made in the same plant.
KK

 

[Proutfoo]

I figured that the primers were crimped for use in semi and full-auto so that they would not back out and fall into the action causing a stoppage...

is there any shread of possibility it would be for this reason?

 

[beltfed]

I figured that the primers were crimped for use in semi and full-auto so that they would not back out and fall into the action causing a stoppage...

is there any shread of possibility it would be for this reason?

Precisely!

 

[Proutfoo]

Precisely!

I knew I was not crazy

 

[Calum]

CCI 34's are a marketing thing. Regular primers work just fine.

Not if you are reloading for an SKS. As aside for the Russian made SKS of the first 2 years of production, they have no firing pin return springs, and slam into the primers hard.

Here is a simple test to do with any semi auto rifle...

Load 2 rounds, fire one, now eject the unfired cartridge...compare the two.
On the left is a fired cartridge, and the right an unfired cartridge.

I have no doubt that if I had used reloads with regular rifle primers I would have had a slam fire.

It's the nature of the semi auto beast.
Check yours to be sure, and plan your reloading methods accordingly.