"Milder" vs. "Hotter" primer

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brad323

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I have been doing some reading with respect to reloading for long range shooting and came across an article that suggested a "milder" primer was more likely to produce uniform velocities than a "hotter" primer. The article went on to suggest that there was no need to use a magnum primer even in magnum cases.

Just wondering if anyone has played around with using a non-magnum primer in a magnum cases and if they found more consistent velocities?
 
I and others have found the Hornet to be more accurate with pistol primers, rather than rifle primers. I know, not much comparison to a magnum, but I have also made my best groups with the 45-70 using pistol primers.
When I was shooting the 308 Norma magnum and the 7x61 Sharp & Hart I used standard primers, and made beautiful groups.
Also, remember that magnum primers didn't get on the market until about 1964 and there were a lot of big magnums out long before that and I never have heard of them being any more accurate, after the magnum primers became available.
 
Hi. You'll find just as many magazine articles that say magnum primers are essential for uniform velocities. It's one of those on-going arguements shooters have been having for eons. Unk and Grunk argued about what the best animal tendon made the best bow string.
"...even in magnum cases..." The primer has nothing whatever to do with the cartridge name. Magnum primers are about the powder used. They burn a bit hotter, for a bit longer, and are for lighting hard to ignite powders and cold weather shooting. If your manual doesn't say to use 'em, you don't need 'em. Like H4831 says, there were lots of magnum cartridges long before there were magnum primers.
Long range shooting, depending on what you consider that to be, is as much about the rifle and bullet as it is about the ammo. Match rules matter too. Short range in DCRA shooting is 300 yards. Magnum cartridges aren't allowed in all of 'em either. Some 1,000 yard matches specify the bullet weight as well.
Don't let any of that discourage you from getting into long range shooting. There's a shooting discipline for everybody. And the more experienced shooters will usually bend over backwards to help you.
 
I and others have found the Hornet to be more accurate with pistol primers, rather than rifle primers.
Click to expand...

My 22 Hornet does best with the Remington 6-1/2 primer.

As for using magnum primers, I for one would not be using a regular large rifle primers when trying to ignite 80-100gr of powder at -30 degrees.
 
To me it is more about consistent ignition that "heat". Using a more consistent primer just takes one more factor out of the many variables when re-loading.Far more important to have the same rate of burn in each primer, you are still going to fine tune your load anyways so going with a better or match grade primer will only help with accuracy for target shooters and hunters.Maybe even reduce the fliers that a shooters sees.
 
I think the idea is a more powerful primer may be required fo larger loads. The important thing though is to work up loads.

I have loaded several 270's over the years and have found all of them had their best loads with magnum primers. I use a general rule of thumb to start my load development with a magnum vs regular primer is 60 grains of powder, 60+ starts with a magnum under 60 standard.
 
I sure wish some of you that,
1) Live in a part of the country where you could go out to shoot in temperatures in the minus 35 to 40 range.
2) Shoot the largest of magnums.
3) Have a chronograph.

--would load ten of your magnum cartridges with a slow powder, like H4831. Load five with standard primers and the other five with magnum primers. Keep the loaded rounds and the rifle outside in the severe cold, until they were shot.
Then see what, if any, difference there was between the the rounds using a standard primer, compared to the ones using a magnum primer, taking into account both velocity and consistancy.
As I look at the above conditions I set out, it would appear that Boomer would be a perfect candidate to do this!!
Why didn't we think of this a couple of monthes ago?
 
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