Just wanted to get some opinions on using small rifle magnum vs small rifle primers in 308 palma brass. I'm shooting mainly inside 500 and was wondering if using the small rifle magnum primer is unnecessary? I've heard mixed opinions at my club, some say the magnum primer does a better job burning off the charge more completely, others say it's not needed unless shooting out to 1k, others say not needed period. Thought I would post the question here.
Palma brass - small rifle magnum primer use?
- Thread starter Irons78
- Start date
Not needed, but couldn’t hurt either...
Ball powder would be an exception.
I generally use cci 450s anywhere a srp is called for. As long as your load is developed around it, it’s not a safety concern. Primers vary so much these days anyways. One company’s non mag primer will be hotter than another’s magnum. Match primers are a whole other question. Some say federal match are simply magnum? Maybe that’s just cup thickness?
In your case I’d use magnums. I use them in 6.5 Creedmoor srp brass. Most do.
Ball powder would be an exception.
I generally use cci 450s anywhere a srp is called for. As long as your load is developed around it, it’s not a safety concern. Primers vary so much these days anyways. One company’s non mag primer will be hotter than another’s magnum. Match primers are a whole other question. Some say federal match are simply magnum? Maybe that’s just cup thickness?
In your case I’d use magnums. I use them in 6.5 Creedmoor srp brass. Most do.
There's some interesting information to be found out there on primers, a lot of urban myth, but there's a big void overall in useful information. Experimenting is good - I used to use magnum small rifle primers in 38 Super to make major in IPSC a couple of decades ago - the shotgun powder was compressed and the magnum primer gave about the equivalent of another 0.5gr of powder. Some literature suggest that in rifles, overuse of a magnum rifle primer may cause inconsistent ignition and moving the bullet before the powder is fully ignited just from the force of the primer. Some others out there are saying that SRP don't do well in cold temperatures, but how cold is 'cold'? I would suggest that for your purposes, the normal primers are more than adequate. Find something that works for you and remember - faster is not necessarily more accurate. Constant powder ignition is the key. I've switched over to S&B primers from CCI for F-Class - a bit less force, but more consistent based on my muzzle velocities.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Tempest in a teapot regards SRP in a "normal" case.
Then there's the added aggravation of swapping out the decapping pin on your 308 dies for this small rifle primer.
Myself I don't even know why companies such as Lapua continue this ridiculous buying option.
Just give us some more normal Match 308.
None of this silly stuff to ignore on my purchasing trips to Lloydminster!
Then there's the added aggravation of swapping out the decapping pin on your 308 dies for this small rifle primer.
Myself I don't even know why companies such as Lapua continue this ridiculous buying option.
Just give us some more normal Match 308.
None of this silly stuff to ignore on my purchasing trips to Lloydminster!
About 20 years ago, I scored 20 Remington 308 BR basic brass which was the start point of 7mm and 6mm BR. I sized the stuff down to .260 to use in my silhouette rifle and loaded some of my standard short range load into it which is a very mild load with 108 Scenar. I went out to do some offhand practice and found that I had the slightest of hangfires which made follow through VERY important. I switched to 450 magnums and the problem went away.
I currently use 450's in my 6.5x47 which through testing showed a dramatic reduction in ES compared to 205M's and 7-1/2's.
I currently use 450's in my 6.5x47 which through testing showed a dramatic reduction in ES compared to 205M's and 7-1/2's.
I can't say I've ever had ignition problems using Federal Match SRP's in a 6.5 Creedmoor with Lapua brass. After 10 plus reloads, primer pockets are still tight, no wear and tear on that end at all. I doubt you'll need magnum primers for the 308 either. Similar powder volumes in both cases.
There’s a couple schools of thought on the Lapua Palma cases. Some want them because they are loading the supreme ####e out of them for whatever advantage that is for FTR and they are getting better primer pocket life with the SR primer. Since many of them can out-shoot me I’ll let it slide.
Another school is that they are getting lower velocity spreads with the SR primers; with the operative theory/proven results being that the smaller the primer the less possible variation there can be between indiividual primers. Thats a pretty good plan right up to the point that poor ignition affects accuracy and ES. Now despite plenty of them being able to out-shoot me, this is where I have to differ based on my own experience with .308 and 7 BR. When the weather cools off, my accuracy goes to crap and I dont really care if someone with more trophies than I have rifles doesn't have that problem. He could out-shot me with LR primers too.
If you’re the guy who after extensive testing believes he gains a point every other weekend with SR cases you better do it. If you shoot on a team where the decision has been made for you, you better do it.
If you are a somewhat more ordinary shooter, it wouldnt hurt forget you’ve ever heard of the SR Palma brass.
Another school is that they are getting lower velocity spreads with the SR primers; with the operative theory/proven results being that the smaller the primer the less possible variation there can be between indiividual primers. Thats a pretty good plan right up to the point that poor ignition affects accuracy and ES. Now despite plenty of them being able to out-shoot me, this is where I have to differ based on my own experience with .308 and 7 BR. When the weather cools off, my accuracy goes to crap and I dont really care if someone with more trophies than I have rifles doesn't have that problem. He could out-shot me with LR primers too.
If you’re the guy who after extensive testing believes he gains a point every other weekend with SR cases you better do it. If you shoot on a team where the decision has been made for you, you better do it.
If you are a somewhat more ordinary shooter, it wouldnt hurt forget you’ve ever heard of the SR Palma brass.
