Primers?

09outlander

09outlander

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I'm having trouble finding CCI large pistol primers locally, are there any problems using Federal or Winchester primers??? My #### won't fall off will it??
 
Federal tend to be a little softer, and more sensitive. If you note the Federal packaging, they space their primers apart, unlike the other manufacturers. Some progressive reloading presses caution on the use of Federal primers without a blast shield. regardless of components, always wear eye protection when reloading...
 
If you're not running max loads, you should be all right.... If I were loading a maximum (or near max) load and needed to use different primers, I would sork my way up again.

Stan
 
It may interest you to know that Alliant Techsystems owns both Federal and CCI/Speer. There are examples of technology developed at one company showing up at the other without specific acknowledgement, namely Speer bullet designs produced by and carrying the Federal brand name. I haven't had a chance to check into Primers but if there were a chance to get a nearly identical primer than the CCIs you are used to it would be with the Federal 150s. Try it and see if you get the same load performance. Then post so we can all benefit.
 
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Did a bit of digging.
Good ol' Chuck Hawks on primers: http://www.chuckhawks.com/primers.htm

took what he said on the A-square testing to google and found other websites posting snippits of data, mostly rifle but some pistol. It was pretty consistent that CCI and Federal came one after another on load tests, be it pressure or velocity being reported.
 
I was just looking to pick up some CCI primers to try. I had bought a couple of hundred Winchester primers and had about the same rate of failure to fire as ambishooter with his CCI.
I in fact had some that would not fire no matter how many times you hit it. Some would fire the 2nd time.
All primers were checked to make sure they were properly seated as I read that improperly seated primers was the main cause for this sort of failure.
Not sure what to think now. I do know that I had a nice cow moose broadside in my sights last fall at a few hundred yards when the rifle just went click. I didn't get another decent shot . Maybe I would have got that moose....maybe not. I'll never know.
I will be heading to the range soon to start working up a sweet load for the fall and would like to have this problem sorted out.

I would like to hear what complaints if any Henry(or any other vendors) get regarding failure in primers....
 
Taken from a "Chuck Hawkes" page

When reloading, always seat primers slightly below flush with the head of the cartridge case. This insures that the anvil is properly pressed against the priming compound for reliable ignition. Failure to properly seat primers is the biggest single cause of misfires in reloaded ammunition. A good depth to aim for is .005" below flush. With some experience this can be determined by feeling the case head after the primer is seated. Any primer that is flush or protruding should be very carefully removed and the case reprimed. Decapping a live primer can set the thing off, so behave accordingly and take all necessary precautions, including ear and eye protection.
 
When it comes to the "big three" of Federal, Winchester, and CCI, primers are pretty much primers. I buy whatever is available at the best price.
 
I've had a few FTF with Winchester out of a pack of 100 primers but after a few thousand CCI's I have 100% reliability. One guy I know has the complete opposite experience and doesn't like CCI. Seems really subjective and random.
 
I loaded thousands of federal primers (large and small) in a progressive press without anything bad happening to me. They are softer than Winchester or CCI but they seat like a dream. You can actually hear them click into place. The little boxes they come in are ridiculously large and if your not careful you'll have primers all over the place.

cheers
 
i had issues with CCI large rifle primers, but i was putting them into large pistol cases (old 500 s&W brass, the 500 now uses rifle primers. i have since drilled out the pockets to accept rifle primers) and was pushing the anvil through the powder to the point it was touching the cup. as a result there was no primer powder between the anvil and cup to ignite.
 
Selection of primer brands in usage can be an issue if you are using a military-pattern semi-auto rifle. Most have free-floating firing pins,
and can slam-fire with the more sensitive primers. (Federal and gold Winchester should be avoided for that application).

CCI makes a milspec primer for small and large rifle for just that reason. (different SKU).

I'll use the current CCI 450 (SR), CCI 200 (LR), CCI BR variants and the old pre-2000 Winchester "silver" rifle primers (small and large) for such firearms.
No comment on Remington.

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Primer selection for handguns can be an issue if you have reduced the hammer/striker springs. In that case, you want maximum sensitivity.
For that usage, Federal primers are the best choice.
 
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