RWS Primers performance

kevin g

kevin g

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So with all the global warming happening, and the large rifle and large rifle magnum primers goin extinct. The eastward movement of the German subspecies RWS that's been sneaking thru a few cracks is being gobbled up very quickly !!
Has anyone tried them yet ? Any results ? Are they giving you the same, different, or similar groups ?? Will these be your new goto primer till the Russian invasion has ended ?

Have you put them in the exact same recipe you had you CCI's, Federales'..Winnies in, or did you have to change and retest ???

I still have a few thou of my old stock left and currently, I'm on the RWS waiting list here locally. I likely won't need them right away...but still...the pak-rat-hoarder in me tells me yesss..GIT EM !

Enquiring minds want to know...lol Thanks in advance NutZ !!
 
Yesterday I loaded-up 33 rounds for 30-06 development, utilizing the large rifle RWS primers. This is what I noticed so far: When seating the primer in the pocket, I had to add additional force to have them below the surface of the case-head. Now, I haven't conducted any measurements of the primer, compared to the Federal 210 however, I believe that the RWS might be a tad deeper, not wider in diameter. The brass is new/unfired Lapua, using my press to seat the primer.

I'll be at the range this coming Thursday or Friday in conducting performance of the entire components.
 
Thanks track...I saw you mentioning these in another thread and I was gonna keep an eye on your results.
Few of the comments and observations I read regarding the FTF issues are exactly what you've noticed.. not getting the primer all the way down in the primer pocket...thusly not seating the anvil in far enuff.

Thanks man..appreciate it ! Kevin
 
Also curious to see what experience others have been having. Local store just got some in, I don't *need, primers yet but I don't want to run out before I buy more either.
 
Several years ago, during one of the regularly scheduled primer shortages, I bought 1000 (4 packs of 250) LR RWS primers at a gun show. I am now on my last pack and have yet to have a misfire.
 
I have not used any RWS LR primers, but burned up 2000 SRP from RWS.
They worked flawlessly in my 222 Remington and my 25-20 Win.
I believe they are good quality, Dave.
 
Thanks Dave. I was wondering about those too ! I still have3-4000 of my WSRP's and I found a couple bricks of new stock Remington Bench Rest SRP's after Christmas...so I should be good for a while. Don't know if I can afford the powder & bullets to use em all up !..lol
 
kevin g said:
Thanks track...I saw you mentioning these in another thread and I was gonna keep an eye on your results.
Few of the comments and observations I read regarding the FTF issues are exactly what you've noticed.. not getting the primer all the way down in the primer pocket...thusly not seating the anvil in far enuff.

Thanks man..appreciate it ! Kevin
Click to expand...

I was out to the gun club yesterday morning, conditions were: calm, clear and cold, -16c, good thing I wore my long-johns. You will be pleased to know that the RWS performed admirably with all 33 shots. However, for me personally, at least another 500 rounds are required to prove their reliablility, meaning no duds of any circumstances.
I've fired thousands of Federal with sans issues, it's a difficult record to beat for other primer manufactures.
It was great to have cold temperatures, barrels really cool-off rapidly. BTW, powder for the 30-06 was 57.5 grains of Hodgdon Varget. Had taken out the 257 Weatherby to test in the -16c with Federal 215's, needless to say they work as usual.
https://imgur.com/a/UIGTAyX
 
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Dogleg said:
Did you happen to chronograph your loads?
Click to expand...

No, however I do plan on doing so on my next outing to the gun club. Both my 30-06's have 24" barrels (BSA Featherweight 5 Star Majestic and Krico 600 Deluxe). I'm shootng 125 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip's and according to the Nosler Manual, velocities are just over 3,400 fps. Prior to this years deer season I plan on using one of the rifles, except that I will be switching the ballistic tips to the 125 grain accubonds.

As for the 257 Weatherby, I'm using a moderate load (68 grains of IMR-7828) for a few reasons. First it likes the powder load, second, I don't want a hot load because of the PRICE OF BRASS, IT'S INSANE!!!. The velocities of this load, with my 27" barrel, should be a bit above 3,500 fps. Mild temperatures have arrived and hoping that it will cool down, similar to November temperatures.
 
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Thanks Track !! Appreciate the FB.
I went ahead and grabbed a brick of the LRM's, cuz they were available. 219.99 before taxes. BUTTTT, I got em...lol

I MAY try them for load development for my new 6.5PRC, Browning LR MAX. ...to be decided yet.
 
So I put 25 of the RWS LR primers into a few cases this morning. Not powdered yet but will be using the same components I have picked for a couple pet loads with 120 gr Nosler BT's and some Hornady 143 ELDX's. Any appreciable difference should easily show up in these tested groups ! It'll be a little bit before I get the rifles out again...Sporting Clay season is upon us again. w:h: :dancingbanana:
 
I have 500 here (two of the old 250 sleeves) that appear to be date stamped 1973(at least I assume that's what the 1973 stamped on the sleeve means). The guy I got them from took very good care of them because the packages still look brand new.
Anyhow, the performance so far (I have ~50 left) has been excellent. I've tested these in my favorite .308/175gr loads developed with FGMM LR primers and no significant deviation that I can detect. In fact on one load the stats actually improved slightly.
The cups are hard, which is to say they're harder than Federal primers, but most primers are.

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That's so kool Northern !! I had no idea they've been around THAT long. Thought it was a new outfit making them. Thanks for the enlightenment...never too old to learn something new...lol but I'm gettin there.:rockOn:
 
Yesterday I built 40 test rounds of 30.06 using RWS primers and two different powders.

Today the first ten shots produced 4 fail to fire rounds!
I have never had a fail to fire round out of thousands rolled with Federal 210 primers.

My experience says they are junk, ten failures out of 40 rounds - too bad I bought 300.

AcAmm8y.jpg
 
Shotcup - I think the issue is that the RWS primer cups appear to be made of stainless steel rather than copper or plated copper, which is much softer. As noted, they require substantially more seating force that on-shore primers. Looking at your pic, the primer strikes in general seem quite shallow. You might want to try the RWS primers in another rifle before condemning them.
 
cosmic said:
Shotcup - I think the issue is that the RWS primer cups appear to be made of stainless steel rather than copper or plated copper, which is much softer. As noted, they require substantially more seating force that on-shore primers. Looking at your pic, the primer strikes in general seem quite shallow. You might want to try the RWS primers in another rifle before condemning them.
Click to expand...

You're correct. RWS primers require more force to deepen them into the primer pocket. I as well favor the Federal primers, therefore to retain the ones (Federal) I have for my established loads, I resorted to RWS. To date, the RWS primers used in my 30-06 and 6mm Remington were flawless and consistent. Approx. 102 primers were utilized..............seat them deep!
 
shotcup said:
Yesterday I built 40 test rounds of 30.06 using RWS primers and two different powders.

Today the first ten shots produced 4 fail to fire rounds!
I have never had a fail to fire round out of thousands rolled with Federal 210 primers.

My experience says they are junk, ten failures out of 40 rounds - too bad I bought 300.
Click to expand...

Although probably not very helpful to you, I've used their SRP in .357 for my lever with 100% success.
 
Thanks guys, they were harder to seat than 210's.

The primer strikes seem to be all the same depth so not understanding why some fire while others do not.

It will be a while before I get out again but will try them deeper in another caliber.
 
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