Spherical powders, Mag primer or not?

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1shot

CGN Regular
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Location
S. Ontario
Good evening,

After many years of using only extruded powders in my rifles, I would like to try some spherical powders such as W748, H335.
My question is, are magnum primers mandatory for the reliable ignition of spherical powders in very cold temperatures?
I have been in different forums and have yet to get a positive answer either way.

I would like to work up a load which will function perfectly in all of our seasons, and not fail me during trigger time with a Coyote in the crosshairs mid February..

The powder which has served me best so far has been Hodgdon H4895 with regular small rifle primers. The only reason for even considering spherical is that I hate the way my powder measures (Lee/Hornady) get hung up upon extruded.
So, any thoughts or ideas?

Thanks in advance.
 
Absolutely, mag. primers with ball powder, esp. in cold weather, you'll find that reloading manuals call for them.
 
I use W760 with CCI 200's for one of my hunting rounds, no issues for me.However I do hunt in Saskatchewan where it doesn't really get that cold. :p

Work the load up and test , the only way to know for sure is to test and change components during the same environmental conditions.May need magnum primers in one rifle with one load where the next could be totally different.
 
I've only loaded them in cartridges from .223 to .308. I don't use mag primers but I do use Winchester primers which, I believe, are among the hotter standard primers. They seem to work fine.
 
normanrd said:
I just do the easy thing and work up my all my rifle loads with mag primers, all the time. Seems to work fine.
Click to expand...

Me too. ^ . Fed. 215M's my favorite.

I work up loads in the winter, and have experienced hangfires and wide velocity swings with standard primers, even when using slower extruded powder.

Come the summer heat, these same(warmish)loads may go a bit too warm. R22 for example will sometimes move up and out of an accuracy node.
Backing off 3 or 4 tenths, and switching to BR2's, brings things back into order.

A PITA at times, but the only way I've found to keep some rifles shooting tight, to point of aim, year round.
 
I used to think te mag primer was over -rated.

Then I discovered the truth. If a case is less than full, the ball powder can be harder to ignite and I have had lots of hangfires at room temp. Sub zero would probably not go bang.

I now use standard Winchester primers for everything. They seem to work well with ball powder (also made by Winchester....)

I have not loaded any large case ammo for years, but if I did I would not hestitate to use mag primers if it was for hunting (possable cold weather).
 
To be honest, I use magnum primers with everything. They don't cost any more than standard primers for one thing and if I'm worried about excess pressures, I just cut back the load by a few grains. It just makes life a lot simpler.
 
I use mag primers with H335. Even with 4895 in my 30-06 I use mag primers and cut the load down by 1gr.

For my .44 I use W296 or H110 and use the standard primers, because it's what I had an excess of on my shelf. Haven't had any issues with them.
 
1shot said:
After many years of using only extruded powders in my rifles, I would like to try some spherical powders such as W748, H335.
My question is, are magnum primers mandatory for the reliable ignition of spherical powders in very cold temperatures?
Click to expand...

You live in Southern Ontario, so what do you consider very cold? My rule of thumb when I lived down south was to use a magnum primer when the powder charge exceeded 50 grs or when the temperature was colder than -17C (I used to say 0F).

Due to shipping issues, its easier for me to use one type of primer, and because I use ball powder and have had occasion to shoot in temperatures as cold as -50 (no wind) I use magnum primers with both extruded and ball powders year round. Having said that, Winchester loads ball powder in their factory ammo, and not that long ago, they didn't even make a magnum primer. Winchester used to be my go to primer and I found that Winchester primers would light up any load I used them in, under all conditions, without exception.
 
I use BLC-2 in 223 and 308 and use winchester and CCI standard primers. I have never needed a mag primer at say -15 to -20. But it does'nt hurt to use them either.
 
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