Fed 210 Primer Color Differences?

So I finally had to break into new brick of 210 primers. Old 210 primers had red color versus newer 210 ones. No idea if there is a performance difference. Anybody else see this? Anyone do any comparative testing?


Old on right, new on left.
Sooo do they have the same zippity doo dah?

The red is just a sealant and there should not be any difference in performance.

My "assumption" (which I despise) as well but curious by chance if there is even a minor difference and always looking for input.

Now I have to go to my loading room. Go through my LR,SR,SP,LP primers. Still using the old ones also.The only new ones I'm using are the AR Match primers.My 6.5 Grendel really loves those.

Its a good question, and without a lot of testing there is no way to be certain, but my first thought is that Federal would try hard to make them exact in the explosive and burn characteristics even there is a color change.

Im also of the 1st opinion, that no matter how proficient, diligent, and consistent anyone of is as a reloader, the minor differences, in reloading 20 to 100 or more cartridges will still
contain more standard deviation in velocity than that caused by a manufacturing process that changes only primer color.

If you weigh all your bullets, you will likely see what I mean...

If you measure water volume in all your brass, you will see issues there too.

Are all the cartridges exactly the same length after trimming?

The list goes on. But load 20 new, and 20 old and get the Zero out and see if Federal has made a big boo boo. Then do it again to see if you get the same results.

The issue is gonna be extent of
standard deviation, whether its always in the same direction and whether its re producible and whether its a big enough sample size to be statistically valid.....

Sort of a headache right?

Trade all the new ones for old ones.....

Actually I posted it up for my OCD reloading friends.....

In my limited experience anytime you change a components production lot you should load some test rounds with the new lot number and measure velocity and POI compared to your established load. It should most often be the same, but may occasionally be different.

Muddyboots said:

Actually I posted it up for my OCD reloading friends.....

Click to expand...

Yes, obsessive, compulsive, and
in this particular case, oblivious if they happen to be color blind too!

I observed Federal starting to use slightly different shades of sealant on different primers awhile back. I find it useful if your a messy reloader like me.

Koda_ said:

In my limited experience anytime you change a components production lot you should load some test rounds with the new lot number and measure velocity and POI compared to your established load. It should most often be the same, but may occasionally be different.

Click to expand...

I feel sure that Moddyboots is aware of that. I feel he was looking for any info on the new looking primers. By starting to look for problem before he even starts. i would do the same. I have some new Fed 210 and M on hand now. So I will pay a little more attention to that now.
Thankyou Muddyboots.

There will be zero difference, the man that mixed the die that went into the sealant got the colour wrong, have seen the same with the purple sealant on 215's too.
It's the priming compound you need to worry about, not the die colour…

Cheers.

MagnumManiac said:

There will be zero difference, the man that mixed the die that went into the sealant got the colour wrong, have seen the same with the purple sealant on 215's too.
It's the priming compound you need to worry about, not the die colour…

Cheers.

Click to expand...

Yep, probably the dye man was color blind himself......