The effects of changing primers

[MagnumManiac]

Is there a certain amount of powder before you would use a magnum primer? Or is it a combination of a certain amount of powder and the type of powder i.e. ball versus stick? I've been reloading for 30+ years but just now starting to get into the science of it and long range shooting over the last 10 years. I am contemplating using magnum primer in my 280AI & 30-06AI

Nope, makes zero difference to me the amount or type of powder.
Have had a load with a standard primer perform well but the same lot of testing performed better with a magnum primer.
I also run brass with both small and large primers, so they get tested with both types of primers and the tightest group wins.
Learnt long ago that a magnum primer can not only tighten groups, but also lower ES.
Have also had a standard primer like a BR-2 lower ES in a magnum cartridge.
If you don't test, you'll never know.
I often here people saying that they ONLY use benchrest primers because they are the only primers that are consistent.
I found over the pressure trace that WLR primers are the most consistent in start pressure because they are HOT primers and the WLRM are hotter than Fed215's.
Rem primers, all of them, are COLD.

Cheers.

 

[Baylor243]

My dad has an old '06 that never shot great but never missed either. It will shoot pretty similar with whatever primer he's got laying in the bench. We mostly only use CCI, REM and WIN primers. He likes REM the most.

On the other hand, I have a rifle that loved the old Winchester Large Rifle primers (in the white box with the cowboy on the front). I ran out of them and went to the newer ones in the blue box...it was like a hangover after a great party. I tweaked and tinkered with it and got it shooting pretty good, but never did get it all the way back.

I thought it was pretty interesteing to see the changes considering the same brand of primers. Just goes to show that even lot to lot differences are inevitable.

 

[MAD10]

Speaking of primers .... I just ran a my 338 Edge with 200 CCI instead of the 250's and still made first round hits at 1,270 yards .....YMMV

 

[skipglo]

Several years ago I bought 4000 Federal 215 primers on sale at Long's Drug store in Anchorage. I have used nothing else in my 300 Win. Mag. I have some CCI and Winchester Large rifle magnum primers to try. I got a brick of each before this shortage started. Time to experiment. I think I will vacuum seal the old primer boxes for display- they still have to price tag on them. $7.35. They should be on display.

Morning Red.....are you saying 7.35 U.S. was a good price....or it was a good price in Alaska! I know it's looking like a good price today....but yiokes?

 

[skipglo]

When I changed from Federal 210 to 210 match I nearly fell over looking at the target. Groups OPENED UP 2"+. I never would have believed it if I hadn't shot it myself. But years ago a 2" group was ACCURATE! There is a ton of new things I learned after drinking the Long Range Kool Aid and it seems just about EVERYTHING MAKES A DIFFERENCE....some far more dramatic than others. Just changing Brass was the next greatest Shocker!

 

[MAD10]

Morning Red.....are you saying 7.35 U.S. was a good price....or it was a good price in Alaska! I know it's looking like a good price today....but yiokes?

I believe he's reffering to he bought 1000 for $7.35 which my last brick of 1000 CCI 250s cost about $33 pre-crisis - so it had to be many years before now he paid that price > now if that is per 100 than he's paying two times as much in AK pre crisis

 

[skipglo]

I believe he's reffering to he bought 1000 for $7.35 which my last brick of 1000 CCI 250s cost about $33 pre-crisis - so it had to be many years before now he paid that price > now if that is per 100 than he's paying two times as much in AK pre crisis

It's been my experience that price wise...you are better off living in Alberta than Alaska...freight to Alaska is murderous....I'm betting per 100. And saying this...Alberta has been raped and pillaged in prices for the past 90 years compared to the rest of Canada below the Territories.

 

[L.Sherm]

EVERYTHING MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

This is 100% correct, but if you dont test you'll never know.
Its why my belief is think outside the box sometimes and not follow the leader.

 

[skipglo]

This is 100% correct, but if you dont test you'll never know.
Its why my belief is think outside the box sometimes and not follow the leader.

Well said my friend!

 

[Gater]

What's the difference between CCI small rifle br and the 5.56 primers ?

 

[Gater]

For F-class load development, I always run the exact same components only changing primers side by side to see which performs best...and I try both standard and magnum primers within those tests regardless of cartridge. My 222 performs best with 748 and 205 magnum primers.
My 25-06's perform best with magnum primers as well.
It pays to test.

Cheers.

I thought I was the only one using 748

 

[ofbandg]

For what it's worth, my favourite .375 H&H load uses well over 70 grains of Reloader 15 and a standard primer.

 

[ButterBean]

For what it's worth, my favourite .375 H&H load uses well over 70 grains of Reloader 15 and a standard primer.

My 300WSM uses CCI200 as well

 

[L.Sherm]

What's the difference between CCI small rifle br and the 5.56 primers ?

I think those primers were developed for AR's, not saying they won't work for bolt guns.