Substituting primers

[PeteF 1,044]

With the hit and miss ability of getting primers, does anyone have any actual data (fps, Psi, etc)

substituting one primer for a different one?

 

 

For example:

 

180 grn FMJ 40

6.7 gns HS6

 

Whats the difference in pressure/muzzle velocity if I use Winchester SP primers vs say CCI small pistol primers?

[tony357 386]

none, unless you use a magnum primer.

[Old School 611]

I have heard that some primers are "hoter" than others.

That being said, If I'm loading a moderate load(meaning mid pressure range)

I will load with an alternate primer but, I will check for signs of pressure and performance on the first few rounds I fire.

 

To be cautious, you can start load developement all over again. But I don't.

 

I hope I am not called reckless.

 

AND OF COURSE I'M NOT SUGGESTING ANYONE FOLLOW THIS PRACTICE.

[lunker 274]

Some people would disagree but I find the biggest difference between magnum and standard primers to be the strength of the cup. Magnums can handle higher pressures. The actual difference in frisance (sp?) Is not that much in my experience. I reduce the powder charge by 5% with magnum primers and go from there.

[tony357 386]

usualy if a primer is substituted with a magnum the powder charge is dropped by .2 to .3 grains.

[Maksim 1,504]

Some people would disagree but I find the biggest difference between magnum and standard primers to be the strength of the cup. Magnums can handle higher pressures. The actual difference in frisance (sp?) Is not that much in my experience. I reduce the powder charge by 5% with magnum primers and go from there.

 

 

This is true for Wolf, however not sure about others.

 

I know a few folks who spoke with wolf and were told by wolf that their Magnum Primers are the same as the regular ones, just with a harder cup.

[Melgamatic 66]

reading the benchrest forums, magazines, etc, you can end up with a FPS change of as much as 75fps with a primer change. Consistency within the batch may not change, but your zero might move quite a bt.

[tony357 386]

Some people would disagree but I find the biggest difference between magnum and standard primers to be the strength of the cup. Magnums can handle higher pressures. The actual difference in frisance (sp?) Is not that much in my experience. I reduce the powder charge by 5% with magnum primers and go from there.

 

 

This is true for Wolf, however not sure about others.

 

I know a few folks who spoke with wolf and were told by wolf that their Magnum Primers are the same as the regular ones, just with a harder cup.

 

That would be something to look into, if the flash is the same, magnum loads that require a higher flash may hang fire with wolf primers then.

[Freedom-First 2]

For pistol I never give it a second thought. Small Pistol is Small Pistol regardless of manufacturer. The stuff you hear about one being hotter than the other is not going to make a hill of beans for what we are doing. Or really anybody for that matter. There is variability in primers coming from the same mfg and even the same box. Unless your splitting hairs, it won't really bother you.

 

If your loading rifle and going for high accuracy and range, then consistency in primers is something you want to pay attention to. In that case you woulod be buying Bench Rest primers.

[tony357 386]

Primers, the Sparkplug of Centerfire Cartridges

 

By Chuck Hawks

 

The primer ignites the main powder charge in the cartridge case. Without a good primer, nothing happens when a gun's firing pin falls. All ammunition commercially loaded in the U.S., as well as reloaded ammunition, uses the self-contained "Boxer" type primer, developed by Edward Boxer. This little device has a cup, which holds the priming compound, and an anvil. The anvil rests lightly on the priming pellet, which is crushed between the dent made by the impact of the firing pin and the anvil to initiate ignition.

 

European cartridges have traditionally used primers of the "Berdan" type, developed by Hiram Berdan, which lack the anvil of a Boxer primer. In a cartridge designed for a Berdan primer the anvil is built into the primer pocket of the case, rather than the primer. These cases can not be de-capped and reloaded by standard reloading tools. I understand that, as reloading catches on with European shooters, an increasing number of European cartridges are being factory loaded with Boxer primers.

 

It is a quirk of history that Edward Boxer was a British ordinance officer, yet his primer design was adopted in the U.S. Hiram Berdan was an American ordinance officer, yet his primer design was adopted in Europe, as well as most of the rest of the world.

 

The priming compound itself is an explosive intended to be detonated by percussion. (It can also be detonated by heat or flame.) There is typically less than one grain of priming compound in even the hottest primers. Never the less, primers must be handled and stored carefully. They are, after all, designed to start a fire. Store primers in the proverbial cool, dry place away from other flammables. High humidity degrades primers more than high temperature. According to CCI/Speer, properly stored primers will remain viable for decades.

 

Keep different types of primers separated so that they cannot be confused. Always store primers in their original packaging, which is designed for safety. Never store primers in bulk, such as in a can or jar. In many jurisdictions it is illegal to store more than 10,000 primers in a private home.

 

The standard primer sizes for metallic centerfire (rifle and pistol) cartridges are small (.175" diameter) and large (.210" diameter). The standard primer types are pistol, pistol magnum, rifle, and rifle magnum.

 

Rifle primers use tougher cups than pistol primers because the firing pin blow of rifles is usually harder than the firing pin blow of pistols. Rifle primers also contain more priming compound than pistol primers, since rifle cartridges typically contain more powder than pistol cartridges.

 

Magnum primers are "hotter" than standard primers. CCI/Speer typically recommends that magnum primers be used with ball (or spherical) powders, when loading magnum or other large capacity cases, and when it is anticipated that the cartridges will be used at temperatures below 20 degrees F. Ball powders are generally harder to ignite than flake and extruded powders and magnum primers are often called for, even in non-magnum rifle and pistol cartridges. Let your reloading manual be your guide to primer selection.

 

The common primer brands encountered in the U.S. are CCI, Federal, Remington, and Winchester. I have used all four of these brands, and they are all perfectly satisfactory. In addition, RWS (Boxer type) primers are sometimes available in North America, and are common in Europe.

 

Each of these brands has their own designation for the specific type and size of metallic centerfire primer. Here are the standard primers by brand. (There are also a few match, bench rest, and mil-spec primers, which are not included here.)

[tony357 386]

Some people would disagree but I find the biggest difference between magnum and standard primers to be the strength of the cup. Magnums can handle higher pressures. The actual difference in frisance (sp?) Is not that much in my experience. I reduce the powder charge by 5% with magnum primers and go from there.

 

 

This is true for Wolf, however not sure about others.

 

I know a few folks who spoke with wolf and were told by wolf that their Magnum Primers are the same as the regular ones, just with a harder cup.

 

Max, could be their primers are the same charge and just a harder cup on the magnums, both being a mag charge ?

[Maksim 1,504]

Some people would disagree but I find the biggest difference between magnum and standard primers to be the strength of the cup. Magnums can handle higher pressures. The actual difference in frisance (sp?) Is not that much in my experience. I reduce the powder charge by 5% with magnum primers and go from there.

 

 

This is true for Wolf, however not sure about others.

 

I know a few folks who spoke with wolf and were told by wolf that their Magnum Primers are the same as the regular ones, just with a harder cup.

 

Max, could be their primers are the same charge and just a harder cup on the magnums, both being a mag charge ?

 

who knows... that I dont recall. All I know is the difference for them is cup hardness. dont know about charges.