mainly
Winchester, CCI, Remington, anything else that is not toxic or corrosive.
Winchester, CCI, Remington, anything else that is not toxic or corrosive.
Do you have a favorite brand of primers?
- Thread starter Preacher Skip
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BruceM
Member
For handguns, I prefer Winchester. For rifles requiring magnum primers, CCI. For rifles requiring standard primers, either CCI or Winchester.
Bruce
Bruce
fredj338
Member
For most handgun, brand doesnt matter. used them all at some point .For precision rifle loads, it could matter quite a bit. I will work up my most accurate load for a rifle, then use 2-3 diff brands of primers to see if it matters. Some times it matters a little, sometimes quite a bit.
For just practice pistol ammo I have been using the S&Bs that I got for 18 per M..I bought a bunch of them and I got 30M S&W(Alcan) SP at an auction in October for (not a joke) 30 bucks. They are working fine. And at the gun show a week ago I bought Fiocchi 1500 packs of SR for 25 bucks a pack...Bought 5. 7500 primers for 125 bucks. I have been using them about 8 yrs and was almost out. Thought they quit selling them that way. Otherwise I use CCI BR2 and BR4s for serious rifle and CCI pistol primers for important handgun stuff.
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CCI's were my go to for everything. Never an issue.
One trip to Cabelas a couple years ago, and no SP CCI's to be found. Ended up with S&B's. Bought 2 bricks to try, great price. No issues with those either.
Now, it's S&B's for my handguns and CCI's for my long guns.
One trip to Cabelas a couple years ago, and no SP CCI's to be found. Ended up with S&B's. Bought 2 bricks to try, great price. No issues with those either.
Now, it's S&B's for my handguns and CCI's for my long guns.
Wee Hooker
Member
I used to be a primer snob and only used Federal, Winchester or CCI . Then they became impossible to get for years so I tried wolf and other "off" brands. I truly find no difference in my informal handgun shooting. That said, when I can I do stick to federal when competing since most of my range revolvers have lighter actions that benefit from the softer primer.
imakmst
Member
I buy CCI in both SP and LP, when I find them. There was this one "shortage" where I bought some Wolf LP, and they did fine.
Mostly CCI, but I do use some Winchester SR and LR primers. However, I do use Remington SR for one of my 55gr 223 loads.
I did use one brick of Federal LP magnum primers because they were all I could find at the time; worked just fine.
Most of my loads were developed with CCI so I prefer to use them.
I did use one brick of Federal LP magnum primers because they were all I could find at the time; worked just fine.
Most of my loads were developed with CCI so I prefer to use them.
Clovishound
Member
Anything but Winchester.
Had several 100 primer packs with a pretty high failure to fire percentage. Switched to CCI and Federal and have never had one of those fail to go bang.
Had several 100 primer packs with a pretty high failure to fire percentage. Switched to CCI and Federal and have never had one of those fail to go bang.
SmokelessPowder
Member
I hate buying Federal primers because they come in huge packaging that takes up too much space. I normally buy Remington as they have the smallest packaging and work well, especially the 7 1/2 small rifle in my 223 loads. However, they don't feed so great in my recently acquired Dillon Auto Prime so I decided to try CCI which happened to be the cheapest ones. CCI packaging is pretty good and I've been able to get perfect feeding in my Auto Prime with small pistol.
AveragEd
Member
I have used nothing but CCI primers for many years strictly because of their availability. But I recently found and bought a bunch of Remington small and large pistol primers for the same reason as the previous poster mentioned. I used Remington 209s exclusively in my 12-gauge trap loads for 20 years and out of over 10,000 used per year, had one dud. Given that, I have no concerns about their pistol primers.
I also recently found Federal Gold Metal Match primers in pistol and rifle types including magnum rifle so I bought some of them, too. It will be a while before I start using any of the new ones as I still have several thousand of each CCI primer to go through first.
I had some bad experiences with Winchester reloading components - brass, in each case - several years ago and the experience with their customer service was even worse so I swore off anything bearing their name. I do use AutoComp powder but since that really is a Hodgdon product under the WW name, I know the service behind the product will be good.
Ed
I also recently found Federal Gold Metal Match primers in pistol and rifle types including magnum rifle so I bought some of them, too. It will be a while before I start using any of the new ones as I still have several thousand of each CCI primer to go through first.
I had some bad experiences with Winchester reloading components - brass, in each case - several years ago and the experience with their customer service was even worse so I swore off anything bearing their name. I do use AutoComp powder but since that really is a Hodgdon product under the WW name, I know the service behind the product will be good.
Ed
Moe Mentum
Member
Whatever is the cheapest at the time. I used them all, never had a problem with any primer.
MyDads38
Member
CCI and Winchester are my 2 favorites. I have some Remington, the LP were hard to seat, so I won't buy any more of those. They have all gone "bang" when used, so no issues there with any of them.
GypsmJim
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I have been using CCI primers for 45 years because back then someone told me they were the best. A few years ago I couldn't get them, so based on comments on this forum stating that Winchester was equivalent I bought 2 bricks.
My tests have shown that they are indeed equivalent. However, the unplated surfaces are not as smooth and thus they hang up in my primer feed tube. I contstantly have to manipulate the tube to keep them flowing.
CCIs are available again and I have stocked up with a long term supply. I won't buy Win again.
My tests have shown that they are indeed equivalent. However, the unplated surfaces are not as smooth and thus they hang up in my primer feed tube. I contstantly have to manipulate the tube to keep them flowing.
CCIs are available again and I have stocked up with a long term supply. I won't buy Win again.
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My favorite brand is Federal but I hate the stupid "shoe boxes" they come in! I now buy what is the least expensive or readily available which usually is Winchester now days. Winchester is my least favorite brand not because I have any problems with them, but because it irks me that they cheaped out and won't Nickel plate them! I have also used Remington and CCI but the two "bargains" in primers now are Federal or Winchester.
I stick to the 4 American Brands and find no real difference in performance or fit between them. Even though many will say CCI primers won't reliably go off with light actions I have never ad a single problem with them. Since I shoot quite often and go through lots of ammo I use primarily what I can get the least expensive within those 4 brands.
My CCW / SD ammo is always Factory so I can't justify spending more on one brand or another since they all seem to work just fine for Target Shooting and Plinking. I will NOT use foreign brands as that's where I draw the line. Not saying there is anything inherently wrong with them - but just like using the USA made ones.
I stick to the 4 American Brands and find no real difference in performance or fit between them. Even though many will say CCI primers won't reliably go off with light actions I have never ad a single problem with them. Since I shoot quite often and go through lots of ammo I use primarily what I can get the least expensive within those 4 brands.
My CCW / SD ammo is always Factory so I can't justify spending more on one brand or another since they all seem to work just fine for Target Shooting and Plinking. I will NOT use foreign brands as that's where I draw the line. Not saying there is anything inherently wrong with them - but just like using the USA made ones.
