Primers

[oneyeopn]

I am getting everything gathered up to start reloading my brass. I want to go with 68 grain bullets to give me a little more stability in my longer shots. Anyhow while I was researching primers I found that while .223 uses small rifle primers some of the manufacturers make a "special" primer for 5.56x45 that is hotter giving more complete powder ignition. I was wanting to know if anyone had dealt with these primers and If anyone would know a source for them. Although I have yet to see them in a store, I also had never looked for them.
Any ideas?

 

[oneyeopn]

Just learned that Small Rifle primers are very subject to slam fires in an AR, Small Rifle Magnums are also. I can order CCI #41 primers from Midway but they are going to be close to $100 for 2000. Wow, have to recalculate the cost of reloading, or find some cheaper closer.

 

[crracer_712]

What about the CCI small rifle primers? Are they suseptible to this slam fire? They cost about the same as the winchester rifle primers, or at least the ones I have did.

 

[crracer_712]

Midway sells the CCI 41 primers for 41.99 a thousand, of course they show a hazmat charge too. I'm thinking my LGS would sell them for the same or cheaper, it's only going to add a cost of less than one cent per round.

I had figured that using the WSM primers would run around 3.20 for a box of 20 reloads. So 3.21 is still considerably cheaper than the American Eagle on sale for 6.97 at my local walmart.

I know you are going with heavy boolets (that's cool right there!), but I imagine factory loads are eqaully higher.

 

[crracer_712]

FYI, Midway show Tulammo primers for the nato round 5.56, 22.99 per 1000. Only one review, claims to have no misfires.

 

[crracer_712]

Federal 205M seems to fair very well in AR15 as well and are just a buck higher than the winchester.

 

[danco]

I use CCI small rifle magnum primers and have never had a slam-fire...

 

[Lee in Quartzsite]

I have always used Small Rifle Primers, usually CCI or Winchester, when reloading my AR .223 ammo. I have never had any kind of a problem, either loading or shooting. They always go Bang when they are supposed to.

The Internet is always a good place for information, unfortunately not all of it is accurate or true. People that do not have first hand information and only repeat what they think someone said are the worst people to give advice...but on the Internet everyone can be an expert on any subject.....

 

[oneyeopn]

Thank you Lee in Quartzite, that is why I wanted to ask people with practical knowledge not just something they read out of a book. I will be loading with IMR4895 and have not had any difficulties with it firing in anything else I have loaded and it has always burned clean. But I havent loaded for semi-automatics and didnt know if there was a difference.

 

[Dragon88]

Just learned that Small Rifle primers are very subject to slam fires in an AR, Small Rifle Magnums are also.

Says who? I have never used anything BUT Fed SR match primers in my 223 handloads. I have never seen a slam fire in an AR. Not one.

 

[Hobie1]

I've read about Fed. SR primers being prone to slam-fires. I just loaded 100 rounds and am going to the range Saturday to shoot them. I did take a 1/2 dozen primed cases beforehand and chambered each one and let the bolt slam forward to see if a s/f was going to occur. It didn't and the primer wasn't even dimpled.
Sooo....
I've been using CCI BR primers to date and they have performed perfectly.
I'm dusting off the ol' chronograph also and will post my results.
Hobie

 

[philevans]

been using ~30 year old cci bench rest primers BR-4, 0019, in the light blue box with the non-compartemented trays.
slam fires have not happened in my sport,
although very slight marking by the firing pin can be seen on the primer, when ejected and not fired.
never had a slam fire in my handloaded Garand and AR 15 cartridges, thousands over a period of 40 years.

 

[oneyeopn]

Dragon88 I was reading some stuff on LuckyGunner and MidwayUSA and one other looking for primers that had me hesitant. if SR will work well then I am all for it. I didnt want to pay double the price for primers.

 

[oneyeopn]

Small Rifle Primers

Here is the page that I was refering too!

 

[philevans]

Small Rifle Primers

Here is the page that I was refering too!

way too many inaccuracies in the article to have come from an author that has reloading knowledge.
i wrote an e-mail contact to Lucky Gunner and pointed out some of their myths. wrong knowledge could have serious consequences.

 

[Scotch827]

I like Powder Valley, Inc. I order my powder and primers together. You have to order in bulk to make the Hazemat fee cost effective. Also this is a good website to figure out what it is costing you to reload. I figure with I can reload for about 50% of the cost of buying ammo for my Sport. I reload for all my rifles and pistols.

 

[Scotch827]

I went through the same thing with slam fires and primers when I started reloading for my Sport. I went with the CCI AR primers because I wasn't sure what to think. They are a little more expensive but I wanted to be sure everything was safe. When I get a little more educated I may change my mind.

 

[Lee in Quartzsite]

Well, thanks to this Thread I learned something new. I have never heard of an "AR" primer, so I went looking at all of the primers Specs and discovered CCI actually does make a Military Primer. Not so with Winchester, Federal, Remington...at least not according to their web sites. They are more expensive. Being that I have always reloaded with Small Rifle Primers without a problem, and that I have a considerable amount of them in stock, I will just stay with what I have. Did learn something though!

CCI Ammunition - Primers

CCI Ammunition - Primer Details

Small Rifle Military Primers #41

 

[BHarada]

I like Powder Valley, Inc. I order my powder and primers together. You have to order in bulk to make the Hazemat fee cost effective. Also this is a good website to figure out what it is costing you to reload. I figure with I can reload for about 50% of the cost of buying ammo for my Sport. I reload for all my rifles and pistols.

How's their shipping rates? Their Hazmet fee is $28 less than what Midway charges, but Midway's shipping for an equivalent order (16 lbs of powder and 5000 primers) is only $15.

 

[Scotch827]

This was my last order. It came Fed Ex ground. I think it's reasonable.

1 HOR22271 HORNADY .224 55 GR VMAX (100) 15.63 15.63T
3 RAMTAC-01 RAMSHOT TAC 1# 17.85 53.55T
1 ALLBUL-08 ALLIANT BULLSEYE 8# 102.00 102.00T
3 CCI41 CCI #41 5.56 MILITARY PRIMERS (1000) 33.00 99.00T
SUB-TOTAL 270.18
87178
SIGNATURE OK
2 INSURANCE INSURANCE 0.50 1.00
HAZMAT HAZMAT CHARGE 27.50 27.50
FREIGHT SHIPPING AND HANDLING 11/3 18# 13.95 13.95
$

 

[BW64]

Wow!! Those prices are way out of line. i just bought 2000 CCI#41 at the local gun show for $16/1000. I use them, Win STP, & CCI SRP in my AR with no problems!!


BW

 

[BHarada]

This was my last order. It came Fed Ex ground. I think it's reasonable.

1 HOR22271 HORNADY .224 55 GR VMAX (100) 15.63 15.63T
3 RAMTAC-01 RAMSHOT TAC 1# 17.85 53.55T
1 ALLBUL-08 ALLIANT BULLSEYE 8# 102.00 102.00T
3 CCI41 CCI #41 5.56 MILITARY PRIMERS (1000) 33.00 99.00T
SUB-TOTAL 270.18
87178
SIGNATURE OK
2 INSURANCE INSURANCE 0.50 1.00
HAZMAT HAZMAT CHARGE 27.50 27.50
FREIGHT SHIPPING AND HANDLING 11/3 18# 13.95 13.95
$

That's reassuring. It made me nervous to fill out their order form only to see that they don't tell you how much shipping is before you place the order.

And since I'm actually reloading 44 mag I don't have to worry about specialty primers. lol

 

[crracer_712]

Wow!! Those prices are way out of line. i just bought 2000 CCI#41 at the local gun show for $16/1000. I use them, Win STP, & CCI SRP in my AR with no problems!!


BW

16 bucks for the CCI 41 primers is a steal. Hope they have been stored well through their travels.

 

[BHarada]

This was my last order. It came Fed Ex ground. I think it's reasonable.

1 HOR22271 HORNADY .224 55 GR VMAX (100) 15.63 15.63T
3 RAMTAC-01 RAMSHOT TAC 1# 17.85 53.55T
1 ALLBUL-08 ALLIANT BULLSEYE 8# 102.00 102.00T
3 CCI41 CCI #41 5.56 MILITARY PRIMERS (1000) 33.00 99.00T
SUB-TOTAL 270.18
87178
SIGNATURE OK
2 INSURANCE INSURANCE 0.50 1.00
HAZMAT HAZMAT CHARGE 27.50 27.50
FREIGHT SHIPPING AND HANDLING 11/3 18# 13.95 13.95
$

Gotta thank you for the heads up on Powder Valley. I placed and order for 8# of Bullseye and 5K of CCI300 primers (reloading for a 44mag, sorry. haha) yesterday. Got the invoice just now and was charged the same $13.95 for shipping. Too bad they were out of every flavor of 44 bullets I was looking for.

 

[Scotch827]

BHarda.Your welcome. Glad it helped. I like Powder Valley. They are reasonable on everything. If you buy a lot at one time the Hazmat fee balances out.

 

[gunfighter48]

The last time I reloaded for an AR I used CCI small rifle primers for 5 years with no problems. I used to reload about 4K to 8K a year.

 

[oneyeopn]

The last time I reloaded for an AR I used CCI small rifle primers for 5 years with no problems. I used to reload about 4K to 8K a year.

Crracer picked me up a thousand #41's and I am going to use them, but in the future I may try Small Rifle Primers, unless I can find someone in Wichita with Wolf brand military primers. Wideners had them for $17 a thousand. After realizing that I had over 300 pieces of brass to reload, my Dad is right a thousand primers is just a start.