What is the best brand of primer
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tbury
Member
The brand you find in stock, these days. I have used Win, Rem, CCI, Federal, Alcan and I have not had problems with any brand. I tend to like Win large Pistol when I can find it as I do not need magnum primers if I use ball powder. I would use Wolf if that was all I could find. A lot of people like to stick with one brand as a way to reduce variables in their loads but when push comes to shove use what you can find.
Since 1978 I do not believe I have ever had a load fail to fire due to a properly cared for primer. I have had some that had gotten wet that failed. This has included Alcan, CCI, Federal, Winchester, Remington, Fiocchi, Tula, Wolf and maybe a few others. I have never run an accuracy test on primers that would not be tied in to a specific powder. Get what you can and work with it.
Twoboxer
Member
The best primers are the ones you can get 
Seriously, your question is too broad. Without reference to specific situations of interest, all of the major manufacturer's primers are functional and fit for the intended purpose.
Seriously, your question is too broad. Without reference to specific situations of interest, all of the major manufacturer's primers are functional and fit for the intended purpose.
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Even though all the primers sold today are probably just as reliable as any others I use mostly CCI primers and my second choice is Winchester. I prefer to stick with American made primers but I'm sure the foreign primers like Magtech, Fiocchi and the Russian primers like Tula and Wolf are just fine too.
Cdog
Member
I'm a Winchester man. I've not had any failures with any brand though.
The Winchester's just deliver the performance I count on for benchrest, varmint, deer, and any other precision app I have.
I do use CCI type 41 and 34 or equivalent in my selfloading rifles.
The Winchester's just deliver the performance I count on for benchrest, varmint, deer, and any other precision app I have.
I do use CCI type 41 and 34 or equivalent in my selfloading rifles.
photobiker
Member
Like everyone else said they all go bang. The only difference I know of is hardness. Federal are the softness and I believe CCI are the hardest. This only matters if you you have done some improvement to you firearm and it now uses a weaker firing pin spring.
kwselke
Member
Currently I have Winchester, Remington, and CCI primers on hand. I never really worried about one brand being better than another. Generally I buy what brand I can find that conforms to the size and type primer I'm looking for, and if more than one brand is available I'll go with the cheapest US brand.
They ALL work. There is some anecdotal beliefs that some are better than others but for the average Joe shooter as long as they go bang is all you need. As mentioned Federal are softer for those with real light trigger actions.
At the last craze 4 years ago I bough a bunch of WOLF. They work as well as any. If I can find Winchester I like those as I do not need a separate Magnum for Large Pistol. They do seat easier than the Wolf which are hard.
At the last craze 4 years ago I bough a bunch of WOLF. They work as well as any. If I can find Winchester I like those as I do not need a separate Magnum for Large Pistol. They do seat easier than the Wolf which are hard.
bluetopper
Member
I prefer Federal primers, but I dislike their large packaging.
Tula or Wolf primers suit me just fine though.
Tula or Wolf primers suit me just fine though.
Waywatcher
Member
I like CCI 500 for small pistol purposes, and Rem 7 1/2 for small rifle purposes.
UncleEd
Member
Regarding large pistol, I like Winchester since they are universal for regular and Magnum.
For small pistol, I like any of them including Magnum-rated even though I don't usually load hot Magnum loads.
One time I couldn't get regular so I bought a batch of Magnum. They worked fine in .38s though they are rated hotter (to ignite nearly full cases of slow powders). If I were to have used them with small cases like 9mm I might have backed off my load to perhaps, and I stress perhaps, see if the hotter ignition seemed to show signs of increased pressures.
For small pistol, I like any of them including Magnum-rated even though I don't usually load hot Magnum loads.
One time I couldn't get regular so I bought a batch of Magnum. They worked fine in .38s though they are rated hotter (to ignite nearly full cases of slow powders). If I were to have used them with small cases like 9mm I might have backed off my load to perhaps, and I stress perhaps, see if the hotter ignition seemed to show signs of increased pressures.
+1 for Winchesters, especially the small pistol primers. I have a couple Smiths that have been really slicked up for target shooting, and they don't always set off the CCI primers. Never had a problem with Winchesters, though. From what I've heard they're a little bit softer than CCIs.
Plus I like the looks of brass-colored primers, especially when loaded into nickel cases.
Plus I like the looks of brass-colored primers, especially when loaded into nickel cases.
Definitely, whatever you can get your hands on, nowadays. I have used both Magnum and regular primers, and yes, the Magnums are a little hotter (enough to know the difference), but as long as you're not loading a max or close to max load already, you shouldn't have any problem not changing your current load just because you've only got Magnum and not regular primers.
howlnmad
Member
Whatever brand that you can get your hands on today. I prefer Remington and CCI.
photoman
Member
I've used more Winchester and CCI than anything else. I really don't think it matters that much but I'm not really looking for maximum accuracy with my reloading.
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i cannot tell any differance between any of them
thetrio_94043
Member
I generally use CCI primers. I have used other like Federal, Remington, and Winchester but I do not think it matters a whole lot in pistols.
Maybe benchrest shooting but short of that, anything that is available right now is the "best".
Maybe benchrest shooting but short of that, anything that is available right now is the "best".
gregintenn
Member
I've used just about every brand I can get my hands on, and so far, every one of them have reliably ignited powder. That's about all I want in a primer.
gutterman
Member
Traded for some PMC small pistol a few weeks ago. Two thousand of them and was happy to get them!
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I have used Federals, Remingtons, Winchesters and CCI. To be honest I don't really see much difference in them except for the fact that the Winchesters are a brass color and the Federals come in "shoe boxes". Performance wise they are pretty much the same so I usually buy the Federal simply because they are usually the least expensive.
ChuckS1
US Veteran
I buy whatever's least expensive. American-made isn't such a big deal with me, since ATK virtually owns the small arms ammo market in the US and makes more than enough money on DoD contracts. Buying the relatively small percentage of overall sales that home reloaders represent from Wolf/Tula isn't going to put any Americans out of work. So far, Wolf/Tula are what I've been using due to the price. I buy in bulk, though. So far, all the Russian primers have gone "bang" when I want them to, as long as I do my part.
LittleCooner
Member
Have used CCI, Winchester, Federal, Wolf, and Remington over the years and in a handgun, can not see any difference, they all has preformed as desired. In a rifle, it is really hard to tell the difference. In today's environment , follow my lead and buy what you can find avaliable at a normal price. Just picked up an extra 1000 of Winchester yesterday because I found them in stock.
They are definete measurable differences in relative burn rate in brands of primers. Usually nothing that a slight change in powder weight can't accomodate. Federal reglar pistol primers are easier to set off, if that is a concern. Harder to be picky these days
I've used all of them Rem. Win. CCI, Federal...over the last 25+ years in both rifles and pistols large and small magnum or standard, for the live of me I can't tell any difference, they all goes bang.
However I use nothing but Fed. Gold Medal in my center fire target rifles, they use to label as Benchrest primer.
However I use nothing but Fed. Gold Medal in my center fire target rifles, they use to label as Benchrest primer.
A lot depends on the primer and powder "lots" that you receive.
Each new lot can be just a little bit different,lot to lot.
I have a 1903 custom 30-06 that shoots 180gr bullets with IMR 4350 powder from low target loads to maximum velosity loads and I need cci and WLR primers to get top groups with these loads.
W209 is my go to primer for all my 12Ga loads and for my pistol loads I use federal, cci and winchester, depends on the powders and bullets,used in the guns.
As mentioned, right now, what ever you can find.
PS;
I agree with the over size federal packaging and save old cci,win boxs to add f100 primers then tape the fed label to the box. Pain in the arsh but they fit into my primer area.
good hunting.
Each new lot can be just a little bit different,lot to lot.
I have a 1903 custom 30-06 that shoots 180gr bullets with IMR 4350 powder from low target loads to maximum velosity loads and I need cci and WLR primers to get top groups with these loads.
W209 is my go to primer for all my 12Ga loads and for my pistol loads I use federal, cci and winchester, depends on the powders and bullets,used in the guns.
As mentioned, right now, what ever you can find.
PS;
I agree with the over size federal packaging and save old cci,win boxs to add f100 primers then tape the fed label to the box. Pain in the arsh but they fit into my primer area.
good hunting.
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ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I have both rifle and handgun primers in CCI and Winchester. I have some Remington rifle primers and some Federal SPP, all are just fine in my book. Even though the foreign primers are good I prefer to use American products so I stick with the 4 brands made here.
Federal's packaging is ridiculous and it's bad enough to stop me from using their primers. I do not have unlimited shelf space and 1 box of Federal primers will take up the space of between 3 to 5 of the others. I keep 2000 Federal SPP on hand just in case I come across a revolver that has had work done to it and needs Federal primers to fire reliably.
Federal's packaging is ridiculous and it's bad enough to stop me from using their primers. I do not have unlimited shelf space and 1 box of Federal primers will take up the space of between 3 to 5 of the others. I keep 2000 Federal SPP on hand just in case I come across a revolver that has had work done to it and needs Federal primers to fire reliably.
old&slow
Member
What photobiker said.
My first choice is Federal they work in my target guns that have lighter srings in them. 2nd choice is Winchester.
( except one poster once said the brass colored Win. are harder, I've used them and haven't had any problems with them so far)
I don't usually care for CCI's, but that's just my opinion.
For Magnum pistol stuff I like Winchester. I've had the Federal flow a bit with really warm magnum loads.
For rifle I like Federal Match.
But with all the panic buying / hoarding going on now I would say if you need them ,, buy what you can find. Because they all work ..
