gutterman
Member
Traded for some PMC small pistol a few weeks ago. Two thousand of them and was happy to get them!
What is the best brand of primer
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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 ..
all357mag
Member
Whatever they got!
rjn5777
Member
I have through the years liked CCi for my rifles ..and winchester for my pistols ..good thing is CCI are silver ...and Winchester are gold ..so you can never mix them up ..
TSQUARED
Member
During more than 50 yeras of reloading I have used Federal, Remington, Winchester and CCI primers and have never experienced one that did not ignite. I tend to use Federal primers for my revolver loads and Winchester primers in my pistol loads. For rifle loads I use either Remington or Winchester primers.
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I have never had a primer fail. If you had failures is it possible you were at fault? You might not have seated them properly. Did you try to fire the round a second time and if so, did they fire? 99.9999% of primers failing to fire is caused by user error. Winchester primers are Extremely reliable!!!
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For a primer that I want to disable I'll throw it into a small bottle filled with used motor oil. To the best of my knowledge & experience as long as the oil is covering them they won't work. When I accumulate a group of them I'll take them out of the oil and pull the anvil out - now its permanently disabled.
I have never had an occasion to try to kill a primer and can't imagine the need to do so, so I am curious why you would be doing so not just once but enough times to "accumulate a group".
Ivan the Butcher
Member
When it comes to short range pistol ammo, if you can get primers that go bang-good enough. However if we are talking real good rifle ammo for varmit or long range match, the gold standard nowdays is Federal Match. In 1998 the EPA outlawed all lead in the primer compound, the best primer before 1998 was CCI BR-1 and BR-2 (they are in a blue box and if you come across 500 or more they are worth setting aside for a special project) , nothing is that good now, if I knew then what I know now I would have bought at least 40,000 of each. The Remington 7 1/2 is currently a good match/bench rest primer if your loads are on the high end of pressure, light loads aren't consistant. My best friend swears by Wolf primers for his hangun loads. I like CCI and Winchester. Ivan
