Primers: The Good, Bad and So So

[EMTCurly]

Today I saw Remington primers for sale at Outdoor World (Bass Pro Shop) for 34 bucks a thousand. Since I didn't think it was all that bad a price (esp. for such a large chain store!), it got me thinking.

How does Remington rank when compared to Winchester, CCI and Federal?

Gregg

[GrumpyOne]

$34 is actually an outrageous price. Way over priced. I have used them, but paid $23 per thousand. Didn't like them. To me, they seem to not have the anvil seated all the way in the cup, so when you seat the primer, you have to make sure that you also seat the anvil all the way into the cup, or it's just "click" when you pull the trigger. I ended up having quite a few misfires with Remington SPP. Winchester is by far the best I have used. Be it small pistol, large pistol, any of the magnum primers (which is what I use now exclusivley, Win SPMP), SR, heck, any Win primer. Look online at Powder Valley, Garf and Sons, etc, for primers. You will pay a hazmat fee for shipping, but if you buy in bulk (5,000 or more) it will generally be worth it. Last I bought was 5,000 Win SPMP from PV, at $25.00 per thousand, with a $25.00 hazmat fee, making each thousand only $30.00. Auburndale, huh? I'm up in Gainesville.

[21 shooter]

I prefer the Federal primers, especially in a revolver. I have found the Federal to be more reliable than the Winchester primers. I don't like CCI at all for handguns, but I many years ago that is all I used for rifle primers. In the past, the Remingtons were harder to ignite than the Federals, but they may have changed since I last used them.

Edited May 19, 2010 by 21 shooter

[LPatterson]

$34 a 1000 is the average price out here but I don't use Remington and never have because CCI were always cheaper. I recently loaded the last of my CCI's from the 60's @ $9.95 a brick.

Recent gun show had a dealer selling Winchester's at #32.95 K so I grabbed 10,000 because I doubt the price will go down in July 2011 when we leave Afganistan.

[twodownzero]

I've never had any problems with Federal, CCI, or Winchester.

I've had enough problems with Wolf SP that I'll never buy another one of their primers.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I've never had any problems with Federal, CCI, or Winchester.

I've had enough problems with Wolf SP that I'll never buy another one of their primers.

If you think the Wolf's are bad (I get 1-2/100 not go bang,

try the S & B's - they are really tough to set off:((

[scap99]

I got some Magtech a while back from Midway. I've had really good luck with them.

I've also had great luck with Winchester and CCI.

All my experience is with SPP only.

[Tom D.]

I usually use WSP in my G22 and M&P 40 but due to availability & price picked up 5K Wolf which have worked fine and they are still available at Powder Valley. Suppose one can have problems with any brand.

[sfchorn]

Since (like everyone else) I've been limited to what was available, I've been using MagTech SPP for the last 9-10 months. Have not had any issues with over 10k. Since I'm down to my last 5k, figured it was time to see what was available. Picked up 20k of Wolf SPP for a little over $25 per k. Yep, I have heard the stories. Figure I'll use them for practive and use the MagTech for matches.

Edited for spelling

Edited June 7, 2010 by sfchorn

[RickB]

What are the stories about Wolf primers? That is, I've found some saying they're hard to seat, some reporting failures to ignite, but is there a story that explains it? Are they larger in diameter than "major" brands? Are the cups hard, or is there some other issue? Is it a specific primer - Small Pistol, for instance - that's had problems? I've burned 5000 Large Pistol with no issues at all, and wonder if I lead a charmed life, or ?

[The_Vigilante]

Have had problems with the Wolf small pistol primers not igniting. No problems so far with the Wolf large pistol primers.

[JimmyZip]

I like Federals, CCI, and will use Wolf because I still have about 4K of them left. I like the Federals because they are softer than the others, and easy to seat too. I readjusted my primer seater on my press, and have not had any high primers since, but I have found the Wolf harder to seat, but not impossible.

I like the CCI primers because they are the easiest to get, and they work well. I am sitting on lots of them and will continue to buy them by the 5K box whenever they are available. I usally pay $125.00 per 5K.

[21 shooter]

My preference for pistol and revolver is Federal, and CCI for small rifle. I quit using Winchester some time back because they were harder to set off in a revolver. Like others, I am now forced to use what I can find, and have been using WW for practice rounds. I've had some duds with WW primers, and also in loaded ammo--USA brand-- and have seen SXT rounds that did not go bang. Having said that, I'm sure that at this point in time there are quality control problems everywhere due to increased production and less QC. Or at least that is a reasonable guess.

I have also used some Remington primers, and they were easy to seat. All of them went bang.

[Pat Miles]

I prefer WSR for my open gun. Picked up 10K the other day, $131.00/5K. Good deal! Had them on order with a friend about seven months.

CYa,

Pat

[pjb45]

I loaded about 20 rounds of 9mm for my XD. The XD has a awesome trigger job on it. I used CCI for the first time. I had four light primer strikes. Two of the four went off when I reloaded them in the mag. I am not putting a stronger spring in the XD. It is easier for me to switch to other primers. I will be trying the Magtech next. Then I will progress to Wolf.

I might reserve the CCI to my .223 reloads.

[Dodge DeBoulet]

I loaded about 20 rounds of 9mm for my XD. The XD has a awesome trigger job on it. I used CCI for the first time. I had four light primer strikes. Two of the four went off when I reloaded them in the mag. I am not putting a stronger spring in the XD. It is easier for me to switch to other primers. I will be trying the Magtech next. Then I will progress to Wolf.

I might reserve the CCI to my .223 reloads.

If you're getting light primer strikes/misfires with the CCI's, I really don't think there's any point in trying the Wolf. They've yanked their 100% Performance Guarantee on primers, so I'm not sure you want to do business with them anyway.

[RickB]

100% performance guarantee; they'd replace any primer that didn't go off?

[Bob DuBois]

I stick with Federal 100 small pistol primers for revolvers. Winchester pistol primers in auto pistols.

Winchester WSR small rifle primers in 38 super open.

[dejadoo]

I loaded about 20 rounds of 9mm for my XD. The XD has a awesome trigger job on it. I used CCI for the first time. I had four light primer strikes. Two of the four went off when I reloaded them in the mag. I am not putting a stronger spring in the XD. It is easier for me to switch to other primers. I will be trying the Magtech next. Then I will progress to Wolf.

I might reserve the CCI to my .223 reloads.

I'm shooting an XDM40 with a Springer trigger job (roughly 2.5 lbs) and have not issues with CCI or Magtech, both SMR.

[Glockcomma]

I've gone threw 10,000 Wolf SP with no problems in my STI open guns with 1.75# triggers but have about a 2% failure rate in my Glock open guns with sub 2# triggers. I bought some Remington SP for an upcoming Glock match (got robbed at $3.49 a box) tested them out the night before OMG I have never had such a high failure rate with any primer only about half of them went bang. Probably would work fine in my STI's but in a Glock with a light trigger or a revolver, forget about it. I had to scramble to find some Winchester SP and load up 300 rounds, they all went bang.

Tim

[Cy Soto]

If you're getting light primer strikes/misfires with the CCI's, I really don't think there's any point in trying the Wolf. They've yanked their 100% Performance Guarantee on primers, so I'm not sure you want to do business with them anyway.

They are still showing this on their primer page:

WOLF is the only ammunition company that

provides a 100% Performance Guarantee. If

you are not fully satisfied, WOLF will refund

your money on the unused portion of the

ammunition, including and freight charges.

I have heard of some shooters that have taken advantage of this guarantee. Since they could not ship primers back to Wolf, they were mailed a check for the full amount of their unused portion and told to "dispose of them properly".

I have used Wolf primers but I have had less-than-spectacular results in most of my pistols. I only have one pistol (a 1911) which will ignite them 100% of the time. All other pistols have had issues with them.

My primers of choice is Federal SPP. I have never had any issues with these. Even in pistols with very light trigger jobs.

[pjb45]

I tried Wolf and Magtech primers. I will not be using either in my XD production gun. Both had failures.

Winchester Small Pistol and Small Pistol Magnums had not problems whatsoever. The Wolf and Magtech work fine in my Limited and SS guns. I will load up the last 1000 9mm bullets and change over to another caliber in a week or so.

[MoNsTeR]

Magtechs work in my Vanek-ized Glocks. I think I've had one failure to ignite in 2000 rounds, which is close enough to zero for me. In the same guns Wolfs fail about 1%, which is NOT close enough to zero. The Wolfs work 100% in my STIs though.

The gold standard for me are Winchesters. If I can ever get them again I will stock up like mad.

[Cy Soto]

The gold standard for me are Winchesters.

Everyone seems to agree that Federal Primers are softer than any other brand out there yet, just like you mentioned, Winchesters are the preferred brand of primers for most shooters; why is this?

[drodriguez]

I used about 3000 remig spp and had several misfires. No problems ever with fed or win.