Does it make a difference which make primer?

[PAcanis]

Sorry if this has been asked before, I did a search... But does it really make a difference which make pistol primer to use for a specific load? Especially is this day and age of beggars can't be choosers.

I use Winchester large pistol primers for 44 mag and 45acp. They are labeled for either standard or magnum loads. I am getting the things together to reload 38 Super and looked up some loads last night using powder that I have. They both called for CCI 500 primers using either Unique or Bullseye. Does it really make a difference if I can't find CCI 500 small pistol primers?

I guess I never really thought about it before, but since these reloads will be on the hot side, I figured better safe than sorry. I'm rather fond of the Winchester primers and it seems that's what the shops have been able to get.

[safeactionjackson]

Should be fine with WSP primers, work loads up from the recommended start information, you might see a small difference between brands of primers. I've been using WSP's in all my reloads, regardless of what the load data I used was based on for primers.

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[Sarge]

Sorry if this has been asked before, I did a search... But does it really make a difference which make pistol primer to use for a specific load? Especially is this day and age of beggars can't be choosers.

I use Winchester large pistol primers for 44 mag and 45acp. They are labeled for either standard or magnum loads. I am getting the things together to reload 38 Super and looked up some loads last night using powder that I have. They both called for CCI 500 primers using either Unique or Bullseye. Does it really make a difference if I can't find CCI 500 small pistol primers?

I guess I never really thought about it before, but since these reloads will be on the hot side, I figured better safe than sorry. I'm rather fond of the Winchester primers and it seems that's what the shops have been able to get.

In most regards a primer, is a primer, is a primer. However, those of us that study the art of reloading eventually find differences. Some are too hard, some are too soft. Some feed through the presses better than others. Some seem to be having minor QC issues lately and are sometimes not perfectly round, etc. Namely Winchester.

As for the hotter 38 super/9MAJOR loads, most guys I know use small rifle primers instead. They are a little hotter and a little harder and resist failure under extreme pressures.

I have come to like Federal primers the most. They seem to have maintained high quality and feed the best of any brand through my various reloading tools. Of course, unless you planned ahead they can be tough to find compared to others.

[PAcanis]

Thanks a lot for the information.

And that's interesting about Winchester's not being uniformally round. I've noticed they seat a little harder than others I've used. I actually like that. It makes it easy to tell when the cup didn't pick one up.

Good info on being able to use small rifle primers, too. Just in case I can't find any sm pistol.

Thanks again.

[rtp]

Thanks a lot for the information.

And that's interesting about Winchester's not being uniformally round. I've noticed they seat a little harder than others I've used. I actually like that. It makes it easy to tell when the cup didn't pick one up.

Good info on being able to use small rifle primers, too. Just in case I can't find any sm pistol.

Thanks again.

That's interesting - WSPs have been more or less the 'standard' for me, although I'm considering an eventual switch to Federal once they're available again (moved from striker fired to re-sprung CZ, the softer cups may help, for me - not Major, though). They run through my LnL AP flawlessly, and easily. CCI, Fiocchi, and Tulas take varying amounts of additional force, while MagTechs are identical from what I can tell/feel, and Federals the same to slightly easier, but not by much.

Sarge - was this a specific set of 'bad batches' that made it through, or ?? Heck, maybe all my WSPs are 'old' enough to have missed it, although they are the current cup.. ???

[Sarge]

Thanks a lot for the information.

And that's interesting about Winchester's not being uniformally round. I've noticed they seat a little harder than others I've used. I actually like that. It makes it easy to tell when the cup didn't pick one up.

Good info on being able to use small rifle primers, too. Just in case I can't find any sm pistol.

Thanks again.

Sarge - was this a specific set of 'bad batches' that made it through, or ?? Heck, maybe all my WSPs are 'old' enough to have missed it, although they are the current cup.. ???

If the search function were more user friendly I would look up the various conversations regarding Win primers. I don't think they are "major" problems such as failing to go bang. More along the lines of jamming up primer tubes, primer filler devices, primer system discs etc. as well as not being as smooth into primer pockets all the time. But I do recall some talk of missing anvils?

My specific experience is more than a few were oval and would not feed or prime and anvil not fully seated and sticking out beyond the edge of the cup.

[atvman400]

I have a box of 1000 WSP that I picked up during the panic when you could only buy 1000 at a time and have had probably around a 5% failure rate of the primers not going off. In the past usually they go off on the second try, guessing high primers, but this box it doesn't matter what pistol they won't go. Haven't go around to calling Winchester/olin to see what's up.

[PAcanis]

Interesting. My new build (in 38 Super) doesn't have the hardest primer strike either.

[rtp]

Sarge - was this a specific set of 'bad batches' that made it through, or ?? Heck, maybe all my WSPs are 'old' enough to have missed it, although they are the current cup.. ???

If the search function were more user friendly I would look up the various conversations regarding Win primers. I don't think they are "major" problems such as failing to go bang. More along the lines of jamming up primer tubes, primer filler devices, primer system discs etc. as well as not being as smooth into primer pockets all the time. But I do recall some talk of missing anvils?

My specific experience is more than a few were oval and would not feed or prime and anvil not fully seated and sticking out beyond the edge of the cup.

Thanks, will keep my eyes open once WSPs make it into the loading rotation again.

[mjohn]

On Winchester SPP , I am averaging approx 1 per 200 that will not ignite. Good hits on the primer, just poor QC. This is in addition to the tube jams, primer disc jams due to the primers being out of round.

Unfortunately, I have to use up what I have on hand and will use them for practice only.

[Steve RA]

Try Tula primers, I've never had one not go bang, or fail to fit into the primer recess in a case. Good prices also, Powder Valley usually has them, try to do a group buy with friends and save on the Haz-Mat and freight charges.

[safeactionjackson]

I've had good luck with WSP... 20K in the last 12 months, had 1-2 inserted sideways... and 1 light strike, but that could have been a primer seating issue also.... outside of that, no issues what so ever! Having started reloading during the height of the recent component shortage I was happy just to get more than 1K at a time, and for a reasonable price.... beggars can't be choosers.

~g

[PAcanis]

Thanks for all the feedback.

[njl]

The short answer is maybe.

There can be slight differences in different brands of primer, but its only likely to matter if you're loading right on the edge of power factor or slide cycling. Loading .45 minor, a 20fps shift might take a load from "just cycling the slide" to "not quite cycling the slide".

[Sarge]

Try Tula primers, I've never had one not go bang, or fail to fit into the primer recess in a case. Good prices also, Powder Valley usually has them, try to do a group buy with friends and save on the Haz-Mat and freight charges.

Though I haven't used them in awhile I certainly agree. I had no problems with Tula primers and the packaging was much more convenient.

[hcf1976]

I use wsp cci tula so far knock on wood no issues with any brand. I really like the tula cheaper than other brands and they go bang!!

[PAcanis]

I hope to hit my favorite gun shop today, so we'll see what I come back with.

[PAcanis]

CCI 500. They had choices, but 1, there were a lot of positive experiences with these primers mentioned here; 2, they were what was called for in the two loads I found and 3, it can't hurt having one brand LPP and one brand SPP just to keep track of things.

[mjohn]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I like the CCI primers. Feed into the pickup tube easily and also feed from the primer magazine into the primer disc well and the primers are uniformly round. The primers have always gone bang also!

[njl]

CCI is what I've mostly used. I'm happy with them. From the testing I've done though, they're on the weak side. If you have to switch at some point to Federal or Wolf/Tula, you can be confident that your FPS will be stable or more likely increase a bit.

[PAcanis]

Is the FPS difference a result of the primer's powder itself, or how quickly it ignites the powder? Or are those one in the same?

In other words, if you fired a round without powder in it, would one make primer push the squib further than the next?

[mikeinctown]

My primer question is slightly different. Wondering if the Federal Gold primers are worth a $5 premium over the regular Federal primers.

Local place has regular LPP Federal Primers at $30/k, and LPP Gold for $35/k. If Tula or Wolf LPP primers were $23, would the Federals be worth the $12 premium?

Local place does not have SPP in Gold, but I think I saw Small Rifle Primers. Would the small rifle primers at $35/k be worth a premium over standard Federal SPP @$23/k

Sorry if there is any confusion, but the local place has plenty of stuff in stock and is running sales on the Federal SPP.

[dauntedfuture]

I am not as picky about primers in my pistols as in my rifle ammo. With my rifle ammo, I will try different primers to see which ones give me the best SD and ES. For pistol, i don't pay all that much attention regarding SD and ES, only that i make required PF. I will NOT EVER use a rem 6.5 in a semi auto rifle as i have had slam fires with them. In my revolvers i will only use FED SP and LP primers as i have light springs. I will also only use federal SP in my M&P as i have had light strikes, with factory springs, with some other primers. I have, and have used WOLF primers and they are a little harder to seat then some of the others so ill pay a few bucks for non-wolf LP if i can find them. I have found no reason to use magnum primers in a .223. I have found that i need magnum primers when loading some old surplus IMR4895 in .30-06 to get things to reliably go boom. In an pinch i have used SR primers in a 9mm glock and in .40 ammo and could not see a difference.

Edited October 10, 2014 by dauntedfuture

[PAcanis]

Thanks for your input.

[blackfatbob]

It depends on both the pistol and the press for me. Back when I was using lightened striker springs or hammer springs I wanted Federal Primers only. Now that I shoot more factory springs I look for what feeds best in my Dillon 550. Winchester has been a little better for me than CCI lately, but the difference is barely noticeable.