kennya Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 I have always used Federal Primers with out a problem and now they have all dried up. I have been told they are producing more rounds for the miltary and this is where all of the primers have gone. I don't have problem with this I think the kids over in Iraq need them much more than I do. I need an alernative to the Federal Primers I used. I have been told that CCI makes and unplated primer that is good. I have heard mixed reviews on CCI's plated primers. Winchester I have also heard mixed reviews about. Where is a good place to buy these primers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoshidaex Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 I've had nothing but good experiences with Powder Valley inc. As for primer choices, i used nothing but federals before but since they're harder and harder to aqcuire, i've switched to winchesters. As long as they're seated good, they light off in my semi autos with no problems. As for my revolvers with the ultra light hammer strikes, i'll keep using federals. So at this point i won't be shooting my revolver anytime soon since my federal primer supply is all dried up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFD Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 I wouldn't use CCI primers if they were free Unless you're running a really light trigger on a Glock or a wheelgun, Winchester primers are my top choice. They also load easier in primer tubes than Federal. Winchester was all I used until the sub-2 lb trigger on my G35 was "born". My plan to switch to Federal primers for everything was derailed with Federal's lack of interest in their civilian customers. A lot of businesses actually spend some money and increase production when they can't keep up with demand. Apparently Federal isn't one of them. The need for additional capacity is hardly recent news. Federals haven't totally dried up. They can be found if you are patient and actually look a little bit. We had a thread here not long ago letting us know Powder Valley had small match primers available. Another member confirmed Large magnum primers are just as sensitive, and would be an option for .45 loads with a little load development. I don't know if the same is true for small magnum primers, as I lost interest in finding out when I ordered 15K of the small match primers. This will allow me plenty of time to tweak the Glock trigger and eliminate the need to ever buy Federals again. I don't know if revolver shooters have the same option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revchuck Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 A lot of businesses actually spend some money and increase production when they can't keep up with demand. Apparently Federal isn't one of them. The need for additional capacity is hardly recent news.My guess is that they're trying to avoid what happened to the arms industry after the two world wars. Back then, the industry ramped up production capacity during the war; at the end of the war, orders for ammo were immediately cancelled, and the industry was stuck with wartime capacity and overhead but no market. Remington almost went under after WWI. ATK is apparently trying to not go down that road, knowing that we'll be here after the dust settles (even if they ignore us now). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwoods Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 Like the other guy said...try www.powdervalleyinc.com, I just ordered a bunch of powder and primers from them. It was cheaper than me buying the stuff at the local Sportsmans Warehouse out here in Colorado. I started using CCI primers in my pistol loads, then realized that I was getting many primers to stick and stay in my cases, then I switched to Winchester and have not had one primer stick when reloading and they all shoot well out of my ruger vaqueros for cowboy, my kimber 1911 for IDPA and my STI's for uspsa. I do shoot federal out of my 38super and 1911 .45. I don't shoot the CCI primers anymore. Go with Winchester for your small pistol primers. Redwoods Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coolduckboy Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 I use Winchester Small pistol magnums for my .40 with 4.33 gr of titegroup and works like a charm. CCI's aren't that bad but they are a hard primer. If you can get Winchesters at Dealer cost they are $1.36 per 100 or at least that is what i got them at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooterj Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 For revolvers or Glocks with lightened actions, Federals are best. Both my S&W 627 and my Glock 34 have had no problems with Remigton small pistol primers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaG Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 Has anyone tried the Wolf primers yet? DaG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisStock Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 I just snatched up 5K of Magtech SPP for $89 @ Midway. Hopefully they'll be fine, because I have flat out broke the bank of reloading supplies...10K of everything should hold me for a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
45junkie Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 I always hear folks talking about Winchester primers that don't go bang. My experience does not support that. YMMV. I have used Winchester primers exclusively for about 5 years with no problems. The only loads that don't go bang the first time have had a slightly raised primer and always go bang the second try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgkeller Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&...14&t=455324 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennya Posted July 23, 2007 Author Share Posted July 23, 2007 I found Federal Small Pistol Primers at Powder Valley and I ordered 15,000. I am thinking about trying some small rifle primers. Is there any advantage to this? Kenny A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revchuck Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Kenny - Open shooters like rifle primers because they hide pressure signs and reduce primer flow. Three-gun shooters use them to simplify the types of primers they need to keep on hand. I bought a case of Federal 205s because I got it for $90 and they work in my 9x19s. There aren't any special benefits otherwise. And if you're not a revolver shooter - quit hogging our Federal 100s! Remember, small pistol and rifle primers have the same dimensions, but large pistol and rifle primers are different from each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougCarden Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Fed small rifle primers are not as sensitive as the Small pistol primers. We found this out when we were loading hot pin loads in the .357s...... DougC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xdrocker Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 FWIW, e-mail and response from Federal: I reload for competitive shooting and was wondering about the differences between your SP and SR primers. Is there any differnece in the "hardness" of them. I run a light mainspring and I need a pretty soft primer to ensure positive ignition. SP's work great and was wondering about your SR's cause pretty often your SP's are HARD to find. response: All our primers have the same hardness. 205 and above rifle primers have a thicker cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Norman Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 FWIW, e-mail and response from Federal:I reload for competitive shooting and was wondering about the differences between your SP and SR primers. Is there any differnece in the "hardness" of them. I run a light mainspring and I need a pretty soft primer to ensure positive ignition. SP's work great and was wondering about your SR's cause pretty often your SP's are HARD to find. response: All our primers have the same hardness. 205 and above rifle primers have a thicker cup. Hmmmmm We need to ask the entire question. Cup hardness is only a part of it. What we are really interested in knowing is: Is there a difference in the force required to ignite the SR and SP primers? Cup hardness may or may not have anything to do with that. Cup hardness can or could have an effect if the primer mixture and anvils are not the same in both SP and SR. Cup hardness should affect preasure signs such as flow. What I am saying is that a hard cup can be offset by a more sensitive compound in the primer. And what we really want to know is does a SP go off with less impact as opposed to a SR? And then it would be a nice experiment to see the differences in required force between WSR, WSP, FSR and FSP as well as others. If I had access to test equipment, that would record the exact forces, I would design and conduct the experiment. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Norman Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 I use Winchester Small pistol magnums for my .40 with 4.33 gr of titegroup and works like a charm. CCI's aren't that bad but they are a hard primer. If you can get Winchesters at Dealer cost they are $1.36 per 100 or at least that is what i got them at. Am I reading this right, you paid $13.60 a thousand for primers??? That seems extremely cheap. Assuming a 20% margin that relates to $17,00 a thousand retail in bulk and at a 30% margin for retail $19.42 a thousand. I find it hard to believe that anyone in this industry is pulling a 35% margin in bulk sales. Then again, I could be wrong. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 WARNING: The new PMC/Wolf primers are ultra-sensitive like the Federal and are as dangerous as Federal small rifle primers as far as the possibility of a "slam-fire" in a NRA Service Rifle/Camp Perry rifle. Wideners put out this warning about how sensitive the PMC's are: The WOLF Standard Small Rifle Primers have an all COPPER CUP, which is a little more sensitive than the brass cup magnum primers. If you are loading for an AR15 or Military Style semi auto rifle, or are loading high pressure cartridges in any other type of rifle ,we recommend you use the Magnum Small rifle primers. Both primers use the same amount of compound. The only difference is in the cup hardness. If you are looking for M-14 or AR-15 service rifle primers, better use the small rifle Magnum primers. Again, the PMC's in the picture above are about as sensitive as Federal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFD Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 I think if you just keep checking Powder Valley, you'll always manage to keep yourself in Federal primers. I just got another 10K last week and they had most everything in stock. I've thought I was going to run out a couple of times this year, but something always worked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjbine Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 I wonder how the wolf primers are and if they decap easy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisStock Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 I wonder how the wolf primers are and if they decap easy? Just deprimed and chucked a 1.000 or so in the tumbler. They decap like anything else, no problem at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shooting for M Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 I have been using winchester large pistol and recently came upon 1000 wolf primers to try. Long story short my loads are at least as if not more consistent and we just ordered directly from the importer at 85.85 per 5K shipped. I haven't tried small yet, my 1st .40 is enroute but the large seem to be working great. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scirocco38s Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 I just picked 50k of federal small rifle that I ordered back in march. When I ordered them they were 85/sleeve, when I picked them up they were 110/sleeve. I have plenty of winchester and would not have even got these except I placed the order and forgot to cancell the order. I felt obligated to get them because I do alot of business with the company. So I am set on primers for the next year as I now have 100k. I will probably pick up a sleeve for every 2 I use so the stock doesnt get to low. Bullets on the other hand are getting more expensive than brass. When Starline 40cal brass is 130/k and the 180g Montana 40 bullet is 103/k something is getting rediculous. At least you can reuse the brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
45gunner Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Kenny - Open shooters like rifle primers because they hide pressure signs and reduce primer flow. Three-gun shooters use them to simplify the types of primers they need to keep on hand. I bought a case of Federal 205s because I got it for $90 and they work in my 9x19s. There aren't any special benefits otherwise. And if you're not a revolver shooter - quit hogging our Federal 100s! Remember, small pistol and rifle primers have the same dimensions, but large pistol and rifle primers are different from each other. If a small rifle primer is substititued for a small pistol primer does the powder charge need to be changed? By How much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revchuck Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 If a small rifle primer is substititued for a small pistol primer does the powder charge need to be changed? By How much? I'd reduce it by at least ten percent, and go from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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