Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Magnum Primers for 760??

Going to spin up some 7/08 loads using Win760. Powder is new to me, but I have read that Magnum Primers are needed for ball powders, and conversely that magnum primers are not needed! I have both, but would prefer to start off on the right path. Anyone care to share their experience? Thanks

It depends a lot on the particular powder, but also the cartridge/amount of powder. Magnum primers aren't absolutely necessary, but are often worth a try if accuracy isn't what you're hoping for.

The 7-08 I first loaded for worked fine with either of the CCI primers, but I leaned toward the 'hotter' one since I often carried that rifle when things got rather cold. 760/414, as dirty as it is credited for burning, has always been a great match for the 7mm-08 IME.

7mm-08 and Win 760 should get along fine with Standard Primers Fed 210M would be my choice

760 is my go to powder for the 243, and I've also used in the 22-250, 7-08, and 308. Never used a magnum primer, except when I used it for a 270WSM.

I used to load 760 in my 7-08 with 140 Partitions years ago. I used WLR primers.

AFAIK, WLR are the hottest burning of the non-magnum primers, and they would still be my first choice, 20+ years later.....

WLR primers are designed for Winchester Ball powders. I would try them first and go to another kind only if results were poor. But I doubt they would be.

I agree 100% with Rocky Raab on using WLR with W760.

What did they use in the data you're using? Seems like a reasonable place to start.

I have had hang-fires with 760 in 243 loads. I never tried a mag primer in that load tho. Never had a problem with 414 in 22-250

Never had any reason to use magnum primers in my loads, up to and including 30-06 loads.

They were accurate enough for me, but would have tried some if my standard loads did not perform.

A lot of those loads were produced before I had a drivers license and primers are about 35 miles away.

I shoot a 7x57 and have had good results (fast and accurate) with Winchester 760 and CCI magnum primers, especially with 145 and 150 grain bullets in cold or moderate temperatures.

CCI-250's do very nice things in my 338 WM with 760 under 250 gr Swift A Frames, just a thought if you run into accuracy issues, HOT primer burns it pretty clean too.

You may find a W760/H414 load is more accurate with a magnum primer. Old Hodgdon data recommended the Magnum primer. Years ago I tried standard rifle primers in a known accurate load using H414. Everything the same except the primer switch. The magnum primers where much more accurate in that load. One knock on the H414/W760 is I get accuracy loss from Carbon fouling sooner than other powders. Run a couple dry patches every 10 rounds seams to cure it.

Going to start with WLR primers cause I have a bunch on hand. Will save my magnum primers if I run into accuracy problems. Thanks for the replies.

Don't get hung up on mag or not, use what you have, then end up with what works best.

I tend to try to lean towards mags period if possible, in our 223 loads for years they were some of the best out there...

But WLR won't be a bad start.

I tend to get to where I am liking what I see, and then swap and test all the primers out there with that load, primers, for me, have doubled group size as well as cut it in half.

Are you referring to large rifle primers, like the OP is?

I was told by the LGS owner that his Winchester contact told him that WLR primers were "magnum" primers and were designed to ignite larger quantities of ball type powders.

Also for the most part I use Winchester primers in Winchester brass and Remington primers in Remington brass. This has always worked well for me and I have had no problems.

Try them both and use whatever gives the best results in your gun.

Magnums aren't "needed" in anything, but may work better in a particular gun/load combination

Ran 760 in a 7-08 I used a lot here in AK. It was extremely accurate. Took it South and had some pressure signs at high temperatures... very flat primers and a couple near head separations before I looked at the brass...