Been working up loads for a couple of new2me .38 Special revolvers the last few months, a Smith Model 14 and Model 15 to be exact. My initial loads used various bullet/powder combinations and CCI-500 primers, groups were mostly promising. Obviously some loads were better than others but the ones they both really liked used True Blue and would put 10 shots into 1 1/2 to 2" benchrest at 25 yards.
I've been using Ramshot True Blue for several years now and really like it anywhere you'd use Unique. It's
very clean burning - sometimes you'll get some unburned granules left in the barrel with the lowest pressure loads but very little soot on the outside of the firearm at any pressure level.
Anyway, I finished the brick of CCI's since I was on the last couple of boxes anyway and decided to use up a brick of Federal 100's. Holey moley, those loads did not like those primers, at least the ones using True Blue - 4.5 and 5.5 grains under my cast PC 158 WFN. Groups with both revolvers spread into patterns of 4 to 5 inches. A load using 4.0 gains of 231 stayed about the same with both primers.
Opened up a new brick of CCI-500 and loaded the exact same charge levels with the same batch of bullets, cases, all else same same and groups immediately shrank back to what they were. I've seen primers make some slight difference before but this is the first time I've seen such a drastic difference.
Thinking the CCI-500 must be a good bit hotter than the Federal 100 to better ignite this fine grained ball powder but whatever the reason I'm glad I have a whole bunch of the CCI's on hand.
