Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles What's the best improvement you've seen using Math Grade primers ?

You would have to ask the benchrest guys, but for me shooting HP for 20 yrs, tried everything when first compeating to increase scores...all came down to the nut behind the bolt. Ended up using plain ol R-P 9 1/2`s.

If you're asking me, no.

Always been a Federal user, generally use match for match shooting, regular for the rest, although 7 1/2's for a lot of SR usage too due to price & toughness for some applications.

Anyone trust Winchester yet?

NOPE..

I have..on my 2nd brick. Can`t say they are any more accurate than US stuff. but they were a lot cheaper. Think I bought my first one for $21 at Cabela`s...their up to 28 now.

I got a brick of large pistol and a few hundred small pistol left and that will be it for WW around here.

I tried a box of the CCI BR about 10-12 years ago - didn't show any improvement that I could see on paper .

I think I still have half a box - I'll try them in my 280AI 180gr berger Hybrid load - can't hurt .

I've read similar reports of neck turning brass - one LR shooter on youtube can't fire a round without a turned neck - another [Sam Millard Panhandle Precision] says he never got any improvemet in any barrel/cartridge . More than one way to skin a cat I reckon .

I wouldn’t expect geometric improvement.

Back in the day when i was shooting benchrest competitively, I played with primers a bit in the heavy varmint .222. And, yes, the match grade primers made a difference. It wasn't much, but it was there.I never noticed much difference in normal hunting rifles.

I have had a handful of rifles that could/did tell the difference, but only in ignition ( vertical stacking), never in velocity. Now, "magnum" primers, yeah, sometimes in ignition but always in velocity. As said...you have to try them. For me and Match primers....I use them because its just one more variable out of the way...

I haven't had any problems with the ones I'm using. I also called Winchester to make sure they weren't on the bad list. So far so good.

I had my very first reload that didn’t go boom a couple weeks ago. CCI primer, I pulled bullet, it had powder in case. At least I was shooting at pigs in a trap.

I've only ran one test loading with different primers. It was interesting.

6mm Rem. Ran H4831 charges with 4 different primers. CCI 200, CCI 250, Fed 210, and Fed 210M.

Was surprised the Fed 210 and Fed 210M varied as much from each other. 200 fps slower, and a bit higher extreme spread. That was it for the Fed210.

CCI 200 was just worse than the Fed 210 in every way. If this test is any indication, I have no idea what I'll ever do with the 1000 CCI 200's on my shelf. A bit slower than the lagging Fed 210, really bad ES. Measuring cases indicated even at the slower fps, the case was showing similar pressure to the Fed 210M.

CCI 250 was really as much encouraging as the CCI 200 was disappointing. By far had the lowest extreme spread. But velocity was a little lower than the competitive Fed 210M.

I tested the CCI 250 - a large rifle Magnum Primer once before against a Large Rifle primer. Interesting thing is - the 250 was slower on that comparison too, not by much, but it was slower than the Large Rifle primer I was comparing to.. But the consistent velocities is where the CCI250 really shined that time too.

I ended up going with the Fed 210M with my 6mm, but I could have selected the CCI 250. CCI 250 actually did nudge it out by just a little - it's just that I have a few thousand more Fed 210 M primers than I have CCI 250 primers.

For me, on one intentional test, on this one gun of mine, with varied loads. It's CCI 250 first choice followed closely by Fed 210 M - toss up choice. Fed 210 is a reasonable and acceptable option - if never tested side by side to anything I'm sure you'd never be disappointed with Fed 210 performance.

The CCI 200 had no business at all in final load inclusion. It was comparatively bad in every way. Didn't expect that. Slow, with wide ES, and on top of that seemed pressure was higher at the slow velocity.

I'll test primers again on another load development. Didn't expect such drastic difference. And I'll be including a larger number of primer brands and models in my testing, load development. I was surprised the results were so drastically different.

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Seems some guy from CCI thought the same thing. Not a bad read.
http://www.shootingtimes.com/editorial/ammunition_st_mamotaip_200909/100079

We tested loads at both maximum normal pressures and at the starting loads (some labs calculate start loads — we shot them). Standard primers caused no ignition issues at the max load but posted higher extreme variations in pressure and velocity in the lower pressure regimes of the start loads. In extreme cases, the start loads produced short delayed firings — probably in the range of 20 to 40 milliseconds but detectible to an experienced ballistician. Switching that propellant to a Magnum primer smoothed out the performance across the useful range of charge weights and completely eliminated the delays.

If I've recommended a Magnum primer in reloading data I've developed, it's because my lab results show it's needed.

using cci br my 22 hornet went from 1 1/4 to 3/4 inch . over all a good response.

The explanation I've seen in print more than once is that the primers are "grouted"'by the employees that have been the most consistent at that task. No difference otherwise; the inspections weren't mentioned IIRC. Same goes for CCI, except for the little "B" on the cups.

After a considerable dearth in the supply, I scored some thousands of the 210 Match, enough to last my needs. Bought a brick of the CCI BR2 with my teeth clenched before that, but likely never again. Don't know if the match stuff helps in my hunting rifles, but can't hurt.

They swapped me out two for one, or a little better. This was a couple of years ago now, I believe. No issues, and I load for 5 people with multiple rifles.




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I had not heard there was a problem with Winchester primers. Is so, would someone be kind enough to provide some details on what the problem was and how to tell which ones had the problem? I think I have a stash of older Winchester primers that would be good to check out.

Thanks!

So then , is the 250 a magprimer only when comparing it to the 200 ?