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loading up some 270win. shells with 130gr. bergers and rl16 powder. thought i had heard to use magnum primers, is this a good idea if i do should i reduce the powder charge?

Ed

I use Federal 215M because of cold weather. 58 grains H 4831 in a couple. 270's IMR 4350 53 grains in a couple more.

anyone have experience with magnum primers and rl16?

I usually use magnum primers to light heavy loads of ball powder or compressed powders. I always work up but have never found that the magnum primer created greater pressures than standard primers......but then again.....I don't have any true measurement system except for the normal visual and sticky case symptoms......so be careful and work up

If your starting low (5-7% or more below MAX load) and work up, it doesn't matter much which primer you use, regular or magnum. I like to use .3 grain increments, until I get to cases that use over 60 grains, then I go .5 grain increments. Just use good techniques and watch for pressure signs and/or use a Chrono. On the other hand if you already developed a load with regular primers, and now want to switch to magnums, reduce your charge 2-3 grains and work back up.

I have been using Magnum primers for R26. With R16 I have been doing fine with standard primers but I am getting ready to test some 6AI with magnum primers and both R16 & R26. It will be awhile before I go back and re-test with standard primers but if the magnums work I will stick with that as I have a couple bricks of unknown age that need to get used up.

I also like to use magnum primers for load work up as I feel it is safer to go from a magnum to a standard primer than the other way around. I know this is not a hard and fast rule as in some instances standard primers can create higher pressure than magnums, this is related to whether the primer ejects the bullet or not.

The Nitro Chemie powders are a little bit like ball powders as the flame retardants are in the interior of the powder. But the burn rate of R16 is close to H4350 and I never went with magnum primers for it. Also the reloading data from Speer and Alliant show standard primers if any are mentioned. So as usual try both.