Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Reduced loads and magnum primers

I have been playing around with a couple of my rifles and reduced loads and have a question. One of the rifles is a .243 that I'm shooting 80 grain bullets through with the H-4895 powder. Using the maximum reloading book load times .6 as a starting load. Velocity spread is pretty wild, like one hundred fifty feet per second between shots. Using CCI BR-2 primers. Would it be safe and would it narrow the velocity spread if I switched to magnum primers? Anyone tried this before? Thanks for your opinions. BCM

I don't own a chronograph, but magnum primers have eliminated unexplained flyers in several of my light 4895 loads over the years.

eric1186, thanks for the information. That's what I wanted to hear. BCM

I've used the CCI 250 with much success in reduced 308 loads with 4198. I suggest trying them with your light 4895 loads.

I use Magnum primers is all reduced loads. Especially in Magnum cartridges.

I haven't had the need to use magnum primers in reduced loads...

and when I've experimented to see if they help with accuracy, can't recall any powder I had any real gains in accuracy at 100 yds... of course all rifle barrels are an entity unto their own...

I do see a lot less problems with reduced loads using 4198, compared to H4895....

I also see a lot fewer problems, if any at substituting it with IMR 4895....

I tried the reduced recoil loads and what I eventually deduced was that a max load in a reduced cartridge ended up with the same recoil and killed just as well if not better. Furthermore pressures were at levels that the brass would always make a proper seal in the chamber whereas I experienced reduced loads not making a proper seal.

I'm since not a fan of reduced recoil loads and am a fan of reducing the cartridge instead. Brass, powder, bullets and chambers are designed to work best at pressure! JME your mileage may vary.


Trystan

Reduced loads work well in the big bores. The 458 is a bit excessive for piggies but good with cast at just under 1,600fps. And the 405gn subsonic (Trailboss) will even bowl over the bunnies.