Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Winchester WSR Primers in .204 Ruger

I'm fixing to start loading for my .204 Ruger. I will be loading Hornady 40 grain VMax and 45 grain soft point bullets in once-fired Hornady brass and I have a few different powders to try. My question is what primers to use? I have a good supply of Winchester WSR primers on hand, but most data that I have studied seems to recommend either the Remington 7 1/2s, the Federal 205Ms, or one of the CCI varieties. Will I be safe using the WSR primers, or, should I try to find some harder options?

Thanks!

They are rather thin compared to the others BUT if you're starting to put together a load, just start low and work up, the primers will tell you when they are getting close to the limit. I would never substitute them for an already worked up load though.

Pirated from another site.

Small Rifle Standard

CCI 400 -thin .020" cup, not recommended for AR15 use by CCI/Speer. Good for .22 Hornet, .30 Carbine. See Note 1 at the bottom of the page
CCI BR4 - match primer with a thicker .025" cup.
Federal 205 - Mil-Spec cup thickness according to Federal - okay for 5.56mm. .0225" cup thickness.
Federal 205M - same as the 205 but the match version.
Magtech PR-SR - .025" cup thickness (not much feedback yet on this new primer as to AR15 suitability but with the same cup thickness as the Rem 7 1/2 it looks good so far)
Remington 6 ½ - thin .020" cup, intended for older, lower pressure rounds Remington says do not use for the .223 Rem or other similar pressure rounds. Good for .22 Hornet, .30 Carbine.
Remington 7 ½ BR - A match or "bench rest" primer. Lyman & Nosler classify this primer as a Standard. Remington says the compound is the same as the 6 1/2 but with a thicker .025" cup.
RWS 4033
Winchester WSR - some piercing issues noted when changed from silver to brass cup. Cup thickness is a bit thinner at .021". Most say they are good to go for the AR15 despite that, probably because of the hardness of the cup. Some feel they are less resistant to higher pressures.
Wolf/Tula Small Rifle SR #KVB-223 - soft, sensitive copper cup, not recommended for AR15/military rifle use or high pressure rounds.

Thank you Erich!

If you have WSRs, use them but watch for signs. I worked up a couple of 204s on WSRs (I think silvers, it was some time ago) and didn't have any scary stuff, but I stayed on book (not my rifles). In general for SR primers, I ran WSRs for a long time but it seems to me that CCI 400s and 205M Feds are gooder. I had WSR loads, probably four all told, that I "converted" to Feds and/or CCI. Three of about four "best" loads ended up being component same-same after workup, but groups were consistently smaller and rounder. Not much, maybe a tenth, but definitely less stringy.

Thank you Mr. Skinner!

Good info here if you haven't seen it

https://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/20caliber/

JPL4584: I own and am loading for 10 (ten) Varmint weight Rifles in caliber 204 Ruger now - I use the wonderful and reliable Federal 205 Match primers in all 10 of them and get excellent to superb accuracy in all of my 204's.
I have a "lifetime" supply of Federal 205 match primers.
The 204 Ruger is just simply an inherently, VERY, accurate cartridge.
I have NOT seen, on a store shelf, in nearly two years any Remington 7 1/2's or Federal 205 M's - so.... in my opinion use what you got (the WSR's) and don't "hot rod" the handloads.
I am sure you will be safe with book loads and substituting the Winchester small Rifle primers.
I would relay some of my favorite 204 Ruger loads to you but I use the 32 grain Sierra Blitz-Kings in all my 204's now.
Let us know how that 204 shoots for you.
Good luck.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Well no chit Sherlock guess you should read more before you go looking.

November 2020 6 mos before buying Remington.

Vista Outdoors Reports $1B Ammunition Backlog
Yes, that’s billion with a capital “B.” Fox Business reported Wednesday Vista Outdoors remains backlogged more than one year. In terms of dollars, that’s worth more than $1 billion, according to CEO Chris Metz.

“We currently have over a year’s worth of orders for ammunition in excess of $1 billion,” Metz said during the Nov. 5 call, reported Fox Business. “With demand far outstripping supply and inventory levels in the channel at all-time lows, we see strong demand continuing, and this metric informs our viewpoint of what a recovery or normalization could look like.”

After buying Remington the Vista CEO stated in a 2021 interview the entire plant was a shambles and needed completely retooled, in the same interview he stated “No components will be sold until all backorders for ammunition are filled and all the shelves are full of ammunition.


Just Wow, go looking for components owned by Vista outdoors.

Good list. I'll add a little experience I've had with the 204 recently. Started out using CCI400's, like I do with my 223's and even AR's. Never having an issue of any kind with that cartridge and the CCI400 cup thickness. However, with the little 204R and the powders I started using, I had some nearly pierced CCI 400 primers. That was enough to make me switch to the CCI450 for this cartridge, which are available here locally. Luckily I had bought a couple thousand CCI450's to try out in my AR's and this 204R. I ended up buying 2,000 more just to have on hand. If I just had the WSR's, I'd try them, as I did with my CCI400's and let the rifle and load tell you if it can stand them. Keep a close eye on the primers though. If they show signs of weakness, like cratering, switch to a primer with a thicker cup.



I ended up selling my little 204 because those bullet were too affected by the wind.


Unlike my 22-250's... They "buck" the wind much better..:

swifty52: I can't make heads or tails out of your apparently ill tempered posting.
Could you decipher what you are trying to get at?
TIA
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

You've got some scrambled up info there .. misunderstood.

So far as strength of cup, the WSR and Fed 205 (std or match) are similar as is the CCI 400. The CCI 450 and Rem 7-1/2 are tougher. The Rem 7-1/2 seems to be the toughest of the match primers. If your gun's bolt is good, you don't need the heavier cup. If you've got either a weak firing pin spring or the firing pin is sloppy in the hole in the bolt face then the thicker material of the CCI 450 or Rem 7-1/2 can help by spanning over the gap without puncturing.

I have a .204 on a 700 action which had both problems. Within 50 rounds or so I destroyed 3 Jewell HVR triggers .. over $200 each. Upon firing I'd get a little "tit" of material forced back into the bolt face. Sometimes it'd pierce. When it did, the full pressure of the cartridge would escape back through the bolt body slamming the sear surfaces together hard enough to collapse the edge wrecking the trigger. I switched to Rem 7-1/2 primers, reworked my load, and did not have any more problems. After a while I happened to mention it to the gunsmith who built the rifle. He put a new firing pin assembly and extra power spring in. Might have helped. Eventually I want to send it off to GreTan and have them weld and re-drill the bolt face to remove the slop.

Anyway .. the load data for Fed 205Ms is accuracy data .. primer selected for accuracy, not toughness. CCI 400s / WSRs probably because that's likely what most people have .. and they generally work well. CCI 450s .. I have not seen those recommended but they'd be a good "magnum" but non-match choice. The remington 7-1/2s are essentially a magnum match primer .. very thick cup but also very consistent.

Y' gotta choose what fits your particular situation. If your bolt face is sloppy, you need to have it tightened up or probably you should go with one of the thicker cupped primers .. CCI 450 or Rem 7-1/2. If the bolt face is good, shoot whatever you wish that is truly a rifle primer.

For a little education, take a look at what primers are used in the 6.5 Creedmoor small primer loads and .308 small primer loads for high pressure / long range shooting. Also for .454 Casull maximum loads .. it uses small rifle, not handgun, primers, for the heavy loads. You might be surprised.

Thanks everyone for all of the good information!