Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Best Primers for 270 WSM

I am not sure if it is the newness of the cartridge, lack of popularity or that it is a really easy cartridge to load for but the data seems to be all across the board for this one.

I see recommendations for powder from R17 to R25 and primers from WLRs to Fed 215 Magnum sometimes for the same powder combo.

Next load I will try is the WLR primer and Reloader 25. Some claim the milder primers reduce pressure and extreme spread.
Should I go the other way and work down from the magnum primers?

Never done any wsm's but the 300.I use regular primers with rl-17,rl-19 and the 4350's.

When pushing 140's, it's Re-22 and WLRM.

I have always used 215m in my 270 wsm. I have tried RL25 with both 130 grain and 140 grain bullets and just could not get the velocity. I will trying RL17 in the morning. My favorite load so far is 130 grain bullet with IMR 4350.

Dink

I use RL 22, and CCI 250 LRM primers, for all of my .270 WSM loads. So far, I have been happy with the results, especially with 140 gr. Nosler Accubond bullets.

I've handloaded for three 270WSM's since they first came out. I have found that a healthy dose of RL22, 215M's, Norma brass and the appropriate TSX or TTSX (initially the 140 TSX and now the 130TTSX) bullet for the task is hard to beat.

Magnum case = magnum primers....generally. As with another general rule....if a load you're using is 60grs. on up, a magnum primer is a prudent choice. I'd assume that your load will fit easily in the "on up" catagory. Lot's of powder to ignite, also a bit better at ignition in much colder temps.

The "M" in the 215M is not a necessary "must have" as it designates that it is a "Match" primer, whether or not you would see any difference between a regular 215 compared to a 215M. But being that I only use "M" primers in all of my rifles, I can only speak to my experiences with them. They have always worked and Federal primers have not once failed to work in nearly 4 decades of using them.

Good luck with your load development.........you'll love working with that Norma brass, I certainly do......

After re-reading your OP, you don't mention what weight/type/brand of bullet you are considering in your 270WSM. Oftentimes this will make a difference in the powder you choose due to case capacity. Also, it can help you to choose the powder(17, 22, or 25) that better fills up the case with the weight/type/brand of bullet you eventually choose.

I'm a firm believer in trying to end up with a compressed load, if at all possible. The slower the powder (RL25), the more the case will be filled......all else being equal (bullet type and bullet seating depth).

I have found, with the 140 and 130gr. TSX's and TTSX's, that RL22 gives me a near max load, while nearly giving me a compressed load as well...........which I strongly desire.

Just a thought to ponder as you decide how to proceed with your choices...............

I've had the best accuracy with Federal 215Ms in my 300 SAUM, of course I can't find any of them anymore,(figures,) it might sound strange, but the next closest thing in my expereince isn't the standard Federal 215 (as one would think,) but the CCI 250, POI and accuracy wise. Others may have different results, just sharing mine with you. BTW, I've always had good results w/ Federal primers as well, I just can't find them in my area, so I'm hoping CCI 200s/BR-2s will work in place of 210/210Ms like the 250 did in place of the 215Ms. I'll keep you posted with my results.

I agree with your findings, in that, one never knows what will work best until he/she tries them out, whether due to shortages or not. Lots of people miss the boat by not doing the work and some do the work until the results are just "passable".

I've only had one rifle that I just could not get to shoot under MOA at 100 yds. Although I gave it a go using every different component I had on hand.....nada. Otherwise, I've been happy about my results, but many came after lot's of dinking around.

Some enjoy such processes, other's not so much. Oftentimes the results are indicative of those differences.

Good luck with your primer search and attempt at trying out primers you'd usually not use. One never know's......you might end up with a killer load just because of the situation you find yourself in..........I hope so.

Best to you.............

Thanks, and yes, I'm of the experimental type who likes to try everything, that's my favorite part of reloading is trying different combinations of components and of course, shooting the new recipes, so this primer shortage kind of suits my fancy, but for those who like one certain primer, I also feel their pain as I did grow quite attached to those currently ridiculously unavailable 215Ms. Best to you as well sir, and I have high hopes for the CCI line as they're a hell of lot more plentiful around these parts, and so far seem to be a quality product.

Yes it is the inconsistent availability driving my choice. Have several different primers but not a lot of any one type and the only ones I can buy by the brick locally are the WLR. Others some here and their but only in smaller quantities.

Bullets I am trying are 140 FailSafes, Accubond, Partition and 150 Partition gold. Maybe some Barnes TSX 140s. Hoping R25 or 22 will work if not then Mag Pro maybe.

I use CCI mag primers with 130 gr bullets and Winchester mag primers with 150 gr loads, I always use Winchester mag primers when using H 4831 or slower powder.

CCI 250 or Winchester large rifle primers

Ranked in order of power
Large Rifle = LR, Large Rifle Magnum = LRM, Large pistol =LP,�
Brand/type��������������� Power Average����������� Range����������� Std. Dev
1 Fed Match GM215M������� 6.12�������������� 5.23-6.8�������������� .351
2 Federal 215 LRM������������ 5.69��������������� 5.2-6.5��������������� .4437
3 CCI 250 LRM����������������� 5.66�������������� 4.5-7.4���������������� .4832
4�Winchester WLRM���� �����5.45��������������� 5.1-6.0��������������� .2046
5 Remington 9 1/2 LRM����� 5.09��������������� 3.5-6.75������������� .6641
6 Winchester WLR������������� 4.8���������������� 4.1-6.0��������������� .4300
7 Remington 9 1/2 LR��������� 4.75�������������� 3.7-6.25������������� .5679
8 Fed Match GM210M�������� 4.64�������������� 4.0-5.6��������������� .3296
9 Federal 210 LR����������������� 4.62�������������� 3.7-5.5�������������� .3997
10 CCI BR2������������������������ 4.37�������������� 4.0-5.0�������������� .2460
11 CCI 200 LR�������������������� 4.28�������������� 3.8-4.8�������������� .3218
12 KVB 7 LR Russian���������� 4.27�������������� 3.8-4.8�������������� .2213
13 Rem 91/2 (30 yrs old)������ 4.16��������������� 3.8-4.8������������� .3427

Pistol primers
14 Rem LP��������������������������� 4.47��������������� 3.2-5.6��������������� .5171
15 KVB 45 LP Russian��������� 3.89��������������� 3.3-4.2��������������� .2232
16 CCI 300 LP��������������������� 3.18��������������� 2.7-3.5��������������� .2406
17 Federal 150 LP���������������� 3.11��������������� 2.6-3.5��������������� .2090
18 Fed Match GM150M������� 3.05��������������� 2.6-3.7��������������� .2299

This is a retype after losing the original web page.� I did not put in the individual comments.� Note the spreads.� The Rem's had some very wild shots high and low.� CCI BR2 and the Fed 's were the most even of the common ones.� The new Russian were very even, but this was a limited lot and they are not widely available.
Weighing Primers: I did some test weighing and found the bench rest had virtually no variations.� Of the others, there WAS a relation between weight and power.� Those extra heavy tended to be stronger, and light were weaker.
Firing pin strength also seems to be a definite factor. Stronger hit is probably more consistent.� This has been noted by some sharps shooters when they break a firing pin.� It will still fire, but they get fliers and open groups.�
The pressure used to seat primers, pocket uniforming, flash hole uniforming, and seating depth are all factors.� Keep them all the same.
Another thing that is not in this test, but I have noted, is using a newsprint wad over the primer.� This keeps grains of powder out of the flash hole.� It seems to even out the ignition by eliminating a variable (sometimes with grains in and sometimes without grains in, or a variety of combinations).

Plato said, "the unexamined life is not worth living". Perhaps a bit extreme, but to a point, quite valid.

A true handloader snugs up quite well to his sentiments, I'm thinkin'.........

For me, it's the "I,ve got it!!" realization when I peak downrange through my Leica spotter at 100 yards and can barely discern the other 2 .277 or .308 holes in and amongst the other 3. That's makes the whole exercise worthwhile and world events much less disconcerting.

It's the little things..................pun intended.

Take care and again.........best of luck, which in your case seems less likely luck than tenacity...........

F215 GMM are the only primers I use.

I'd suggest reading the reviews on the primers you can get. I was reading the reviews on the winchester large rifle magnum primers at midway the other day and some people prefer them over others. Last I saw they had a 5 star rating. Sorry, I don't have any experience on them first hand as I have not ran out of my CCI's yet.

Oh yeah, I'm way to damn curious, interested, and stubborn to not find some accurate loads with my new components, my goal is to be able to make a good shooting load out of any combination of components in any cartridge I chose to load for. I absolutely love load development, it's my fav.