Accuracy Diff with primers.

FOTIS

Range Officer
Staff member
Oct 30, 2004
24,344
3,185
Ok guys here is the question.

Has anyone ever seen a notable difference just by switching primers and leaving everything else alone on a given load? I know velocity can vary a bit but I am specifically looking for accuracy difference. Not magnum to standard but within the same class.

What say you.
 
One time. Remington 700 VLS 22-250. Trying to find a load for the 55 gr BT with Varget, switched from Federal GM210M to CCI BR2. Made a big difference, like bug hole accurately!

JD338
 
Yes, I have. I mean, we're not talking orders of magnitude here, more of a fine-tuning thing. I've had it happen a couple times, when I thought a load was not quite giving me what I wanted. Switch primers, back off a few tenths on powder, and then work up again.

One in particular comes to mind. I usually use Fed 210M for most of my rifle loads. I was working up a load for my .243 with IMR 4064 and 95gr Nosler BT's. Got to the top of the load range and was getting flattened primers and about .8-1" groups. Switched to WLR's and it dropped to under .5" with no flattened primers.

IMG_20221001_092226.jpg
 
It'll be interesting to see what you find. I have only tried on primer (9 1/2 M) in that caliber, for both 260 and 300 grns bullets. Never gone to the hunt I was planning, so I stopped developing.
 
About the only time I can remembering this was when working with the 7x57 and running out of Winchester standard rifle primers. I had some CCI on hand some used those. Powder was RL17, Winchester brass and the 150 gr. Nosler Partition. Any different in velocity was minimal and accuracy was unchanged at .75" or smaller. It kind of surprised me as I expected a larger difference than what I experienced.
Paul B.
 
For the longest time I used Federal’s 210 and 215. Never saw a difference between the standard and match.
I have gotten some different primers on hand now to try. The WRE are from a new company , I haven’t had a chance to try them out against the 210s.
 
Exactly what jd said same caliber ,bullet and powder. Produced ragged tiny little holes in my 22-250 simply by trying cci br2.
 
I tried that . 81 gr and 260 etip. Compressed gave me 2705 fps and 3" groups. I don't think I can get enough inside the case without super compressing it to give me any decent velocity
 
Roger that Fotis. I would think CFE223 Would be pretty good.

JD338
 
On a couple off loads I have made in the past for the 308 and 6.5 Creed, switching primers from CCI 200 to BR2 primers has tightened groups.
 
We will see.

I have the 250 TTSX loaded with various charges of CFE223, Lever evo, and different caps.
My 375 Wby flat out shoots the 250s with RL-17.

I tried that . 81 gr and 260 etip. Compressed gave me 2705 fps and 3" groups.
These are giving me the fits too. I’m trying my 3rd powder now , Superformance.
 
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