Using Magnum Primers

[roysclockgun]

When I made my misguided attempt at using the 300RUM cartridge, I bought some Federal Magnum primers. The 300RUM rifle went down the road and I have a couple flats of Mag Primers left. I am loading for 280Remington. Should using the Mag primers make much if any difference in where my bullets print on paper?
Best, Steven

 

[JD338]

You could try the magnum primers in your 280 Rem. You will need to reduce your charge and work up.
For me, charge weights above 60.0 grs get mangum primers.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

Steven,

They may increase pressure somewhat, necessitating adjusting powder charge. Only testing will reveal the answer for certain. Just work up to verify that you don't have pressure issues.

 

[6mm Remington]

Steven I used standard Federal Large Rifle primers in my 280 Remington when I worked up my load with IMR4350 and a 140 gr. Partition. When I used H4831SC I did my load work-up with Federal Large Rifle Magnum primers. They seemed to work very well and as always I started light and kept checking for pressure signs, velocity, and accuracy as I went along. In cold weather, what's cold in Florida- 70 degrees , magnum primers are supposed to be a little more efficient in igniting the powder, even in a standard sized case. You would be fine, just work up slowly as you go.

When I loaded for a buddy with a 270 and 130 gr. Partitions, my gunsmith suggested doing my load work with magnum primers as I was using H4831SC in that and it was a classic Jack O'Connor load for the 270. I never made it to Jacks load before I started seeing pressure signs, but at 3050 fps and no pressure he's now getting 3/4 inch groups in it at 100 yards. When I first shot it with factory loads I shot a 3 shot 5 INCH group. Didn't help that he had NEVER cleaned it, EVER!

 

[backcountryhunter]

for 35 years now if the load will be used for elk (as in elk SEASON) then I use 215 primers

 

[brianwyo]

I have heard one is to use magnum primers when it is real cold. How cold is real cold? I had a misfire once about 15 years ago on a late season elk hunt. I always wondered if it was the cartridge or the rifle. I lost the cartridge in the snow But the next one got him. I think it was about 0 degrees out and the rifle spent the night in the truck. I have been more careful cleaning rifles since then. It could have been a dirty gun too? Brian

 

[BK]

Or a bad primer to begin with...

 

[DrMike]

Brian,

I've hunted (and fired) when temperatures were below -40 C. Larger rifle primers ignited very well despite the cold. There can certainly be a slower ignition, or even an incomplete ignition, so in anything below the teens (Fahrenheit) it is probably not a bad idea to use magnum primers just to avoid complications.

 

[brianwyo]

Or a bad primer to begin with...

It was the worst time for it to happen. I did get my 1st bull elk though. But really shook me up.
What are the chances? I shoot hundreds maybe thousands of rounds a year. It was a long time ago. Brian

 

[BK]

Really hard to say, particularly if you didn't recover it, but as good as ammo manufacturer's products are, they are not perfect.

Look on the bright side. Appears af if you got your "Oh crap!!" moment out of the way already!

 

[brianwyo]

Brian,

I've hunted (and fired) when temperatures were below -40 C. Larger rifle primers ignited very well despite the cold. There can certainly be a slower ignition, or even an incomplete ignition, so in anything below the teens (Fahrenheit) it is probably not a bad idea to use magnum primers just to avoid complications.

I thought you might know something about cold weather hunting! I just bought a brick of federal 215 primers last weekend. Been along time since i have seen them primers on the shelf. I think i will take your advice and load my smaller rifles with magnum primers and see what happens. Brian

 

[efw]

Don't know if it matters to you or not, but extreme spreads can drop significantly as well.

As JD338 said, you'd want to drop your charge weight down and work your way back up.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I have used Mag primers in loading for my .280 with good luck. In fact I think that it actually made my velocity Std Dev smaller.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I just worked up a load for a friends 270 that we used CCI250 primers and had great results with them along with the 150g NBTs and H4831sc. We tried 54, 55, and 56g. 54 shot .5", 55 shot .3" and 56 shot a .8" at 100 yards from his old winchester 70 carbine. Pretty dang good from the prevrious 2-2.5" groups the factory 130g coreloks he was getting. We also swapped out the old tasco 3-9 for a new leupold 3-9 leupold with LR duplex. After zeroing at 200 yards with the new 150g NBT handloads, he was smacking a 425 yard rock with the 2nd dot as the holdover.

I also had excellent results with the CCI250/Fed 215s with H4831sc out of my remington 700 270 few years back so load work up went pretty easy. Had a good idea of where to start anyways.

His load shoots 1/2 moa consistently with 150g NBT, 55g H4831sc, CCI250, R-P case, OAL of 3.340". Haven't gotten a chance to crono yet, but his velocity should be around 2800fps with the 20" bbl.

 

[30-338]

I always get a good load first then chronograph but I also chronograph my work up loads. Since I load at the range I can change things pretty easy and I worked up some loads last year for my 280AI with 160gr AB using IMR-7828 and R-17 and I think I posted those loads.

Nolser has a load with 160gr bullet with IMR-7828 start load is 57.5gr/IMR-7828 @ 2856fps max is 61.5gr/IMR-7828 @ 3043fps. I started at 57.5gr/IMR-7828 used a Fed 210M @2916fps then I switch to a Fed 215M @ 2915fps with both primers that was about 60fps gain. I dropped 1 gr to 56.5gr and both primers average 2838fps I didn't load 57gr maybe should of.

I got to 60.5gr with Fed 210M @ 3038fps and that was pretty close to the max velocity @ 3043fps the Fed 215M gave me 3094fps and I got a good 60fps gain with the mag primers. I did go up to 61.5grs with both primers and I got over 3100fps.

I did the same thing with R-17 I started at 53gr both primers average 2834fps. I got to 56gr the Fed 210M @ 3046fps and Fed 215M @ 3111fps.

Tell you the truth haven't fired the 280AI since then after hunting season last year took a break from shooting just kind of getting back into it now. My wife and I drew archery buck and either sex elk tags and I drew late rifle cow tag and rifle antelope tags so were going to spend a month hunting with the bows this year.

 

[FOTIS]

What JD338 said.