what primers for ball powder

[dlove]

I picked up a bottle of BL-C2 this morning. I want to try this in my .35 whelen with 200gr hornady SP. hodgdon says the min load is 60.0gr with a max of 63.0. I usually use fed 210m primers but I've read a few posts that say mag primers are better for ball powders. I'm just wondering what you smart guys would start with.

thanks

 

[OU812]

I picked up a bottle of BL-C2 this morning. I want to try this in my .35 whelen with 200gr hornady SP. hodgdon says the min load is 60.0gr with a max of 63.0. I usually use fed 210m primers but I've read a few posts that say mag primers are better for ball powders. I'm just wondering what you smart guys would start with.

thanks

I think case volume when it comes to mag primers and ball powder. For me any time I'm over 65 grains of ball or slow spherical powder I like to use mag primers. I'm guessing your 210M primer would be just fine though.


Bill

 

[DrMike]

Not better; just indicated. Ball powders can be somewhat more difficult to ignite; magnum primers circumvent that possibility. Moreover, because you are using a rather heavy load of this particular ball powder, magnum powders may be indicated. Were it my rifle, I'd probably use a magnum primer, especially because I know that I will be shooting the load in colder weather.

 

[dlove]

hodgdon doesn't show primers for their online load data. that would make it at least a little easier. I have just about every primer that exists on the bench already. I have some 215m that I can use.

 

[DrMike]

Federal 215M will work just fine for BL-C(2).

 

[Mortis]

I use BL-C(2) in my 308.... use Fed210M primers... never a problem with ignition.

Bullet is a 165 Hornady SST. 44.5 grains of powder.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Hodgdon used to make primer recommendations, as did other manufacturers. Lawyers of the late 20th Century banned any cogent information transfer as being a basis to be sued. Now the powder company's print lighter load data with no other pertinent information, Oh what a world!

Personally, I always work loads up both ways for (with and without) magnum primers and for ball powder. Usually it does not matter a great deal at normal temperatures. Sometimes magnum primers make ball powder accuracy very much better! You have to see what works in your rifle.

 

[PJGunner]

The only ball powder I've tried in my .35 Whelens was H335, Paco Kelly's load of 53.0 gr. with the Speer and Hornady 250 gr. bullets. Primer I used was the standard Winchester WLR. velocity in the three rifles shot ranged from 2500 to 2550 FPS. Accuracy was decent but not spectacular.
Paul B.

 

[Wincheringen]

Hodgdon used the Win LR when they developed data for the 35 Whelen.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Formula is simple:
ball powder = Mag or match primer.

 

[FOTIS]

fed 215 M

 

[dlove]

I loaded 11 rounds with 215m just for ladder/velocity tests. the hodgdon site seems to think this powder can make a 200gr 35 whelen go pretty fast. I'll hit the range as soon as it quits raining.

 

[longguner]

magnum primers really are needed for ball powders? I heard ball powder requires a hotter primer to ignite it.

Chuck Hawks again

Magnum primers are "hotter" than standard primers. CCI / Speer typically recommends that magnum primers be used with ball (or spherical) powders, when loading magnum or other large capacity cases, and when it is anticipated that the cartridges will be used at temperatures below 20 degrees F. Ball powders are generally harder to ignite than flake and extruded powders and magnum primers are often called for, even in non-magnum rifle and pistol cartridges. Let your reloading manual be your guide to primer selection.