Wish someone here would give me a good guide on

[S.B.]

What primers to use with different powders, please? I'm ino handguns mostly.
Steve

[fryboy]

some prefer to say that if it says magnum use mag primers but that's not exactly true , what is true is that the slower burning magnum type powders often benefit from magnum primers and this holds true with rifle powders as well , the slower powders and ball powders ( especially the slower ball powders ) yet of note it will be the gun and cartridge/loading combo that dictates which one is most accurate

[runfiverun]

i kinda break it down to.
cci with flake powders
win with ball powders
and federal with stick powders.
sometimes remington will work very well across the board and especially on the accuracy side.

[Paul B]

It would have been nice if I knew exactly what you were shooting and what type of load you were looking for. However, for most of my non-magnum handgun loads I use standard primers, my preference being Winchester. Depending on the powder I'm using in magnum loads, it can either be the standard primer or a magnum primer. If I'm loading #2400 in the .357 and .44 magnums, I use a standard primer. Even Alliant says to not use a magnum primer with #2400. If I'm using W296 though, a magnum primer seems to work a bit better although my results with standard primers has been fine. When my supply of W296 runs out I'll go back to #2400. I don't care for the extra sharp muzzle blast and flash I get from 296. One of my favorite powders for most non-magnum powders is W231, a ball powder and standard primers have worked just fine witth that powder.
Paul B.

[S.B.]

Paul, just repeating what others have said.
Steve

[geargnasher]

I've found very few uses for magnum primers in anything when using cast boolits, but when I used to shoot jacketed there were a few loads using slow powders that seemed to prefer them (accuracy-wise), and those included hot .44 Magnum with 296 and a heavy crimp, .357 Magnum with 2400 and a firm crimp, and .30 Carbine with Lil'Gun.

The only magnum primers I have now were bought cheap after the big primer glut a couple of years ago when all the scalpers were unloading the stashes they bought up after the Obummer election.

Gear

[versifier]

I think it is more or less a matter of the individual rifle or handgun's individual preference than it is a general guide for every gun. WIth slower burning powders and magnum loads it has been shown that a hotter primer will insure more consistant ignition. The problem is that one manufacturer's "magnum" might be no hotter than another's regular offerings.

So, how do you predict what will work best with a given powder? I don't think you can because there are just too many variables involved. You have to ask your rifle or handgun what it likes best and be prepared for a different combination for each individual firearm. This is why I laugh at the whole concept of "pet loads" and try to discourage the posting of charge levels. (The same powder might work best in an assortment of guns of the same make and chambering, but each will do its individual best with a slightly different charge level, and often a different bullet, too.)

For instance, I use CCI primers for most of my loading. 99% of the time since I am loading cast or jacketed deer hunting loads for 200yds or less or 25-50yd pistol loads, I can come up with a usable load with them and I don't bother trying other brands. Could I get better accuracy if I did. Sure I could, but the dead deer aren't going to be any more dead if I shoot them with a load capable of MOA instead of one that's only 2MOA, and as long as my handgun rounds are all on the paper (MOa - Minute Of a$$hole) I am satisfied.

OTOH, if I am trying to squeeze the absolute best accuracy from a target or varmint gun that I know is capable of optimum accuracy, then I continue load development until I achieve it. I keep small amounts of several other brands of primers and I will try the best load with them (keeping in mind that if the charge is at or near the red line I have to back off the charge and work back up) to see if there is a difference. It is always the last component I will experiment with, and the one that generally (there are individual exceptions!) makes the least difference in accuracy. (I do occasionally switch primers in a hunting load just to see what happens to group sizes, but only out of curiosity, not necessity.)

It would be nice if there were a "rule book" that spelled all this out (and one for cast bullets, too) and our guns could actually read it - but there isn't and they can't and the bottom line is that you have to experiment to see what works best in your individual rifle or handgun, just like you do with the other variables: bullet, powder, brass, OAL, and crimp. There is no free lunch and there are no safe shortcuts - if you're relatively new to it or if you've been at it for decades, we all still have to start at square one with every gun we want to load for and go from there. Even if it ends up taking me a year or more to find out what a new rifle likes - and as important doesn't like - I consider the time well spent.

[shooter]

About primers and powders, I don't use that many different kinds. I shoot all my powders, which is several types, with just one primer. It could be Winchester, CCI, Remington, or Federal , what is on sale at the ammo store where I purchase my supplies. I cannot see any difference in my group sizes and velocities obtained with the different primers. I just don't think they do that much for pistols, maybe benchrest shooters, but not pistols. Just pick a brand that catches your eye and purchase a brick (1000). Try these primers with several powders and if not satisfied , purchase a box of 100 and try those with the same load and setup, just replacing the primers. Let me know if you find any difference , as I haven't.
Good luck and good shooting.

[Capn Jack]

I just use Remington across the board from .223 to .458 rifle and 9mm to .38Spl.
in pistol and revolver.

Haven't had one go click! yet.

Jack...

[Paul B]

I just use Remington across the board from .223 to .458 rifle and 9mm to .38Spl.
in pistol and revolver.

Haven't had one go click! yet.

Jack...

Don't worry, you will. I quit using CCI primers many years ago as one brick had a better than 10 percent misfire rate. I sometimes get one from the inchester primers I have on hand but I'm guessing 5 so far out of close to 10,000 that fired.
Paul B.