Primer types

[Miseryguts]

Hi, I have always used CCI primers - mainly because my local gun shop stocked them. In the past small rifle meant just that(part No 400). Now they only stock small rifle BR (part no. BR4). Anyone know what the difference is (apart from the increase in price)?

M (somewhat lighter in the pockets)

[No i deer]

 

4 hours ago, Miseryguts said:

Hi, I have always used CCI primers - mainly because my local gun shop stocked them. In the past small rifle meant just that(part No 400). Now they only stock small rifle BR (part no. BR4). Anyone know what the difference is (apart from the increase in price)?

M (somewhat lighter in the pockets)

CCI BR4's are so say benchrest magnum primers.they are approximately twice the price as standard ones.i am not sure but the cup maybe a few thousandths thicker.i did hear that there made by the 100s of thousands rather than millions.......

Laurie is the primerologist.he has probaly explained this more than once.personally I buy the so say best or what is considered the best.

I use CCI BR2,

CCI BR4,s

Muroms match large rifle

S&Belliot lr primers.

The next time I get sr primers I will change to the CCI 450's.There still magnum primers but half the price

[VarmLR]

BR4's use a 0.025" cup thickness as opposed to the .020" of the CCI400 so will withstand higher pressures.  They also have slightly shorter cup height and slightly wider cup outside diameter.  I think that they may also be a little hotter than their CCI450 stablemates and a while back I think that Laurie reported higher MVs but lower ES/SD when using them over the CCI450s.

 

[Catch-22]

My 6.5x47 couldn't get on with CCI450 - ES & SD were complely up the spout using them. Never experienced issues with actually seating them or ignition - always went '? ok - but just made my loads inconsistent.

I switched to the Murom KVB-223m (small rifle magnums) and instantly both my ES & SD shrunk to single digits.

[No i deer]

Maybe I should try a 100 x CCI 450'S first then before I switch from CCI BR4's which I do get single figure Es's in my 6.5x47 but then my forster 6.5x47 benchrest die set gives 2 thousandths neck tension so with them 2 things and my meticulous reloading procedures all helps towards some great ammo.

[Lukas_K]

Might be almost heretic proposition but S&B primers seem to be a great value and quality wise head&shoulders above what their mainstream production usually entails. They don't do rifle magnum in name, but the LR primer works in that role just fine. Their SR primers shrunk even the ES in 308 Palma brass to single digits... And they're half the price off cci or Federal in most places.

[No i deer]

I've got a great 7mm saum load with S&B large primers with N165 and 180gr  hybrids.I tried the same load with murom match primers and it was poor.only tried them at 100yds.I should have the opportunity Sunday to try some out at 1000yds so I had better load some for the acid test.ive got a demon 180gr scenar l load that needs the acid test too.

[Miseryguts]

16 hours ago, VarmLR said:

BR4's use a 0.025" cup thickness as opposed to the .020" of the CCI400 so will withstand higher pressures.  They also have slightly shorter cup height and slightly wider cup outside diameter.  I think that they may also be a little hotter than their CCI450 stablemates and a while back I think that Laurie reported higher MVs but lower ES/SD when using them over the CCI450s.

 

So I can  look forward to single digit Sd's on my next batch☺️

M

[VarmLR]

I've never used them,  so haven't the foggiest how they'd perform for my set up, but Laurie and others seem to rate them.

[No i deer]

Darrel Evans (foxingtonite) as far as I know used the CCI 450's in his 6.5x47 load to set the new ukbra 600yds record for his 4 x 5 shot group average of just over 2 inches.there can't really be much wrong with the primers.1 group being 1.1 inches ?

[VarmLR]

That there's some mighty impressive shootin' (as John Wayne might have said...)

[No i deer]

Results are in comp results on Ukv.yes very impressive.i think it was a 140gr Berger hybrid.

[Catch-22]

It's less to do with the primers themselves, it's more to do with what combination of component works best in YOUR rifle.

You can have exactly the same rifle with two barrels. Both same calibre, even chambered with same reamer. It's quite possible that both barrels won't like the same bullet, primer, powder or seating depth combination. 

So murom worked well in my gun, the CCI didn't. Doesn't mean the CCI are a bad primer, just means they weren't the primer my gun preferred.

As ever in our game, keeping an open mind and being prepared to try something different can pay dividends.