WLP vs Federal 150 primers

[10mmShooter]

Hi Guys,

Due to the primer situation, I'm having to switch to Federal #150 Standard primers, instead of the Winchester large pistol primers(WLP) I have used for 15 years.

I'm shooting <1000fps cast bullets with Green Dot and WW231 in my 10 & 44.

I understand the 150's have softer metal and fire with less firing pin pressure.

Are there any issues to consider before I start using the 150's???

[fredj338]

In my exp. shooting identical loads over the chrono, just switching primers out, there is little diff. between primers when loading light to medium range loads. If I were pushing max. loads, then I would back off 5% & work back up.

[finishman2000]

funny me and a couple of buds were talking about Fed primers today. They said that fed's aren't as "round" as they should and could get hung up in some progressive press's. Dillon was said to warn that they may get hung up in their 650's. Just passing on what they said.

[Whitespider]

A few years ago I spent 8-months on unemployment, devoted that whole summer to testing various primers under various conditions. In my results the Federal 150 was almost always the primer to use when propellant didn’t completely fill the case (i.e. when there was air space). Included were comprehensive tests with the .45 Colt, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .41 Magnum, .38-40 WCF, 10mm Auto, and also limited tests with the .45 ACP. Dozens of powders (several charge levels of most) were tested, behind dozens of cast bullet styles and weights; in every single instance the Federal 150 produced better ballistic uniformity than the WLP (which ran second overall) with load densities under 100%. In a few instances (with some slower powders) the Federal Magnum Primer or CCI Magnum Primer produced better results than the #150. After those tests I switched to the Federal 150 for most any handgun load using powders ranging from Bullseye to Accurate #7.

[finishman2000]

right now with the shortage...any primer is a good primer!

[10mmShooter]

thanks for the input everyone, like everyone said its not like I have much choice right now.

[dale2242]

When I was shooting IHMSA Fed primers were the primers of choice. You will like them...dale

[jameslovesjammie]

Also the primer of choice in ICORE. I wish I was closer, as I'd trade you your Federals for some CCI's.

[Lloyd Smale]

I use more fed pistol primers then any other. the only time there lacking is when it comes to lighting off big charges of ball powders. Ww do better at that. WW are pretty close to feds mag primers. Hotter then the standard feds. With light loads like your using i will normaly get better accuracy with the feds. Added bonus is with there softer cups they are a 100 percent reliable even with a gun that has a light hammer fall due to a action job.

[Bass Ackward]

I use more fed pistol primers then any other. the only time there lacking is when it comes to lighting off big charges of ball powders. Ww do better at that. WW are pretty close to feds mag primers. Hotter then the standard feds. With light loads like your using i will normaly get better accuracy with the feds. Added bonus is with there softer cups they are a 100 percent reliable even with a gun that has a light hammer fall due to a action job.


Lloyd said it.

The real advantage with Federals is the thin cut providing more consistent ignition. It ain't just the hammer fall, but how much end play is in the cylinder that affects the head space and pin impact that WILL allow a case to push away from a firing pin and absorb the blow.

So what kind of head space you have on "your" gun can give you entirely different outlooks on primers from someone else. Federals thin cups make this issue a mute point and works under the broadest of applications.

[44man]

Now all of you know the Fed 150 is my primer of choice for loads of 296 in the .44 and .45, giving me WAY better accuracy then a mag primer. Been using them for 28 years in the .44 without a single problem and accuracy to drool over. The 1/4" group I shot with the RD 265 gr boolit at 50 yards using 22 gr of 296 was done with a Fed 150.
The WLP works better in the .45 then it does the .44 and I would say it runs neck and neck with the 150, sometimes a better group, then I match it with a 150. I need to do more work with the .45.
I go to the Fed 155 for the .475 and 45-70 revolvers.
Believe it or not, the 150 will light both of these off without a problem but the 155 has an accuracy edge with the larger cases. I tried a lot of 150's with 26.5 gr of 296 in the .475 while testing and the 155 improves groups by about 1".
When I cut down .460 brass for a .454, the 150 even worked for that with 296 but the 155 was more accurate. Both beat the daylights out of SR primers in the .454 brass.
Some worry too much because the head stamp says "MAGNUM."

[Freightman]

right now with the shortage...any primer is a good primer!


YEP! Even used some Bredan primed cases I had for years to exteend my supply.

[WARD O]

If you go over to the bench rest rifle match reports and check to see what equipment the match winners are using you will see that Federals are favored by a large margin - they make a very good primer here in Minnesota!

Ward

[NoDakJak]

Federals are definetly my primer of choice, closely followed by Winchester. Lately I have been forced to purchase CCI LR primers. During the sixties I used CCI primers exclusively but ran into problems with very hard primer cups with the SP primers and when I ran into a shop going out of business I bought all of their Federal primers and they have been great. I have used thousands of Remington Small Pistol Primers and have had no problem with them. They seem to go bang every time you pull the trigger. I won't buy Remington large pistol primers any more. In the late seventies I bought a couple bricks of them and they were so oversize that sometimes they would detonate while I was trying to seat them into factory cases. I was informed that they were within spec. Hmmm! Won't buy any more of them! I have never used a Remington rifle primer. Alcans were good but soft. RWS was too expensive. I have never seen a Wolf primer but would like to test a few hundred thousand of them. Yes, I am frugal! Neil

[Cloudpeak]

I have a friend who asked me to pick up a couple of thousand Fed. small pistol primers locally for use in his "custom" G 34 Glock that evidently is sprung a bit lighter than factory. He said that Federal primers are the only ones that ignite reliably in his Glock. He shoots Ipsc and steel plates and puts thousands of rounds down range every year.

I bought 100 Fed. large pistol primers just for the heck of it to try in my 45 ACP loads. I loaded them up the other day and noticed that they fit a bit tighter than the Win. large pistol primers that I've used (in the thousands.) Perhaps these would be a good solution to getting more use out of 45 ACP brass that's been reloaded quite a bit and has a bit of "wear" in the primer pockets?

[10mmShooter]

thanks everyone