Primers In

[ColColt]

I was just notified of an order of CCI LR Magnum primers that came in. Is that a good choice for BPRC...specifically the 45-90?

It doesn't matter now it seems. I went to their website as soon as I got the email and they're sold out!! However, I did order 5K Federal 215M primers. I must be nuts to pay $185+HazMat for 5K primers but these are hard days.

[TheCelt]

It's hotter than you need for BP but it will work fine. I use them for both BP loads and smokeless without any problems. For BP make a thin wad from newspaper and place it over the primer before you put powder in the case, it'll make the SD more consistent.

[ColColt]

I've seen that primer recommended in quite a few places to include Mike Venturino's Blackpowder Cartridge Reloading book. That was the main reason for getting those particular ones. Plus, it was about all that was left in LR primers other than the APS strips.

[fouronesix]

I know the trend for awhile was mag primers for BPCR. However, I've found, along with many of the top shooters, the regular LR or even pistol primers are preferred. That's why you see many shooters using an over-primer "reducer/diffuser" wad to reduce the primer impulse- even with regular LR primers. But, as you stated, these are hard times so the mag primers will have to do and unless you can measure differences to tenths of MOA or shoot really long range on paper, you likely won't notice the difference.

[John Boy]

I was just notified of an order of CCI LR Magnum primers that came in. Is that a good choice for BPRC...specifically the 45-90?

No - too much brisance. OK for hard to explode ball smokeless, but black powder deflagurates. Difference is like a 'hammer' with mags on BP. You want a primer that 'kisses' ...Federal GM150M or CCI BR2

[Lead Fred]

Yuppers, I use the CCI BR2s, and dont even bother with the green dot kicker any more.

[nwellons]

I have only run a series of primer test on one BP cartridge and it is an odd one, the 7.62 Nagant revolver cartridge. Even though developed for smokeless, the Russian usually used BP in the Nagants in WWI and saved the smokeless for more important weapons. Experts had already told me to use the Large rifle primer in my .42 Russian Berdan but I was on my own with the Nagant.

Anyway, I did some chrono testing and got these interesting results - note variation in velocity except with small rifle magnum primers:

Chronograph

With small pistol primers 202 Average; 225, 267, 176
With small rifle primers 223 Average; 168, 194, 216, 330, 192, 202, 280
Small Magnum Pistol primers 736 AVG 1247, 470, 1227, 297, 405, 286, 1220
Small Magnum Rifle primers 1248 AVG 1253, 1237, 1241, 1255, 1256, 1249

All were CCI primers and velocity was at 10 feet.

[ColColt]

I didn't have much choice on the primers. Mid South sent me an email notifying me that CCI 200 primers were in but that email was at 2:45am. I didn't seen it until about 10:00...eight hours later, and they were all gone. About all that was left were ABS primers and Federal 215 so, that's what I got. I think it'll do good with that .275" compression with a 80 gr charge of Goex 2Fg in the 45-90. I have several places to notify me of the BR2 and CCI 200 primers.