Opinion only on BR primers!

[1Shirt]

BR primers are on the expensive end of the primer scale. I am wondering what those who shoot a lot of BR's would recommend for 222/223 and 308/06 brand wise, and their reasoning. Thanks in advance for all who respond to this thread.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[felix]

The only reasoning for a BR primer would be its ability to handle high pressure and its consistency of the metal and of the chemistry contained within. ... felix

[WARD O]

The BR stands for bench rest - which we believe suggest more accurate shooting. Supposedly they are more accurate by being more consistent in the manufacture - tighter tolerances when assembled. To most of us, this means next to nothing. If you are a serious competitive shooter then perhaps you can gain some advantage by using this class of primer.

When I was very serious about shooting long range prairie dogs I read all the match results for the bench rest shooters in the Precision Shooting magazine. All of their load details were itemized and it appeared to me that around 90% of these bench rest competitors (and especially the winners) were using Federal primers and frequently the Gold Match variety.

I have also followed the competition results in long range black powder rifle cartridge shooting and I do see some popularity in the CCI BR primer in that event. However it did not seem to dominate quite as heavily as Federal does in bench rest. These guys are shooting cast bullets at 800,900,& 1,000 yards.

Another consideration comes in when using automatic rifles - slam fires. Military primer specs differ from primers used in most other rifles. They are less sensitive and require a heavier firing pin strike to ignite. If you are shooting your listed calibers in semi-auto rifles you might do better at avoiding slam fires by going with primers like CCI's 41 & 34.

Ward

[AZ-Stew]

BR primers are on the expensive end of the primer scale. I am wondering what those who shoot a lot of BR's would recommend for 222/223 and 308/06 brand wise, and their reasoning. Thanks in advance for all who respond to this thread.
1Shirt!:coffee:

If you're talking CCI, yes, they're more expensive. A few years ago I switched to Remington when Sportsman's Warehouse moved in down the street and Remington primers became easy to get on a regular basis. Before that, the only primers I could get regularly were CCI. At that time, they were less expensive than CCI, but after The Great Obama Component Shortage, they're about the same price as CCI, except for the Remington Small Rifle Bench Rest primers (7-1/2), which are priced FAR below CCI's equivalent primer. Remington doesn't make a Large Rifle BR primer, so if a person wants a BR style primer, CCI and Federal are the options.

Remington makes two Small Rifle sized primers, the 6-1/2 and the 7-1/2. The 6-1/2 is for low pressure cartridges like the .22 Hornet. Remington recommends the 7-1/2 for .222 and higher pressure cartridges. If I want to load .223 using Remington Small Rifle primers, my only choice is the 7-1/2 BR. I've tried the 6-1/2 and had piercing, even with moderate loads. This link shows which primers Remington recommends for various cartridges: http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/centerfire/rifle-cartridges/rifle-cartridges.aspx?panel=1#data

Charles Petty wrote several articles for Handloader Magazine a couple of years ago, wherein he tested various brands of cartridges and primers in a high $$ .223 varmint rifle to see which brands would give the best groups. In his testing and at least one other I've seen, the Remington 7-1/2 BR primers produced the smallest groups.

So for me, I get a consistent Small Rifle primer that has performed better in a couple of published tests than the CCI BR equivalent, and I get it at a "regular" primer price. For Large Rifle, I'll have to stick with the CCIs if I want BR performance, since I can't find Federals on a regular basis.

Regards,

Stew

[Houndog]

I got it straight from the rep that with Federal BR primers the only difference between their Gold Medal and their regular small rifle primers was the Gold Medal primers got an extra QC inspection.

The reason most BR shooters use Federal is because they use a different priming mix than everyone else. They are easier to ignite and have a less violent explosion when the primer pellet ignites. Most people don't realize dedicated BR rifles USUALLY have a shorter and softer firing pin fall than something like a 700 or other commercial rifle so the Federals CAN be more consistant. When the difference in winning and loosing is measured in .001-.002 EVERYTHING counts and something like a harsh firing pin fall or somewhat harsh ignition can and will make winners or loosers!

[63 Shiloh]

I recently did some testing with Fed SR and Fed SR GM in my Kimber .204 Ruger.

My load was 28.0gn of AR2206-H/ H-4895 under a Sierra 39gn BK, OAL 2.255", now this load is safe in my rifle.

Don't start at this powder weight, check your manuals.

OK, I used Fed SR and the FED SR GM primers and loaded 20 of each.

I shot from a bench with a Caldwell BR front rest and rear bag, range was 100 yds.

I shot 4 x 5 shot groups, what I found is that the GM primers made no measurable improvement over their standard SR primers.

SR Fed primers gave an average of 0.491" for 4x5 shot groups.

SR GM Fed primers gave an average of 0.514" for 4x5 shot groups.

[Lead Fred]

I use 3 primers. #34s in the M1, Winchester Magnums in bolt guns, and BRs in everything else.
I bought a brick during the primer scare for $40, so I use them in everything that does not require a magnum or hard primer

[Pat I.]

I've always had the best accuracy with Rem 7 1/2 in my 223 prairie dog guns and use Winchester for everything else.

[Gunsmoke4570]

With 222 I use Federal Match primers, in 223 I've had my most accurate results with Rem 7 1/2 primers, and with my HVY BBL 700 308 I use CCI BR2. As for why? Those combos produced the best accuracy for me in those rifles. YMMV

[John Boy]

Many BPCR shooters use the CCI BR-2 and Federal GM150 Match LP primers to reduce brisance ignition shooting black powder. Me too
No experience with them shooting any caliber with nitro based powders

[fredj338]

They can enhance accuracy or do nothing for the load, all guns are diff. I have a heavy bbl precision rifle that doesn't care what primer it's fav load uses. Another hunting rifle show a distinct pref for CCIBR primers. So the only way to know is swap them out in your fav load & see if it matters.

[mpmarty]

If the primer lights the fire I'm happy. I even use LP (Wolf) in 45/70 cast boolit loads. They work fine even with H-335 and BLC-2.

[Lloyd Smale]

I use the feds in alot of my large rifle mag rifle loads and the ccis in small rifle loads. I was told by cci that there basicaly the same primer. Made with the same materials. differnce is that making primers is supposidly an art and the most experienced and best primer makers are put on the line making match primers. Something to do with how the compound is put in the cup. In other words there quality control is better on there match line of primers. He said the main thing is that you can be insured that the new batch you buy will be identical to the last batch you bought and thats not nessiarily true with the non match primers.

[NHlever]

Yes, I have heard that the primer cups are in large trays, and the priming compound is spread by hand to fill the cups in liquid form. The most experienced folks doing these operations achieve a more even spread across the tray, and are more consistant in how they do it, and that results in more consistant priming. I think there was an illustration of this in on of the Speer loading manuals.

[roverboy]

I've used CCI BR4 in my .223 and Fed. 210 Match in my .308. I can't tell a lot of difference. Maybe other shooters can.

[soldierbilly1]

OK, I have shot Hipower for numerous years. The addition of the primer mix is the bottleneck in the primer mfre process, it is done by hand, not machine. The most talented, consistent folks in setting the pasty mix in the cup are the personnel selected by CCI and other mfre's to make the BR quality primers. This selection process shows. Based on testing with solid quality shooters, the BR quality actually shows on the targets. Most everyone I knew shooting in matches used the BR grade primers for the 223, either the CCI or the Rem 7 1/2. The SD's were better on the chronos as well, which cannot hurt. In certain venues, yes, quality does make a difference. For blasting ammo and normal range shooting and practice ... forget it, too pricey.
Billy boy