Primer difference Winchester Large Pistol & Federal Large Pistol

[Buckdane]

I am running out of primers and all I have ever used was Winchester's large pistol and their small pistol.
I am finding Federal primers on the shelf now and was wondering how they compare to Winchesters. I generally
only load midrange loads like my favorite, 41mag, 215gr SWC over 8gr Universal.
Thanks for any insight.

[Froogal]

Winchester is my favorite also but when those are not available I use CCI. No difference in those two that I have noticed. I would have no problem with using Federal if that is what is available.

[mr surveyor]

The only difference I have found with my "mid range" loads is that the Federal primer cup is a bit thinner/softer that the Win primer cup.

jd

[TurnipEaterDown]

There are differences between primers that can show up in max pressures when changing from one to another, and depending on the load it can be quite pronounced.

There are several posts on this forum that can give insight, and I contributed one in Jan 2022 where I posted results of comparing a breath of primers in the 475 Linebaugh Long. In that test I ran with a friend, of suitable primers for that cartridge & load, there was difference in peak pressure of some 10,000 psi.

A PM exchange after that post with another member said that what I had posted in that primer comparison compared quite well with some lab testing that he had privately run.

Probably with a light or mid-range load as mentioned with the 41 you would run into no serious problem, but the change might affect group size if the pressures do change.

[BLAHUT]

I can't say in pistol use, I tested every flavor of large rifle primer I could find, in my 45/70, the only thing I changed, was the primer. All were about the same, Till I loaded Federal or CCI, with the Federal or CCI primers, I got 100 FPS more with these primers, all shot over a coronagraph.

[Dave W.]

With pistols, when shooting, I do not notice enough difference between brands of primers to be concerned about.
Some brands are a little easier to seat than others.

[black mamba]

Winchester's WLP should be a little hotter than Federal's F150 since the Winchester is "for Standard or Magnum loadings."

[Paul105]

From a 4 1/4" Freedom Arms M97
305gr SWCGC seated to and crimped in crimp grove (less than 1.600")
H110
65 Deg F
5 shots at 5 long steps from the muzzle


CCI 350 (Mag) 1,137 fps
Fed 155 M 1,107 fps
WLP 1,099 fps
Fed 150 St 1,104 fps

FWIW

Paul

[MT Gianni]

Drop down and work back up when changing components. Win uses the same primers for regular and magnum primers.