Federal Primers?

[jdgabbard]

Ok, ran on a lot of 5000 Federal Small Pistol primers today. Price was about $128. So I went ahead and picked them up, even though I had plenty at the house, since everyone seems to be talking about primer shortages. Thats right,"take care of your own" attitude was present at the time.

Anyhow, so whats the story with Federal Primers??? I've heard they are more reliable. How so? And did anyone see any differences in proven loads when switching to them from say Wolf or CCI???

[putteral]

Not really. They all go bang and as far as accruacy, I have not seen any difference in any of the different brand primers I use. I generally try to find the least expensive which has been Wolf. Federal has one of the biggest boxes though. Primers here are really scarce.
:drinks:

[oldhickory]

I do use Federal Gold Medals for select long range loads, but Remington 9 1/2s are pretty much standard LRPs with me.

[Jimlakeside]

I found Federal primers to be a little soft, other than that they go bang every time.

[Harry O]

Sounds like you got a good deal -- nowadays.

Federal primers are the softest primers I have used. Sometimes that it good (like when loading for a target revolver with a reduced power mainspring) and sometimes that is bad (when using it in high pressure loads).

Winchester primers are a little harder. CCI are a lot harder. I use them in Magnum loads. Also, when the primer pockets are starting to get loose from pressure since they seem to be a bit larger in diameter.

I have also tried Remington primers, but I don't like them. The appear to be a little bit smaller than the others. They slide into brand new brass just as easy as the other primers do when the primer pockets were expanded.

[sheepdog]

Contrary to what many people think under 500 yards the pros say primers brands mean very little. Other then ease of use I wouldn't pay much more (but maybe a buck or two) per thousand for a top brand. I did use some magtech small pistol the other day though, seemed to have to squeeze really hard to get the primers seated deep.

[acemedic13]

I had the same experience with the mag-tech primers. They seem to be slightly larger in diameter than most other brands. They have been very reliable though. All fired no problem and punched out easily when reloading. The federal's I have used have all done their job just fine. Never noticed the "softness" issue........ Interesting though.

[rbwillnj]

Federals will go off with a lighter hit. I have a Beretta 96 Elite II that has had a trigger job. With Winchester's it will go bang with 9 out of 10 times. With Federals it goes bang every time. A friend had a trigger job done on his XD. Same thing. Winchesters worked 70-80% of the time, Federals work everytime. Both guns worked 100% with Winchesters before the trigger work.

[targetshootr]

I used to like Federals except for the way they're packaged; sideways, instead of face up or face down. It took a lot longer to get them into the tube so now I only use WLPs.

[Rocky Raab]

Again, that packaging is done because they HAVE to be packed that way. If not, and one went off, they all would.

Federal's priming mix is more sensitive, in ALL ways. It goes off easier with a light firing pin hit, but it also goes off easier from a nearby shock, like another primer going off. To get the advantage, you have to put up with the shortcoming.

[NHlever]

I have played with different primers in my .22 Hornet loads, shooting several groups of the same load with different primers, and did get somewhat better groups with Federal, and WSP primers. Since primers are in short supply right now I'm trying some CCI small pistol primers in my Hornet, and saving the WSR primers for my .223.

[jameslovesjammie]

As stated, Federal have the softest cup and are easiest to ignite. They are the only thing my 686 will ignite with its 4.5 lb double action trigger and poundish single action. If I could get Wolf locally, they are all I would use in my .40.

[jdgabbard]

Sounds like you got a good deal -- nowadays.

Not really. The going price for primers in my neck of the woods is still $23 for Wolf a 1000ct. But people are still buying them up. But its really not that big of a deal, right now. There is no problem getting them, or paying a decent price for that matter.

Now I drove back to my home town yesterday to visit and stopped by the local reloading outlet just for "!@#$s and Giggles" and low and behold that guy tried to tell me some BS that primers were going for $100.00 a 1000. I asked him who told him that, and he replied that was what every supplier was charging that much. I asked him who his supplier was "Gunbroker?" And told him what I just spent. He then told me I better buy from that place from here on out. I told him I would.

[knappy]

have you got a shortage of primers in the U.S.A. We have no problem getting them here yet but that could change.in time.

[lwknight]

low and behold that guy tried to tell me some BS that primers were going for $100.00 a 1000. I
You should have asked him how many primers he would like to buy for 25% off that price.

[bobthenailer]

federals have a softer cup in at least the regular small & large pistol are conserned. every pistol i have has had lighter springs installed with no problems!
as for accuracy they are excellent
ive shot over 200,000 assorted federal primers over a period of 25 years with no problems! they are my prefered primer brand. bob

[finishman2000]

have you got a shortage of primers in the U.S.A. We have no problem getting them here yet but that could change.in time.

welcome to last year

[shootingbuff]

federals have a softer cup in at least the regular small & large pistol are conserned. every pistol i have has had lighter springs installed with no problems!
as for accuracy they are excellent
ive shot over 200,000 assorted federal primers over a period of 25 years with no problems! they are my prefered primer brand. bob

Pretty much my experience since I switched back about 8-9 yrs ago as well.

I have run WSP and FSP and got the same vel, SD etc. I also use them in LPP but have not conducted a back to back with them.

Fed pistol primers are the best bet in pistols with trigger jobs.

sb

[runfiverun]

win primers use lead styphnate and fed primers use aluminum spagnate.

they spark somewhat differently and have different ignition characteristics.
my main primer is winchester.
however, it seems my most accurate target/varmint loads use federal except one which uses rem 9-1/2's.
thats with stick powders anyways.
you can see the diff with lr primers in the dark garage.

[mpmarty]

I've got Federal, Winchester, CCI and Alcan large rifle primers and Federal 215 LR Magnum primers for my loads that require them. All work fine. I can tell little or no difference in them. In pistol I only use Large primers and those are mostly Wolf which work fine in 45acp, 10mm and my cast loads in 45/70.

[steg]

Out my way it's basicially buy what the dealer has at the time, and I can't tell the difference, but then I can't shoot worth a darn either..............................steg

[mrbill2]

I have also heard reasons about the way Federal primers are packaged the way do. Got to wonder about dumping them in the plastic primer tray and shaking the hell out of them to get them all turned up side down. If they are so sensitive to being rattled around you'd think Federal should have some sort of warning on the box.

[madsenshooter]

I just deprimed a bunch of Federal 223 cases, the Al mix makes less of a mess in the primer pocket than does the Pb formula. For some explanation of the difference, there are some test results with CCI's #41 primer down on page 26 of this paper. http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA488258&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf I imagine we'll all eventually be going lead free, which is ok by me primer-wise. We probably get exposed to more lead, of a form that's more readily absorbed, via primer dust in our reloading endeavors than we do casting.

[NVcurmudgeon]

I just deprimed a bunch of Federal 223 cases, the Al mix makes less of a mess in the primer pocket than does the Pb formula. For some explanation of the difference, there are some test results with CCI's #41 primer down on page 26 of this paper. http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA488258&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf I imagine we'll all eventually be going lead free, which is ok by me primer-wise. We probably get exposed to more lead, of a form that's more readily absorbed, via primer dust in our reloading endeavors than we do casting.

madsen, your take on where we get the most lead makes sense to me. The vaporization temp. of lead is high enough to make casting more trouble than it's worth, something around 1000 degrees IIRC. Vaporized grease and oil, paper, plastic, bits of old valve stems from smelting are more worrisome to me.

I do prefer Federal small pistol primers when I can get them. They are more sure-fire than anyone else's in a couple of old Colt Police Positives I have, though any manufacturer's American factory load is 100% on the first try. Now, that's a mystery!

[smithgar3840]

I too use Federals for match rounds. Plinking loads get whatever is on sale. When I'm serious about a load I'll start with Federals. Once there I'll try others but it's rare that I get anything else to shoot better. They are softer but the only problem I have encountered is with a 17 Rem. The loads were right on the edge of max and occasionally I would get a blow back thru the firing pin dent. Once I backed the bullets off the lands a bit to give the room to jump it lowered the pressure enough to take care of it and accuracy also improved.. OAL's are more critical than most people think.

[Wayne Smith]

[QUOTE=runfiverun;1029763]win primers use lead styphnate and fed primers use aluminum spagnate.

QUOTE]

Isn't Federal the only one not using lead styphanate? I think I read that someplace.

[gwilliams2]

Never had any problems with Wolf or Federal; I did however have a problem with a group of Winchester small pistol primers a while back. Don't know if I just got a bad lot or what but there seem to be at least two out of every hundred that just didn't go bang. My storage practices aren't the best in the world, but I've used much older primers (at least I had stored them for years longer) than these particular Winchesters were. I had picked up 3,000 at a local gun show and used them all up in less than 6 months after purchase...