Who Makes the Best Large Pistol Primers

[Racer X]

I am about to buy a bunch of these before the price increases. This is for 45 Colt (Ruger loads), using Standard, not Magnum primers. I generally use 2400, W231 and HS-6 powders. The store has Federal, Winchester and CCI in stock and price is same on all. Who makes the best?

[dbriannelson]

I'm not sure there is a "best."  I mostly use W-W, but that's because I bought a lot back in 1982.  Use 'em for .44 M and .44 S, with not one misfire in all that time.  I've got a couple bricks of CCI and one of R-P sitting there too, but those are newer, dating from the '90s.

Wish I was where you are so I could get some to shoot up in the 2020's.

-Don

[Graybeard]

I've used them all and don't consider one better than the rest. I prefer CCI but tend to use Winchester more as that's what's most readily available here.

[Chris Potts]

If your going to really stock up it might be worthwhile to at some of the online retailers.  If your only buying a couple of thousand its not worth the $20 hazmat. 

http://www.grafs.com/index.php
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/
http://www.midwayusa.com/
http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/

The last time I looked grafs had the best price on primers, followed by powder valley.  I went with powder valley because I was buying alot of powder also and the difference in powder price was more than the primers.  At least for my order.

I usually use CCI's but that is only becuase that is what I started with.  I have heard that there mag. primers are a little hotter than some of the other if your using some of the harder to ignite handgun powders.  I think that Lloyd Smale has said that he won't use anything but CCI 350's with 4227.  He's in the UP so I think that the cold has something to do with it also.  It's not one of the powders that you mentioned so I guess that it is just academic.

Chris
Chris

[warrior1]

with gas down a bit take a ride to port huron,mi  the hock shop .good prices on powder and primers.too bad sportsman warehouse closed up shop
they had some decent prices on both items. dan

[Chris Potts]

That's probably only about 45 minutes from me.  I may have to head out there sometimes.

Chris

[jk3006]

Nothing but CCI 350's for me.  Not because nothing else will work, but just because that's what I started out with (due to many people's recommendations) and they've never let me down. 

[Glanceblamm]

CCI 300 & 350
Not saying that they are the best...mainly because they were used in my Sierra data and also used by John Taffin in my calibers.

[Lloyd Smale]

for hs6 and 2400 at ruger level ive had the best luck out of those choices with ww. there a little warmer then the others and will light off large charges of slower burning powders better. 231 is easy to light with any primer but your gun may like something milder then a ww. Cci 350s are a little to hot for those powders but if you plan on useing something like 110, aa9 or lilgun there the primer to use. As far as accuacy with light loads ive probably had the best luck with fed standard but there not the best for slower powders. Its tough to really answer that question as what ive posted is my experiences and every gun will like a certain primer with a certain powder at a given level and just changing the powder charge up or down one grain can change which primer works best.

[Savage]

Started out with CCI. Currently use more WW than anything else mainly due to cost and availability. Planning on trying some of the Wolf primers to see how they work out before buying in bulk.
Savage

[Badnews Bob]

I don't think there is a best primer. They all work and I prefer CCI, Not for any reason but that I have faith in them, There may be a best primer for a paticular load but I don't think so for a paticular brand. Buy whats on sell.

[buck460XVR]

I use Winchester because they make one Large Pistol primer  for both standard and magnum loads.

[Racer X]

Awhile back, I was talking to RCBS on a related topic, the subject arose about Large Pistol Primer consistency. The person on the phone stated that it was their experience that Federal primers were more consistent than CCI, but they couldn't publicly state Federal was better until after ATK (parent company of CCI, Speer, Alliant Powders) bought Federal.

I have never used Federal primers. One of the reasons for my post was I was wondering if anyone had used Federal and if they were noticeably better than CCI or Winchester.

[Tom W.]

I used to use CCI but changed to Federals "just to see." My current Magnum LP primers are CCI, but when I restock they will be Federals. I tried the GM match primers in my rifles and noticed a huge improvement in my groups, without changing anything else. Kinda strange, because you can't force me to shoot a Federal shotgun shell....

Look at this link....http://www.6mmbr.com/PrimerPix.html

Altho it is for rifle primers......

[Lloyd Smale]

you guys that are sticking with one brand of primer are really missing the boat. Just changing the powder charge one grain in a certain load can change which primer works best. Some work with lower pressures better and some work with higher. Sometimes a certain primmer will work better even when it shouldnt. Ive seen group sizes cut in half with just a primer change in handgun ammo. I have primers i use in certain applications first because they have proven to usually work but i will allways try at least two primers in every load. My normal routine is to use the primer i think should work and try every bullet I have access to in the weight range i want to use. Once i find the most accurate bullet and powder combo i then vary the powder charge up and down a grain and settle on the best charge then i will usually try 3 primers with that charge using either mag or std primers depending on the powder. I can about guarantee you will never find the most accurate load for a given gun if you stick to one brand of primers all the time. If your goal is to roll beer cans and thats all the accuracy you need its fine but if you truely want to find what your gun likes best you have to experiment.

[Lloyd Smale]

tom fed match primers are no differnt then there std ones. Only differnce is they put there best primer compound pourer on the assembly line to make them. I wont argue that it might make a differnce but it hasnt shown in my handgun loading. At least not enough to justify the cost. Keep in mind that when going from a cci 350 to a fed mag pistol primer that a cci is alot hotter primer and especially if your using larger charges of ball powders it can drasticaly change your loads. Ive seen loads change over 300 fps by doing this change. Not that feds mag primers arent any good. I use alot of them myself. Mostly in DA guns because very few da guns will light off 350s reliably shooting double action. Ive also seen where extream spreads have doubled and trippled especially when trying to download slower powders a little. Lower pressure loads with ball powders can be harder to ignite then high pressure loads. I personaly think most of the problems guys have had with downloading 110/296 are caused by using to mild of a primer. Ive downloaded 110 to a much bigger degree then most will preach but have allways done it with 350 ccis and a chronograph to watch for radical swings in velocitys. I recently posted one of those loads and got my crap jumped in. I pulled the post because it probably shouldnt have been posted where inexperinece loaders could copy it and not take the precautions i do. Funny thing was that the load was used in a 3000 dollar handgun. Do you think id risk that gun fooling around with iffy loads? this isnt my first rodeo. My point here isnt that i know more then anyone else its that selecting the proper primer for your load is very important and shouldnt be chosen by a popularity  pole on the internet. If you dont have the experience or dont want to put in the time stick to what your reloading manual suggest WITHOUT variation!

I used to use CCI but changed to Federals "just to see." My current Magnum LP primers are CCI, but when I restock they will be Federals. I tried the GM match primers in my rifles and noticed a huge improvement in my groups, without changing anything else. Kinda strange, because you can't force me to shoot a Federal shotgun shell....

Look at this link....http://www.6mmbr.com/PrimerPix.html

Altho it is for rifle primers......

[Tom W.]

I have a bunch of standard Federal  LP primers as well as the CCI. I have noticed a difference when using the standard vs magnum primers when shooting the same loads from my .44  and .45 Colt using stout loads of H110.  My LPM primers are all CCI , because that's what I started with.The SP primers that I have are both CCI and Federal, and I use those in my .357 for "rolling beer cans" and whatever, and the accuracy is great. I haven't really noticed much  ( if any ) of a change when I switch between primers there...
My .44 and .357 are Ruger D.A. revolvers, and my .45 Colt is a Blackhawk. I shoot them all in s.a. mode.....

As for the match primers in a handgun, I dunno if it would make a difference or not, with the exception of my Encore, which is shooting a rifle cartridge anyway. As stated before, they DO make a difference in my 7mm Rem Mag with the same load, the only change being the primer...

Finding them is not easy in this area, so I may end up with using what's available..

[S.B.]

2400 seems to burn better and more thoroughly with Federal primers. I don't use much HS6. 231 works great with anything I've tried it with. Be careful with Federals(don't use in a Lee autoprime), they have a softer cup and are hotter than most.
Steve