CCI Large Rifle primers vs. Winchester LR primers

[mugsie]

I've used zillions, well, maybe not zillions, maybe billions, of CCI primers. No issues except once in a while one may be harder to seat, but nothing to get worried about. Well lately it's been next to impossible to find CCI primers, so the other day I purchased a brick of Winchester large rifle primers. On the first 20 I tried to insert, several failed to seat flush or below. I have yet to remove them but this lot of brass has been used three times before. It's a combination of Privi Partizan and Remington brass, didn't matter which, the high primers were in both types. Primer pockets were cleaned prior to seating. I haven't had this problem with CCI, but I have 1000 of WLR now and I don't know if I should just trade them away or finish out the brick.

Comments?

 

[Walkalong]

I am using WLR primers without issue. They are almost surely older than the ones you have though.

 

[rodregier]

My past experience with CCI versus Winchester primers (SP, SR) is that the diameters are slightly different, probably half a thousandth of an inch. At that time, I found the CCI a bit larger, but it might be the reverse with the current respective LR primers.

Primers with seating problers are miserable to work with, trading them off if you can get something else may be a better option.

 

[rodregier]

Winchester made a big change in their primers around 2000. Older design are silver, newer are gold colored. I have used both in LR and SP, didn't find much mechanical different between the two.

 

[mugsie]

I'll try loading another 50 or so tomorrow afternoon and see what those results are. I'll also measure the brass primer pocket depth and write it on the case. Then I'll measure a bunch of primers, then try to seat. Any high ones and least I'll know what the depth or the primer pocket was prior to seating. BTW - I'm loading these on a Dillon 550B, but I may try one of the Lee presses as well.

 

[armoredman]

I think the CCIs are a mite shorter, as I have the same issue with CCI LR primers vs. Remington 9.5s.

 

[qajaq59]

I had to switch from CCI to the Winchesters too and found no significant difference. Unfortunately now I can't get either locally, so I'm using Remingtons. Grrrrrr