Federal primer packaging? Why?!?!!

[1911in9mm]

They were more sensitive. Not just in Federal’s thinking but in DOT testing. The packaging size was specifically mandated to comply with DOT shipping regs. Didn’t have a thing in the world to do with what Federal wanted. If it did they would ship Federal primers in the same packaging as CCI.

 

[Craig28]

Sorry, I ponder some things too much.

Why does Federal put their primers sideways in their primer packaging? Is that to test our dexterity and ability to pour them everywhere? Also, why is their box (aside from being sideways) 2-3 times larger than everyone else's? Why the little tab in the bottom of the box to make it hard to open and close it (after I pour them all over my bench)?

Is there a reason for this which I am missing? Does some system need sideways primers?

Thanks for helping me "solve" this little mystery.

From what I read in one of my manuals Federal primers are on the hotter side and easier to set off. They have to comply with certain regulations in regards to packaging that will ensure they don't ignite eachother if the packaging comes into contact with fire.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Why the little tab in the bottom of the box to make it hard to open and close it (after I pour them all over my bench)?

Only one of the tabs is pushed in. This is to prevent the tray from being accidentally being pushed out. It is a clever design and isn't hard to use if you think it through:

1. You should push the tray toward the side without the pushed in tab...it slide over the flat tab
2. You should reinsert the tray by inserting it on the side with the pushed in tab...it flattens out the tab as the tray is inserted

 

[Eugen]

I almost exclusively used Federal SP primers as they have worked well for my particar handloading. I also was a bit annoyed by those card board tabs, but quickly solved that problem. I have a number of ss dental tools and picks in my shop and find al sorts of uses for them. When I pull a 100 box out of the large container, the first thing I do is reach for a claw like pick. I use it to pull/bend those pesky card board tabs down and away from the container. Now that tray full of primers easily slides in and out the sleeve. No more jamming. Problem solved.

 

[Walkalong]

I have never had any trouble with the tabs, I am surprised it is an issue for some.

Now, the ones that use scotch tape on the ends........ but even that is cured quickly with a razor blade etc, I use one of those thin utility knives with the breakaway pieces to keep a sharp edge......

 

[Reeferman]

It’s pretty simple just have to be a little bit smarter than that piece of cardboard.

 

[mdi]

I was just wondering where I could find the info on Federal primers being more sensitive/hotter? Not doubting anyone, I'm just a "show me" kinda guy....

 

[Walkalong]

Competitive shooters with very light trigger/spring setups run Federals because they are easier to set off with the lighter hammer strike.

I don’t know if anyone has documented it.

 

[jmorris]

I was just wondering where I could find the info on Federal primers being more sensitive/hotter? Not doubting anyone, I'm just a "show me" kinda guy....

Get a revolver and lighten the main spring, start with CCI primers and reduce the tension. Once it starts going “click” vs “pow”, switch to another brand like Winchester, Remington, etc and do the same thing. Once all the other brands are going “click” switch to the federals, they will ignite with impacts the others will not.

A lot of it will have to do with the hardness of the cup even before the compound Is any factor.

Years ago I though about making a “primer dyno” of sorts but never got around to it.

FWIW small primers (pretty much all brands) are easier to ignite that Federal large primers. Why I run SPP brass in my 625’s.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Get a revolver and the main spring, start with CCI primers and reduce the tension. Once it starts going “click” vs “pow”, switch to another brand like Winchester, Remington, etc and do the same thing. Once all the other brands are going “click” switch to the federals, they will ignite with impacts the others will not.

That's also the way I proved it to myself.

FWIW small primers (pretty much all brands) are easier to ignite that Federal large primers. Why I run SPP brass in my 625’s.

Now that I've accumulated a couple thousand SPP .45ACP cases, that has become my practice also

 

[deadeye dick]

I have never used Federal's Not because I don't like them, They were never available at my usual haunts. I've used S&B, CCI, Winchester white box, blue box, Wolf, LP which I don't like in .45 ACP as they are very hard to seat.
I always dump them out on a soft piece of flannel or a towel so they don't bounce all over the place.

 

[Cemetery21]

I kept a 6" funnel on the bench for pouring Federals into a tray (when I had a bunch of Federals).

 

[jmorris]

Now that I've accumulated a couple thousand SPP .45ACP cases, that has become my practice also

I used the NT stuff for a few years because they were more common on the range back in 2003 when they first started hitting the ground at the ranges we shot at. After GAP became more common, I switched over to it because it’s also small primer and requires no tools to moon/demoon.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I used the NT stuff for a few years

I have a couple of handfuls of the NT cases also. Are there any concerns using them just like other SPP cases?

 

[1911in9mm]

I was just wondering where I could find the info on Federal primers being more sensitive/hotter? Not doubting anyone, I'm just a "show me" kinda guy....

Literally look at the packaging sizes of primers. That’s all you need proof of to determine Federals are easier to ignite/sympathetically detonate. The larger the packaging the greater the danger of it occurring.
NO HAZMAT PACKAGING IS COMPLETELY INFLUENCED BY THE MANUFACTURER. Any hazmat item IS packaged to comply with Department of Transportation regulations. If you do not have DOT approval that your item is sufficiently packaged to mitigate damage to others during its transportation, NO TRUCK WILL MOVE YOUR PRODUCT. It’s really that simple. Also see the attached line from an earlier post, that is copied directly from a Federal email communication. I work in the transportation business and have every endorsement available, including HAZMAT. I have some indication what I’m speaking of. I’ve carried them before, as well as powder, and ammunition.

 

[jmorris]

I have a couple of handfuls of the NT cases also. Are there any concerns using them just like other SPP cases?

Other than a large primer won’t fit in them, no.

Back when Winchester was making 3 different 45 ACP cases I loaded up small batches of all 3. The “large flash hole” and SP ones had the lowest ES, if my memory serves me well but POI vs POA made zero difference on target and I was a competitive master in the gun games at the time.

 

[mdi]

I have a couple of handfuls of the NT cases also. Are there any concerns using them just like other SPP cases?

I have a couple hundred small primer 45 ACP cases I bought for an experiment a few years ago. The only difference that matters is the size of the primer. In my testing of identical loads and guns, with small vs large pistol primers, there was not enough difference to matter. In my testing there was a very slight decrease in velocity, mebbe 25 fps average in 2 of the 3 loads tested...

 

[9mmepiphany]

I got mine pretty much for free. Another shooter bought 6k .45ACP once-fired cases for competing next year. He found that about a third were SP cases...so he gave them to me.

I've never bought loaded .45ACP ammo loaded with SPP ...I've just accumulated them when picking up range brass

 

[mdi]

Yesterday I started processing some 45 ACP once fired brass I bought (nickel plated, maybe easier to fins on the ground?). Maybe a bit excited to start and I forgot to inspect thoroughly. Sized, deprimed, flared and when I went to prime, I found a "no go". OOPS! Looked at 200 case heads and pulled out 19 small primed cases. Normally the vendor sorts the small primed cases out, and I just missed looking (all it takes is a glance at the primer)...

Inspection is the best defense against priming OOPS!

 

[9mmepiphany]

Inspection is the best defense against priming OOPS!

The easiest method is to load SPP cases. Any LPP that sneak in will lack any resistance during priming and you won't damage the primer on the wrong sized primer pocket

 

[.38 Special]

I use Federals almost exclusively, as I have a lot of race guns around and hate having to think about which guns need which primer brand.

The packaging doesn't bother me in general, though I will admit to occasionally fighting with the tab.

Not that it means a whole lot, but the only "incident" I have ever had with primers was with Federal: I was using an angle grinder and slipped a spark into a sleeve of 500. About 300 of them went off. Broke the particle board shelf upon which they were sitting and left a blast mark on several nearby objects. Also caused several hours of severe tinnitus, a change of underwear, and a deep conversation with myself about exactly how I long I could expect to live if I continued being a moron.

 

[Texas10mm]

The easiest method is to load SPP cases. Any LPP that sneak in will lack any resistance during priming and you won't damage the primer on the wrong sized primer pocket

I just dump brass in the collator. I can feel the SPP brass because the primer doesn't seat. I just pull them off the press and put them in a container.