Fiocchi primers for AR reloading

[emptybrass]

Still in the reading, reading and read some more stage of reloading and want to run something by the experienced re-loaders here.

I have a Colt M4 that is less than six months old and am collecting all the elements needed to re-load for it. The only small rifle primers that I've been able to find are Fiocchi. My main concern is the possibility of the M4 slam-firing due to soft primers. I have no clue as to the hardness or tendency of one primer over the next to slam-fire. Therefore the know so little (me) goes to the know so much (ya'll) for your advice. Fiocchi Small Rifle primers okay for AR reloading or should I look for another brand? If so, what would you recommend?

 

[rodregier]

CCI 450 (Magnum), CCI #41 and CCI BR-4 have suitably thick cups. I would recommend against the CCI-400, gold Winchester SR and Federal SR primers.

I can't comment on the Remington offering.

The Fiocchi SR primers I ran into several years ago had thin cups, I would not personally choose them for .223 Rem reloading in the AR pattern rifles They may have changed the design since then.

useful article:

http://www.jamescalhoon.com/primers_and_pressure.php

The article talks about the pre-2000 silver Winchester SR primers, those are no longer available as a new product. The thinner "gold" version is all that Winchester offers now.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

i've used the fiocchi SR primers in my AR without issues

 

[Shmackey]

Fiocchi Small Rifle primers okay for AR reloading or should I look for another brand? If so, what would you recommend?

They are absolutely fine. If you really want to use another brand, Tula makes small rifle primers meant for ARs, and I've had 100% success with them. But in this day and age, shoot whatcha got.

 

[holdencm9]

Has this been shown to be an issue? I can't imagine the firing pin in a properly functioning rifle is heavy enough to have the inertia required to set off the round, even with pretty sensitive primers, but I could be wrong. And of course if your rifle is not functioning properly due to grime or something, that is another matter.

I use winchester SR primers in my AR. Are they considered sensitive or not? According to the link rodregier posted, they aren't the thickest but not necessarily the thinnest either.

CCI 400 .020"
CCI 450 .025"
CCI BR-4 .025"
Fed 200 .019"
Fed 205M .0225"
Rem 6 1/2 .020"
Rem 7 1/2 .025"
Win SR .021"

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

^yes, slamfires can happen

 

[holdencm9]

Yes I realize they CAN happen. I mean specifically is it a known issue with Fiocci and floating firing pin designs? (with properly functioning rifles) It would seem to me that they would have to put a disclaimer on there if it is a regular-enough occurrence. Of course if the rifle is so dirty the FP no longer "floats" but is wedged in a forward position, that is another story.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

I mean specifically is it a known issue with Fiocci and floating firing pin designs?

that's exactly what the OP asked

 

[Canuck-IL]

Has this been shown to be an issue? I can't imagine the firing pin in a properly functioning rifle is heavy enough to have the inertia required to set off the round, even with pretty sensitive primers, but I could be wrong.

Yes, it can be an issue. Std Fed SR are both fairly thin cupped and sensitive = highest risk. Logically, the thinner the cup the higher the probability.

Another issue that should be considered is that thinner cups tend to pierce and the leakage will pit your bolt face. That I've seen with the current Win SRs.

My estimate would be 99% of regular High Power AR shooters are choosing from among Wolf SRM, the Wolf 223 specific (or the Tula equivalent), CCI BR and milspec or Rem 7 1/2. All are excellent; when available the Wolf/Tula are the bargain pricewise and many shooters report smaller ES and SDs with those than they obtain with Rem 7 1/2s (those loads would be mostly Varget and RL-15 with some 4895 or 8208).
/Bryan

 

[hentown]

I've loaded tens of thousands of .223s for ARs. I"ve used most brands. Never had a slamfire. Most, if not all, slamfires occur between the ears of those afflicted with OCD.

 

[emptybrass]

Thanks for all the good input...sure does help.

 

[rcmodel]

Most, if not all, slamfires occur between the ears of those afflicted with OCD.

Maybe?
Maybe not.
Maybe too!

When I got my first AR-15 in the early 70's, I had a lot of doubles and slam fires while loading from the mag.

Come to find out it was because I was smashing CCI primers in with a Rockchucker press priming arm instead of removing all the GI primer crimp.

Once I stopped smashing primers in crimped cases?
And using a hand priming tool with some 'feel'??

I have never had another slam-fire or double in the last 40 years with CCI & Win standard primers.

But regardless of all that.
A 'slam-fire' in an AR-15 is not a catastrophic failure leading to a Ka-Boom.

The firing pin in an AR-15 cannot reach the primer to hit it, unless the bolt is fully locked shut.
At worst, you have an ND.

And if the rifle is pointed in a safe place when you have it, nothing happened except you wasted one round of ammo.

rc