Question about primers.

[Patocazador]

I have been reloading for over 30 years but only larger calibers so I have a newbie question.
Which small diameter primer provides the hottest spark? Small pistol, small rifle, benchrest small rifle, magnum small pistol, etc.?
I have Remington 5 1/2, 6 1/2, and 7 1/2 primers on hand but only have experience with the 7 1/2 primers due to loading .221 Fireball.

 

[kingmt]

I haven't seen where it matters. Out of tyre one I've used I like Tula the best.

 

[Canuck-IL]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/primers.htm

http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2009/06/primers-small-rifle-primer-study.html

/Bryan

 

[FROGO207]

From my stand point they all work the same in my reloads but there have been people that said that the MAG primers produce more brisance. And that will ignite a ball propellant more reliably. I shot my Chrony a few years ago and as I do not load hot these days do not have definitive data on velocity differences with my ammo using various primers. The thing to worry about is pressures and piercing a primer with high pressure or magnum loads using certain REM primers as they have weaker cups IIRC but I use Win, Tula, and CCI almost exclusively these days

 

[Canuck-IL]

Frog - I don't know why you'd single out Rem SR primers ... Federal is notorious for having the thinnest cups in both pistol and std rifle primers. Rem 6 1/2s, Win SRs, CCI 400s and WOlf std SRs are not recommended for guns with a floating firing pin (eg. ARs) but are fine for sane loads in a bolt gun. Folks do use them in ARs but you likely will eventually get piercing and bolt face erosion.

Rem 7 1/2s (their so-called benchrest or magnum designation), both the Wolf/Tula SR223 and SRM and the CCI BR4 or 450 have slightly thicker cups and all but the SR223 are claimed to have a little more brisance [that said, I've had no issues with thousands of the SR223 but I don't shoot ball powders at low temps; mostly use RL-15].

The safety value of a thicker cup with a floating firing pin is self-evident. Some results have shown a more consistent ignition with the hotter primers, specifically when using ball powders at reduced temps - like sub-20 degrees, IIRC.

It's been hard to beat the performance of the Wolf/Tula SRs for the last several years - many HP shooters switched over to them exclusively. As a bonus they're often available at a considerable discount from 7 1/2s or CCI BRs. The 2 sleeves I bought from Widener's 2 months back were $14 per thousand.
/B

 

[NCsmitty]

Here's an article that talks about primer differences. I use mostly CCI but Wolf offers comparable performance at good prices.

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


NCsmitty

 

[Patocazador]

Thanks for the input. I'll tell you what my potential problem is. I received some 2-piece capsules that replace the nipples in a Ruger Old Army revolver. These capsules use small pistol/small rifle primers to ignite the load rather than percussion caps. I want to use BlackHorn 209 powder which is a smokeless type powder that has been re-engineered for use in percussion guns but usually needs a shotgun (209) primer to ignite it. I tried Remington 5 1/2 primers but got mixed results with a couple of "fizzz" shots where the powder didn't burn completely but the ignition was enough for the bullet to exit the barrel. The Remington 7 1/2 primer I tried seemed to ignite the full load with no problems.
I assume there is not a lot of difference between the two as far as ignition is concerned so I want to use primers that have the best chance of igniting a difficult-to-ignite powder.

Lots of BANG so that I don't experience failures.

 

[MutinousDoug]

The Remington website states (or maybe used to state; I haven't checked lately) the the only difference between the 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 primers is cup thickness; the priming mix and pellet weight are identical.

 

[rcmodel]

Just guessing that a Sm Rifle Mag primer would give you the hottest spark.

rc

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If you're looking to use primers in place of percussion caps you might want to re-thing that idea. It just makes me uneasy to leave a primer that's meant to be seated in a case sitting on top of a nipple trying to ignite a BP substitute.

CCI not only makes #11 caps but they have #11M (magnum) caps which are hotter and they also sell "Four Wing Musket Caps—Optimized charge for replica muskets" I'm sure the Magnum #11 or musket caps would work better than primers meant for centerfire loads.

 

[Certaindeaf]

You could call the manufacturer of those "capsules".
It seems to me these capsules are just a way for you to shoot that capgun more inexpensively, not to improve reliability. If you want reliable, go back to good percussion caps and Hot-Shot nipples.

 

[Slamfire]

I would think the magnum rifle primers would provide the longest spark and "hottest" spark.

 

[Patocazador]

1) The magnum CCI percussion caps will NOT set off BlackHorn 209 - even with a priming of 5 gr. of 4FG under the nipple.

2) The clearance on the revolver's cylinder doesn't allow musket caps to be used.

3) Cost has nothing to do with it. BlackHorn209 is much more expensive than black powder.


BlackHorn 209 is an approved black powder substitute for percussion guns. It's main use is in in-line rifles. It has about 15% more power than the same amount of black powder by volume. It is non-hygroscopic and does not absorb moisture like the other black powder substitutes. It is non-corrosive.
Those are the reasons I want to find a suitable method of igniting the powder charge. It would turn my Ruger Old Army into a formidable reliable weapon for hunting.

The capsule completely contains the primer in a machined threaded container that replaces the nipple. It does not sit on top of anything.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Ahh, I have a clearer picture now.

I think I have read Remington Small rifle 7 1/2 primers are very hot and surely rifle primers are hotter than pistol primers.

EDIT
I found the link I was looking for. You will see the Rem 7 1/2 primers are VERY hot, even hotter than most LRP. http://www.6mmbr.com/PrimerPix.html

 

[Patocazador]

Ahh, I have a clearer picture now.

I think I have read Remington Small rifle 7 1/2 primers are very hot and surely rifle primers are hotter than pistol primers.

EDIT
I found the link I was looking for. You will see the Rem 7 1/2 primers are VERY hot, even hotter than most LRP. http://www.6mmbr.com/PrimerPix.html

I just looked at that link and all I can say is, OMG!! We needed those things on Okinawa to clear the tunnels during WWII.