Rem 6 1/2 SmallRifle Primers

[josmund]

I'm new to reloading. I pick up some small rifle primers and load up 50 rounds for my 223. Now that I have them loaded I read about the Remington 6 1/2 not being suitable for 223 pressures. ( nothing on the box by the way )

My unfired rounds are 55 grain Vmax with Varget 23.5 to 25.5 ( proper Hornady 8th edition loads ).

Do I dump them all? I can't find the pressure levels for the powder I have loaded.

Thoughts?

 

[M1GarandDeerHunter]

Start pulling bullets. Those primers work best with 22 hornet, 30 carb 357 mag, etc. I made this mistake many years ago and paid for it with pierced primers and a ruined bolt face. Remingtons 7 1/2 are the ones for .223 / 5.56 loads. If I was you id be busy pulling down rounds. The 6 1/2 is a lower pressure primer from a different era.

 

[mstreddy]

Josmund, the warning IS on the box. Look for the following text: “Do not use 6 1/2 small rifle primers in high intensity rifle cartridges such as .17 rem, .222 rem and .223 rem, as damage can occur to firearm or persons”
This warning appears on the bottom half portion (orange colored) of one of the long sides. It's just below the "Safety Warning"
It also appears on each 100 pack label. It is on the green colored side flap.
OK. Now that you know it's there- What to do? In most cases, folks recommend you pull the rounds. Save your powder and bullets. Deprime the cases and put the primers away. Now, what next? I've been using the 6 1/2s on my pistol loads 9, 38Spcl and 40 S&W. If you also load pistol you can try that.

 

[medalguy]

And they would probably work just dandy on .45 ACP small primer cases.

 

[M1GarandDeerHunter]

Live and learn. At least you caught it. I bought by mistake and learned the hard way. The primers are still useful just as the others pointed out.

 

[steve4102]

Your 23.5gr load is 2 grains below "Start" according to Hodgdon. Your 25.5gr load is the "Start" charge according to Hodgdon.

With these weak loads, I would shoot them.

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

 

[josmund]

Thanks for the feedback Folks.

 

[Walkalong]

If you shoot them, be careful where the rifle is pointed when you charge it, just in case. Chances are you'll be fine. Be careful if you shoot them, and wear eye protection for sure.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I can not figure put why in the world Remington is still making their 6 1/2 SR primers when they are only rifle cartridge they are recommended for is the .22 Hornet. you would think making a primer for only 1 cartridge would be a waste especially since they also make a 5 1/2 SPM primer too. Yes, yes I know you can use them for magnum handgun cartridges but they list the 7 1/2 rifle primer for handguns, not the 6 1/2 and like I said, they have a SPM primer.

 

[witchhunter]

I agree, why still make them? You can use any srp in a hornet. Use those up in your .357.

 

[josmund]

I finally found the warning on the edge of the of the box. No way one could read this without a magnifying glass.

My guess is that more of these are shot in cartridges not recommended than those which are. I asked my local gun shot for SRPs. They knew I was loading for the 223 and the 6.5's is what they sold me.

 

[W.E.G.]

Your 23.5gr load is 2 grains below "Start" according to Hodgdon. Your 25.5gr load is the "Start" charge according to Hodgdon.

With these weak loads, I would shoot them.

Ditto that.
Worst thing that happens is you damage a boltface and/or firing pin.
Those things are pretty cheap these days anyway.
Good to keep a squirrely bolt and firing pin around anyway in case you have occasion to "burn up" some rounds that have leaky primers.

Otherwise, all the non-magnum small rifle primers are unsuitable for full-throttle 5.56/.223 loads.

This is the CCI "non-magnum" 400 small rifle primer as influenced by 80 grain SMK with 23.5 grains N135.

 

[W.E.G.]

Switched to the CCI 450 (magnum) primer, but used the same powder charge and bullet, and all those primer issues vanished.

Chronograph data was the same for that load whether magnum or non-magnum primer was used.

Non-magnum small rifle primers are about 0.005" THINNER than the magnum version.

This difference does not exist in magnum vs. non-magnum LARGE rifle primers.

I don't know if there is any similar differences in the realm of pistol primers.

 

[scottishkat]

6.5 Primers

I've used 6.5 primers on 22 hornet and 222 rem. The 222 loads were medium about 3000 fps. According to the data I am reading my 222 load had pressure approx 44,000 with no problems. Your case is bigger and on paper less pressure. I would shoot them at least once. 6.5 primers are not optimal for your 223 rem loads loads. As stated above your load is light. If you're info came from the Hornaday guides you're not assuming much risk.

Good Luck and shoot straight.

 

[Byron]

I have used 61/2 in 222 abnd 223 for many years and 748 powder. I called Remington back in The Great Primer Shortage and was advised by a tech that 61/2 was fine for use in 223.I had never noticed the writing on the box and he does not know why it is put there. I use SR primers of other brands. I have had no problems at all.

 

[horseman1]

Well, I used them for a while and had no problems. However, shortly after the purchase I figured out that I had screwed up (message on the box) and I relegated them to low power loads only. Nothing more than 1/2 way up the 223 load data. I do not use them any more.

 

[redbullitt]

Definitely avoid them in high pressure loadings!

They work well for subsonic or low pressure loadings. I would use them in low pressure small pistol loads too without any worry.

I use a bunch in low pressure 300 whisper bolt loads. They start to crater when moving a 220smk at 1080 fps with Lil gun in my rifle. I get very good performance running at about 950 fps with them. YMMV of course. I believe they are rated for a max pressure of around 30k or so?

 

[Fatelvis]

I can not figure put why in the world Remington is still making their 6 1/2 SR primers

I agree. At least put huge warnings on the box. Soooo many people have found out the hard way that these primers are specialized, and frankly I don't see why they would be any better in the suitable roles as any other SR primer.

 

[spitballer]

I agree with the rest of the guys. Too small. Same goes for Winchester "small rifle " primers - I bought a box at a gun show when nothing else was available and I'm still stuck with them!