I ended up in your same predicament with 3,000 Remington 6-1/2 primers. So I did a little research and found this article by James Calhoon. According to Mr. Calhoon as long as your stay below 55,000 psi the Remington 6-1/2 primers will be just fine and since he classifies the the CCI-400 in the same class, which is the primer I have always used for my AR without any issue I have have no reservation using the Remington 6-1/2 primers. His chart in the article shows all the critical dimensions for CCI, Federal, Remington and Winchester. So unless you are using some off the wall hot load the Remington 6-1/2 primers will be just fine in your 223.
Remington # 6 1/2 small rifle primers
- Thread starter k&j 223
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rbernie
Contributing Member
My plinking loads in 223 using the 6 1/2 stock that I got are actually just below the starting load for TAC, and they're behaving just fine. I have no doubt that, if I upped the charge to anything closer to max, I would start to see issues.
So I don't. For 50yds or 100yds plinking/offhand practice, the light 223 loads work fine.
So I don't. For 50yds or 100yds plinking/offhand practice, the light 223 loads work fine.
243winxb
Member
Do Not Use Remington 6 1/2 Primers for the 223/5.56
If you want your bolt face to look like this one, use Remingtons 6 1/2 primers in the 223/5.56. If you think each and every primer is made perfect, think again. Back in the 1970's Remington made some 9 1/2 that had bad cups. They blew out with even light cast bullet loads.
If you want your bolt face to look like this one, use Remingtons 6 1/2 primers in the 223/5.56. If you think each and every primer is made perfect, think again. Back in the 1970's Remington made some 9 1/2 that had bad cups. They blew out with even light cast bullet loads.
snuffy
Member
Excellent pic 243, I wish I had taken a pic of my AR boltface. But on mine the craters were right around the FP hole, the pinholes occurred at the edge of the firing pin indent. Same for the contender.
IIRC the loads I was using were max for WC-844 with a 55 bullet. What sense does it make to have primers that are limited to mouse f**t loads? Buying a separate primer for the petal-to-the-metal loads, while keeping the others, makes for the possibility of them getting mixed up.
I'm an advocate of exploring the potential for every cartridge I load for. There's a place for less than max loads too. But keeping primers limited to only one application costs more. Also, even at lower loads, they could still give trouble.
IIRC the loads I was using were max for WC-844 with a 55 bullet. What sense does it make to have primers that are limited to mouse f**t loads? Buying a separate primer for the petal-to-the-metal loads, while keeping the others, makes for the possibility of them getting mixed up.
I'm an advocate of exploring the potential for every cartridge I load for. There's a place for less than max loads too. But keeping primers limited to only one application costs more. Also, even at lower loads, they could still give trouble.
Encoreman
Member
Okay 243 how many rounds did you shoot to make the bolt look like that? Just curious. Mac
243winxb
Member
It don't take many rounds. Running an M16A1, don't really count. When i noticed the bolt face and saw the primers , it was already to late. You don't notice anything different when on full auto or semi.
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moooose102
Member
I am glad i use cci primers!
280shooter
Member
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I use the 6 1/2, for my 223 and 7 1/2 for my 221 fireball.
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280shooter
Member
- Joined
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280shooter
Member
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- 707
as you can see i put 3 dif, reloading book. one calls for 6.5 hornady # 2 book
the newer book calls for 7.5 ,,I only used the 7.5 in my 221 fireball.im still using the 6.5 in my bolt guns,once they're gone then I'll try to find rem, 7.5 i did how ever buy 1000 fed, small rifle primers,#205 and Fed.gold match pistol primers.I will see if i can use them in my 223's, the messure the same size.
the newer book calls for 7.5 ,,I only used the 7.5 in my 221 fireball.im still using the 6.5 in my bolt guns,once they're gone then I'll try to find rem, 7.5 i did how ever buy 1000 fed, small rifle primers,#205 and Fed.gold match pistol primers.I will see if i can use them in my 223's, the messure the same size.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
From everything I've read and know the only difference between a standard primer and a BR primer is consistency. The BR primers are supposed to be more uniform and fire off at the same temp so each round will be more alike. IMO that's only needed for BR competition, not plinking and hunting. (if it's true at all)
OK - time for me to chime in here. I have a hard time swallowing that the bolt face damage was caused by primers blowing out.
Think about this for a minute. When you reload - how much pressure does it take to "de-Cap" ? And how much pressure is generated in the chamber of a rifle?? From what I've learned, the primer "theoretically" gets blown out on every shot, however it's held in place by the bolt face until pressure drops enough for the rearward motion of the bolt to begin and the primer is reseated.
Think about this for a minute. When you reload - how much pressure does it take to "de-Cap" ? And how much pressure is generated in the chamber of a rifle?? From what I've learned, the primer "theoretically" gets blown out on every shot, however it's held in place by the bolt face until pressure drops enough for the rearward motion of the bolt to begin and the primer is reseated.
243winxb
Member
Remington tells us NOT to use there 6 1/2 primer in 223. What you do is your business. Have a look at this thread. This primer cup was defective, it can happen to any primer. The gas cutting marks the bold face. I have had it happen personal with Rem. large rifle primers. http://www.benchrest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60959 View attachment 417359
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, I will take them off your hands. Please PM me.- Status
