Winchester primers - yea or nay?

[billybob44]

Winchester Primers are Good to Go..

My first choice is CCI primers, Winchester is #2..

Most all of my loads have one or the other of these brands..

For my .223/5.56 loads, I actually prefer Wolf .223 primers....Bill.

 

[Savage99]

The unplated WW WLR and WLRM primers I have are undersize and fit loose or even fall out of primer pockets!

I measured them and they are undersize to the specific Sammi dimensions.

Reloading components are not easy to find and this adds to the problem.

Do a search of forums using www.boardreader.com and read of the discussions.

 

[Reefinmike]

Ive used Tula, Wolf, Fiocchi, S&B, CCI, and winchester. They all go bang and there is no noticeable difference at the distances I shoot. I have had three tula primers that were duds, but that was out of about 25,000 primers and from the same lot. Ive shot 7k or fewer of the rest of the brands. My current flavor of the year is winchester. I bought 10k from a local gunshop back in december for $32 a thousand out the door. cheaper than powder valley and they were available!

 

[243winxb]

Winchester large rifle magnum primers-Ruptured 5/11/14

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?241413-Pierced-primers a new batch of Winchester LRM primers. Post #35

Today I got a call from a lady at Winchester. She requested some of my fired cases with perforated primers, which I agreed to give them. They are sending UPS to get the cases. I'll let you know of further developments.

 

[mls]

Well, after ove r100'000 shotshell and maybe 50,ooo centerfire, Winchester serves me very well'

 

[ArchAngelCD]

None of my Winchester primers or any of my primers were bought after 2007 so I guess I have no problems...

 

[ARJJ]

Since I started reloading last November, I've used several thousand Winchester SPP, several hundred LRP, and several hundred LPP. They seat smoothly and no duds.

I recently tried some CCI #500 SPP, and they worked well too. They were a few dollars cheaper than the Winchester, so I may start buying them in bulk when my stock of Winchesters runs out. I also use the CCI #41 for .223. They work well, even when not seated quite right due to a crimp remnant.

I've only had bad luck with Tula SPP. At least six failures to fire in one batch of 50 9mm reloads.

 

[Boho]

For years my spp go to was Rem. During the last 2 yrs with the shortage all I could get was Win in spp. I have a new respect for their performance and prefer them now. I also learned that Tula LPP and IMR 3031 are a match made in heaven in 30-30 loads! I never wouldve even considered Tula primers, but thats all there was. Good things come from these hard times.

 

[il.bill]

... I personally feel they are much more than just OK.

What he said goes for me too in Winchester SPP, SPMP, and LPP.

 

[heycods]

no problems here, its mostly what I find around here. I bought 2000 today

 

[jr_roosa]

I had a batch that blew some pinholes at the edge of the primers. Winchester bought me some new ones and took back the bad batch.

I didn't push for 2 new bolts to replace the ones that were cratered a little, but might have if they were in a match rifle or something.

I'd say I've used around 5000 of them, and still do.

Once the primer frenzy goes away, I might move over to CCI mil-spec primers, but I'll probably just stick with Winchesters.

-J.

 

[joed]

I've used Winchester and Federal primers for over 30 years and can only say good things about them. They work and work well.

 

[cfullgraf]

I've had no issues with Winchester primers.

Except for small rifle primers where I have gotten picky over the past few years, I'll buy Winchester primers particularly if they are priced less than the domestic competition.

 

[fiftybmg]

No issues here with Win primers. But only used about 500 so far.

I think the S&B primers are softer than Winchester.

I use Winchester when I can't get S&B, and I load for large and small pistol.

 

[chiltech500]

I use both Win and CCI for SPP and LPP. I believe that Win is softer than CCI because I bought some military crimped spp brass and before I learned to swage it I was "forcing" primers in and the CCI's would bend or turn sideways but the Wins would flex and sometimes fit in. Like the one gent said, the CCI's give a different solid feel when seating. That said I have no noticeable issues in the thousands I have used.

 

[Potatohead]

.aside from CCI looking "nicer" than the Winchester

They are quite dirty looking and seem to get dirtier as time goes by. Wonder whats up with that.

 

[RussellC]

Put me in the "much more than ok" group with ArchAngel

ditto

 

[mgmorden]

Never had any problem with them. Truthfully though aside from Wolf/Tula primers (which still work but had a 1-2% failure rate for me) the rest of them all work pretty much the same. I've used CCI, Winchester, Federal, Fiocchi, and S&B all with good results.

 

[Walkalong]

I have used thousands in pistol loads. They work just fine.

 

[theslasher]

Primers are primers. They all work as advertised.

Don't pay more than $30 a thousand.

He wont be buying any primers then. Only time I see them less than $30 is when Cabelas has them onsale $29.99. $32 to $40 is the norm these days. I hate paying $40 but its still actually cheap compared to factory ammo..

 

[Constrictor]

I prefer Winchester primers.

 

[PO2Hammer]

The WSPM primer is my first choice for .357 mag.

Had a couple failures with WLP's in 10mm auto, also had a few failures with 10mm Silvertip ammo, I assume those were WLP's too. May have been a pistol issue.

.45 auto gets Federal Gold Medals.

 

[ReloaderFred]

This question is a joke, right?? Winchester has been making ammunition (and primers) since the late 1800's. I've probably loaded and shot over 600,000 of their primers and they all went bang as long as they're seated correctly.

These days I load more Federal and MagTech, since I've got a wholesale source for them, but Winchester primers are at the top of my list for good components as far as primers go.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[AlliedArmory]

Winchester are my goto primers for pistol.

 

[GLOOB]

I've found one Win primer without an anvil, but I saw it before loading. Other than that, I've never had a problem.

I have read about Winchester letting out some LPP that were cracking cups and causing breechface pitting, recently. Someone posted pics on the forum. I think it was Eduardo?