Does Primer Brand Matter? - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

atmiller · 01-04-2008, 04:55 PM

Relatively new to reloading. Actually, I've done a lot of lever pulling, but others have always set up the presses. Anyway, now that I have my own press, I've noticed that some "recipes" call for specific brands of primers. I've always thought that as long as you had the right type (small pistol, magnum rifle, etc.), you were good. Is it just personal preference?

slugger6 · 01-04-2008, 05:00 PM

Much of it is personal preference, but I have heard too many horror stories about Federal primers from people I know and trust so I avoid them. I routinely use Winchester, but many other brands will get the job done just as well.

atmiller · 01-04-2008, 05:04 PM

Winchester and CCI are what my father in-law uses, so that's what I bought to get started myself.

**Loves2Shoot** · 01-04-2008, 05:24 PM

Federal is the softest, Wincester and CCI are hard. I've shot hundreds of thousands of Federal primers without any issue.

ichy_trigger · 01-04-2008, 06:18 PM

Ditto, federal primers are by far the best and most reliable. I currently use Winchester in my rifles and pistol.

If you work up a load and then change primers, you need to reduce the charge and work back up. Slight difference it may be, never assume ANYTHING when reloading.

fredj338 · 01-05-2008, 08:44 AM

It really doesn't matter, I shoot whatever I can get at the time. As long as you are not pushing max. loads, swapping primers will have little to no affect. If you are running max. expecially w/ fast burning powders, you'll want to reduce 8-10% & work back up. Federal seems to be the primer of choice for guys shooting striker fired pistols or handguns will light hammer fall.

rogerxd45 · 01-05-2008, 08:47 AM

i use cci or remington

mif_slim · 01-05-2008, 10:51 AM

Anyone happen to know the sensativity of a primer? like say, if you hit it with a rubber mallot when its seated in the brass, would it ignite? just curious..

**agalindo** · 01-05-2008, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mif_slim

Anyone happen to know the sensativity of a primer? like say, if you hit it with a rubber mallot when its seated in the brass, would it ignite? just curious..

No it will not ignite.

mcb · 01-05-2008, 11:11 AM

My S&W revolver gets Federal due to how soft they are. I have had the hammer spring set so light that it would reliable ignite loads with 180gr bullets but would light strike on loads with 135gr bullets due to the load not having enough inertia. I have since turned the hammer spring up a touch but it still gets Federal.

Now my XD gets Winchester small rifle primers. I get them a lot cheaper than any other primer and they work just fine.

mcb

01-04-2008, 04:55 PM	#1
atmiller XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Tennessee Posts: 874	Does Primer Brand Matter? Relatively new to reloading. Actually, I've done a lot of lever pulling, but others have always set up the presses. Anyway, now that I have my own press, I've noticed that some "recipes" call for specific brands of primers. I've always thought that as long as you had the right type (small pistol, magnum rifle, etc.), you were good. Is it just personal preference? __________________ NRA Life Member XD-40 Subcompact XD-9 Service with laser sight XD-9 Tactical with Storm Lake Barrel, mag well, CobraChrome, Williams Firesights, Drop-In Sear and Trigger Bar XD-40 Tactical with mag well, Don's Guide Rod & 22 lb. Spring XD-45ACP Tactical with TLR-1 XDm-40 Bi-Tone with Don's Guide Rod Most Recent Purchase: Romanian RPK

01-04-2008, 05:00 PM	#2
slugger6 XDTalk 10K Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 19,265	Much of it is personal preference, but I have heard too many horror stories about Federal primers from people I know and trust so I avoid them. I routinely use Winchester, but many other brands will get the job done just as well. __________________ "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us". - Ralph Waldo Emerson

01-04-2008, 05:04 PM	#3
atmiller XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Tennessee Posts: 874	Winchester and CCI are what my father in-law uses, so that's what I bought to get started myself. __________________ NRA Life Member XD-40 Subcompact XD-9 Service with laser sight XD-9 Tactical with Storm Lake Barrel, mag well, CobraChrome, Williams Firesights, Drop-In Sear and Trigger Bar XD-40 Tactical with mag well, Don's Guide Rod & 22 lb. Spring XD-45ACP Tactical with TLR-1 XDm-40 Bi-Tone with Don's Guide Rod Most Recent Purchase: Romanian RPK

01-04-2008, 05:24 PM	#4
Loves2Shoot XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Bend, OR Posts: 2,512	Federal is the softest, Wincester and CCI are hard. I've shot hundreds of thousands of Federal primers without any issue. __________________ www.SpringerPrecision.com The XD Specialists - Our web store is now online!

01-04-2008, 06:18 PM	#5
ichy_trigger XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Dayton, Ohio Posts: 7,414	Ditto, federal primers are by far the best and most reliable. I currently use Winchester in my rifles and pistol. If you work up a load and then change primers, you need to reduce the charge and work back up. Slight difference it may be, never assume ANYTHING when reloading. __________________ "The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." http://militarysignatures.com/signatures/member2645.png

01-05-2008, 08:44 AM	#6
fredj338 XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,162	It really doesn't matter, I shoot whatever I can get at the time. As long as you are not pushing max. loads, swapping primers will have little to no affect. If you are running max. expecially w/ fast burning powders, you'll want to reduce 8-10% & work back up. Federal seems to be the primer of choice for guys shooting striker fired pistols or handguns will light hammer fall. __________________ EVERY GOOD SHOOTER SHOULD BE A HANDLOADER!

01-05-2008, 08:47 AM	#7
rogerxd45 XDTalk 3K Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: boise ID (its boy-see, not boy-z) Posts: 3,592	i use cci or remington

01-05-2008, 10:51 AM	#8
mif_slim XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: CA Posts: 294	Anyone happen to know the sensativity of a primer? like say, if you hit it with a rubber mallot when its seated in the brass, would it ignite? just curious..

01-05-2008, 11:11 AM	#10
mcb XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: North East Ohio Posts: 2,026	My S&W revolver gets Federal due to how soft they are. I have had the hammer spring set so light that it would reliable ignite loads with 180gr bullets but would light strike on loads with 135gr bullets due to the load not having enough inertia. I have since turned the hammer spring up a touch but it still gets Federal. Now my XD gets Winchester small rifle primers. I get them a lot cheaper than any other primer and they work just fine. mcb __________________ If at first you don't succeed; RELOAD _ _ _ _ My web site

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode