Armory Sponsor
Posted: 3/30/2010 1:17:25 PM EDT
| what kind do you use for loading .223,or said another way is it ok to load with standard non military primers, or will they slam fire |
| Non military spec primers work fine. I have never used a mil-spec primer and never had the dreaded slam fire. Of course, no matter what primer is being used, seating to the correct depth is the key to preventing a slam fire. I've used Win SR, Rem 7 1/2, and CCI (non mil-spec) with no problems. I will go out on a limb and say that the most widely used .223 primers (of any brand) are NOT mil-spec. |
|
This thread/link from a couple of pages back has a lot of small rifle primer input - Are All Primers The Same?
I personally use Rem 7 1/2 BR primers and am trying Wolf SRM primers. ######################################### This seems to be an on-going question, so it is nice to have data available. Bear in mind that the greatest safety margin when loading to .223 pressure in an AR15 is to have something approaching a mil-spec primer cup thickness. You don't want to cost yourself a firing pin or bolt face thru piercing because of using a primer not very suited to the application. Especially when you are not committed to using up a previous large stash of something less suitable - which is a situation that some reloaders/posters on this forum are at. This is the chart I posted on that thread - that I came up with from information that I have gleaned from several reloading sources, including feedback and posts on this AR15 reloading forum: Small Rifle Standard CCI 400 -thin .020" cup, not recommended for AR15 use by CCI/Speer. Good for .22 Hornet, .30 Carbine. See Note at the bottom of the page CCI BR4 - match primer with a thicker .025" cup. Federal 205 - Mil-Spec cup thickness according to Federal - okay for 5.56mm. .0225" cup thickness. Federal 205M - same as the 205 but the match version. Magtech PR-SR - .025" cup thickness (not much feedback yet on this new primer as to AR15 suitability but with the same cup thickness as the Rem 7 1/2 it looks good so far) Remington 6 ½ - thin .020" cup, best for lower pressure rounds like the .22 Hornet, .30 Carbine. Not the .223 Rem/AR15. Remington 7 ½ BR - A match or "bench rest" primer. Lyman & Nosler classify this primer as a Standard. Remington says the compound is the same as the 6 1/2 but with a thicker .025" cup. RWS 4033 Winchester WSR - some piercing issues noted when changed from silver to brass cup. Cup thickness is a bit thinner at .021". Most, but not all, say they are good to go despite that, probably because of the hardness of the cup material makes up for a lack of thickness. Wolf Small Rifle SR - soft, sensitive copper cup, not recommended for AR15/military rifle use or high pressure rounds. Small Rifle Magnum CCI 450 - same thicker .025" cup as the BR4 and #41. CCI #41 - commercial version of the fully-qualified DOD primer for use in U.S. military ammo. With this primer there is more 'distance' between the tip of the anvil and the bottom of the cup than with other CCI SR primers. Compound is like the CCI 450. .025" thick cup and CCI/Speers choice for semi-autos. Remington 7 ½ BR - A match or "bench rest" primer. Hornady, Handloads.com, and Chuck Hawks classify this primer as a Magnum, differing from other sources that classify it as a Standard. .025" cup thickness. Wolf Small Rifle Magnum SRM - hard, less sensitive brass cup intended for AR15/military rifle and high pressure rounds. Wolf Small Rifle 223 SR223 - "This is the newest primer available in the Wolf line. It is ever so slightly hotter than the small rifle magnum primer and it comes with a brass colored thick cup. This primer can be used in place of the SRM primer or used when a different powder is used that is hard to ignite." NOTE: According to Speer/CCI Technical Services - Both the CCI 550 Small Pistol Magnum and CCI 400 Small Rifle primers are identical in size. Both primers use the same cup metal and share the same cup thickness. Both primers use the same primer compound formula and same amount of primer compound. They can be used interchangeably. |
|
Seeing as most slam fires in ARs are the result of a very dirty rifle. Which can make the firing pin lock in the forward position.
99.9% of the shooters here will never get their rifle's that dirty. So they don't see the need for the harder capped primers . As for me I only use CCI #41 and wolf 5.56 primers for the .223 that I load. I buy in bulk and the price was right so it only made sense to use these two only. 
|
|
Quoted:
The key is seating primers.002 to .008 below the case head. I have never used a mil primer either. Some cases will require reaming the primer pocket. dryflash3 is right. I chuck a Sinclair primer pocket uniformer tool into my cordless drill and uniform all my .223 brass to the uniform and proper depth (there is an automatic stop built into the uniformer). This is an excellent safety measure because primer pocket depth and primers can vary from lot to lot and brand to brand. |
|
Quoted: Seeing as most slam fires in ARs are the result of a very dirty rifle. Which can make the firing pin lock in the forward position. 99.9% of the shooters here will never get their rifle's that dirty. So they don't see the need for the harder capped primers . As for me I only use CCI #41 and wolf 5.56 primers for the .223 that I load. I buy in bulk and the price was right so it only made sense to use these two only. http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/438/dillon001.jpg  #41's here as well. ETA: You may be just a hair past the 10k primer per residence thing.  |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Seeing as most slam fires in ARs are the result of a very dirty rifle. Which can make the firing pin lock in the forward position. 99.9% of the shooters here will never get their rifle's that dirty. So they don't see the need for the harder capped primers . As for me I only use CCI #41 and wolf 5.56 primers for the .223 that I load. I buy in bulk and the price was right so it only made sense to use these two only. http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/438/dillon001.jpg
#41's here as well. ETA: You may be just a hair past the 10k primer per residence thing.
They don't stay in the boxs to long 
|
|
Quoted: This thread/link from a couple of pages back has a lot of small rifle primer input - Are All Primers The Same? I personally use Rem 7 1/2 BR primers and am trying Wolf SRM primers. ######################################### This seems to be an on-going question, so it is nice to have data available. Bear in mind that the greatest safety margin when loading to .223 pressure in an AR15 is to have something approaching a mil-spec primer cup thickness. You don't want to cost yourself a firing pin or bolt face thru piercing because of using a primer not very suited to the application. Especially when you are not committed to using up a previous large stash of something less suitable - which is a situation that some reloaders/posters on this forum are at. This is the chart I posted on that thread - that I came up with from information that I have gleaned from several reloading sources, including feedback and posts on this AR15 reloading forum: Small Rifle Standard CCI 400 -thin .020" cup, not recommended for AR15 use by CCI/Speer. Good for .22 Hornet, .30 Carbine. See Note at the bottom of the page Good info. There's been some threads here in the past on CCI 400 vs 450, most people can use CCI 400 with no problems. I'm stuck with 10K's worth of the 400's hope they'll work out good for me when the time comes |
|
Quoted:
great posts everyone,i was a little worried as i had bought a bunch of 7 1/2 rem. then i started reading some stuff about slam fires and how you should only use mil. spec primers in an ar. glad that i am gtg with the remingtons A Remington 7 1/2 primer is every bit as tough as a CCI 41. |
|
Quoted:
Non military spec primers work fine. I have never used a mil-spec primer and never had the dreaded slam fire. Of course, no matter what primer is being used, seating to the correct depth is the key to preventing a slam fire. I've used Win SR, Rem 7 1/2, and CCI (non mil-spec) with no problems. I will go out on a limb and say that the most widely used .223 primers (of any brand) are NOT mil-spec. This here is the answer. A properly seated primer and a gun with an in spec firing pin WILL NOT slam fire. Period. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
great posts everyone,i was a little worried as i had bought a bunch of 7 1/2 rem. then i started reading some stuff about slam fires and how you should only use mil. spec primers in an ar. glad that i am gtg with the remingtons A Remington 7 1/2 primer is every bit as tough as a CCI 41. While the caps might be the same thickness I don't think I would go so far as to say the 71/2 is every bit as tough. I would go so far as to say they are good enough to use for loading .223 to be shot out of an AR though. Unless of course you have tested them or have some other form of proof. 
|
Armory Sponsor