I've got 600 Winchester SR primers, with No. 6 1/2 - 116 printed on the box I'm not sure of the age. I got concerned about them while reading a current thread about possible primer issues.

I then went to http://www.6mmbr.com/223Rem.html

And read up a bit and came to this...

The latest generation of Winchester primers, with brass-colored cups, should be avoided for AR15 use. The old silver Winchester primers worked fine, but the current WSRs are soft and can be pierced more easily than CCI or Rem primers.

The "cup" is the part that the firing pin hits...correct? if so mine are silver colored. I'm starting out with mild loads but will eventually work my way up.

Should I just "sit on" these old Winchesters or start out with some Remington 7 1/2's or another "harder" primer? I don't have cash to burn, but, I don't mind spending the coin to start out on the right foot, I would rather go with a "recommended" primer then cause any potential issues. This is my first loading session with .223.

What would you do?

This for an AR.

I have not had any troubles at all with Winchester primers with brass-colored cups and with silver-colored cups.  I have seen advice like the one you posted many times but cannot find a credible source.  In every case I know of, it was related to either a rifle problem (damaged firing pin tip) or an uber-pressure load.

Load with confidence



One day I'll probably run out of these old white box with red/orange stripe Winchies

A friend brought over a case (5000) of those and told me to use them up and that he had 2 more waiting for me.  What a guy.  
Btw, the case was marked $50.

Thanks guys, I'm going to go ahead with them and give it a try, I hate to waste 600 primers.

i was waiting for someone(sp?) to correct the OP on winchester 6.5. i thought that was remington's thing-numeralization? winchester was wlp/wsp/wlr/wsr.

I've alway known the primers as "WLP", etc like you said.  Possible way back in the old days maybe they had a numbering system, I have no idea



MidwayUSA calls them 6 1/2 primers http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=485932



Winchester uses both naming conventions:



http://www.winchester.com/Products/components/primers/winchester-primers/Pages/winchester-primers.aspx







<th>Symbol</th>
<th>Primer</th>
<th>Types</th>

W209	#209	Shotgun Shells
WLP	#7 - 111	Large Regular Pistol
WLR	#8-1/2 - 120	Large Rifle
WLRM	#8-1/2M - 120	Large Rifle Magnum
WSP	#1-1/2 - 108	Small Regular Pistol
WSPM	#1-1/2M - 108	Small Magnum Pistol
WSR	#6-1/2 - 116	Small Rifle