300 Weatherby Question

[beaverguy]

I tryed the reloading spot but no one wants to answer my simple question.. Maybe someone here can help?? All my reloading books show useing the Federal 215 mag primer. I only have CCI 250 mag and Remington 9 1/2 mag primers.. My question is::: has anyone used anything besides the Federal mag primers??? I'm doing a friend a favor and loading some loads for him, but like I said I haven't got the Federal primers.. These will not be Max. loads only mid-range loads..

Thanks,
John

[Randy in Arizona]

Back when I started loading 300 Win Mag, and reading every caliber's write-ups in each loading manual, I noticed the preference for Federal 215 Magnum primers in anything bigger than an Ackley Improved '30-06. IIRC the ONLY magnum primer readily available in those days was the Federal 215.

Now I have also noticed that the data frequently lingers from one issue of a manual to the next. So if the company has 6 new powders, 14 new calibers, and 20 new bullets to work up loads for they may well go for quite a while before revisiting some thing that doesn't use the new powders or bullets.

Now the good news - if you are starting from scratch any of the new magnum primers should be fine. Just stick to which ever brand and type you develop the load with. DO NOT change brands or types with out starting over with light loads and working up to the level of speed and accuracy you are trying for. BTW you may not be able to achieve the velocity you are hoping for, so go for accuracy instead. A bullet that misses at 3500 fps will not work as well as one at 2500 fps that hits its target.

Learn to read primers and measure the casehead expansion as you work up.

I use the Fed 215 for three reasons, I worked up my loads with them, and I have several thousand of them, and they are still available.

YMMV
Work up your own loads!
This advice worth at least twice what you paid for it!

[beaverguy]

Thanks Randy... I've reloaded my 300 Win Mag for over 30 years and use two different primers for the 180 & 150gr. bullets.. I didn't know what to think about the Weatherby data.. What you said made sense to me and relieves any worries I had about useing the other primers.. Thanks again, John

[Randy in Arizona]

Glad to help, wish I still had my 300 Weatherby -
it was a German made one with the Pendleton Dekicker.

[castnblast]

I've had no problem even with Large Rifle Primers in my 300 win. Powder charge is only a few grains heavier in the Weatherby. I always used CCI Large rifle, and had no issues whatsoever. Got nice groups w/ RL 22 and a 165 BTSP.

[44 AMP]

Have a long held reputation as the "hottest" magnum primers, the best for big charges of very slow powders. It may be true, but you couldn't prove it by me. CCI, Remington, and Winchester have also given me acceptable results, with properly worked up loads.

Every gun is an individual in some preference, and a given load may be safe, and shoot well in your rifle with a given primer, but not in mine.

Follow proper load developement procedures, Don't change primers without working up again, and it won't make a significant difference. It might make a measureable difference but it is unlikely to make a significant one.

Changing primers without working up the load CAN make a significant difference. It can spike pressures (15% is not unknown) and this can be a safety issue with max level loads.

Note that changing primers (or other components, or variables like seating depth) is not a guarantee of a pressure spike, but that it can happen, and if it does, it is seldom a good thing.