Remington 6 1/2 small rifle primers

[presence]

Finally found some small rifle primers! I couldn't have been more excited, until i got home and read the warning on the side of the box about not using them in "high intensity calibers" such as .222, .223 etc. I want to load these in .204 rugers and possibly .243. Are these both considered high intensity calibers? They had CCI small rifle magnum primers too... Would these have been a better choice?

Thanks in advance!

[m&p45acp10+1]

Both are high pressure rounds. If you load them with those primers you will blow out the primers. That would casue damage to your bolt face, and gas cut your firing pin. Probably the firing pin spring as well.

Those primers are made for older rounds like .22 Hornet, and .218 Bee

[Adamantium]

If it is reasonable you should go back and buy the CCI primers.

[presence]

Could i use the magnum primers in .204 and .243??

[jdscholer]

.243 Win. uses large rifle primers. CCI 450 (small rifle magnum) is a good choice for .222. Reduce load accordingly if using in a load listed for 400's or other non mag primers. jd

EDIT: Oops, I thought you asked about .222. I THINK that 450's are OK for .204, but you better hear it from someone who knows, or better yet THE BOOK. jd

[m&p45acp10+1]

If you use those primers to load for .204 Ruger I hope you have a good fund set aside to pay for the gun smith. You will be replacing a firing pin, firing pin spring, and maybe the bolt face.

They can not be safely used for any high pressure loads. Both rounds you listed are high pressure loads.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I don't load for .204, but would guess in all fairness, that those could be used for lower pressure starting level loads, but not likely your "normal" load... & of coarse as already mentioned, the .243 uses LR primers...

BTW... FIL started out using those for bolt action 223 & 17 Remington ( like 20 years ago, probably before Remington put the warning on the box ) but transitioned to either Bench Rest, or Magnum primers...

you could also see if you could find someone who might be willing to trade, considering how hard all primers are to find right now ???

[Hummer70]

The Remington BENCHREST primer is OK for 5.56 but not standard small rifle as M&P correctly points out. The CCI company puts out a milspec primer for 5.56 which I think is #34 but double check on that to be sure.

By the time I get to Camp Perry for long range they are all gone so haven't got any.

In the interim Wolf makes a heavy cup primer for 5.56 and I am using them with no problems.

As a point of interest if you are using heavy cup primers and you get misfires replace the striker spring with the next energy range up from "factory" which are available from Wolff Springs.

The old industry (SAAMI) recommendation for center fire rifle striker indent performance used to be .020" indent on copper. I understand they have reduced this to .016" at the request of some vendors.

The M16 requirement IS .022" INDENT ! ! ! ! This is the second hardest primer in US Gov't inventory. The hardest primer to ignite is the Cal 50.

Case in point I bought a new Remington 7615. I was getting reverse primer flow on not only Remington BR primers I loaded but M193 MILSPEC. I ordered replacement springs from Wolff and the reverse primer flow ceased adruptly.

Now the term "copper" is a pressure copper used in obtaining chamber pressures and HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH INDENT ON PRIMER. They are used in "copper holders" which resemble a headspace gage except it has a flat bottom hole in rear where primer would be. The copper is placed therein, weapon held vertically with muzzle towards floor and trigger pulled. Copper is removed and a bench inspection gage is used to determine the depth of the indent. Thusly if you find a headspace gage that doesn't say GO/NO-GO/Field Service that has a flat bottom hole in back you have a copper holder. I rather doubt you will find such in gun shows though I know one guy that sold his Carbine gage at a gun show in Denver about 30 years ago.

The next thing to cause misfires is offcenter striker indent. You striker dead center should not be offset from the dead center of the primer more than .020" for ignition reliability. The industry puts them out at one half offset which is about .030" as the strikers are generally around .060" diameter for medium and large bolt face rounds. Bottom line guys is the more dead centered your striker hits the primer then it doesn't get any better.

[presence]

Stopped today and bought some CCI 450 small rifle magnum primers and some Federal 205 small rifle primers. Will either of these work alright in .204 Ruger rounds?

[emptybrass]

OK - new to reloading here and plan on reloading .223. I have everything I need (I think) just need to get started. So this thread has me wondering and needing a little reassurance. I have Fiocchi small rifle primers to use on my 223 - will they work okay?

Thanks.

[Pongo]

I use Federal 205M primers for .204 Ruger and .222 Rem with no problems.

Some years back I tried the Remington 6 1/2 primers (before the warning on the package) in .222 Rem using a starting load....pierced primer second shot and then again fifth and last shot. I never used those primers again.

Here is some interesting reading on primers and pressure, fairly old but relevant.http://www.jamescalhoon.com/primers_and_pressure.php