The role of a primer on accuracy

WookieRookie · March 10, 2011, 07:36 PM

Hey guys, got a question. I load 9mm rounds. How important is a primer and/or primer pocket on accuracy. Reason i ask is, I got my hands on a thousand wolf primers for next to nothing. I have read many posts about them being inferior, but not sure why. Also, would cleaning primer pockets increase accuracy? I've always done it, but it takes a good chunk of time. Would I see any I'll effects not cleaning them? Thanks for the help.

Doodlebugger45 · March 10, 2011, 08:09 PM

Personally, I have not seen any effects upon accuracy when it comes to primers in handguns. They either go off or they don't. For slow burning powders like H110 in larger capacity cartridges like .44 mag, some primers might do a better job of igniting powder than others.

Some benchrest rifle shooters claim differences in accuracy due to the consistency of certain primers, but those types of effects will not be noticeable in handgun shooting.

As long as your Wolf primers go off when they are supposed to, they should be just fine. A lot of volume shooters really like them and report very good reliability. The biggest issue in handgun loads with regards to primers are how hard the cups are. Some of them are harder for the firing pin to ignite, so if you have a fairly light firing pin or striker force, some of the harder primers like Wolf and CCI might not fire as easily as Federal primers.

WookieRookie · March 10, 2011, 09:44 PM

Great info guys, thanks. Any input on primer pocket...clean vs dirty? Or is it the same situation; if it fires, it's working?

mc223 · March 10, 2011, 09:46 PM

I went to sleep like 4 times while trying to read all of war and OOPs, that was slamfires post.

9 mm pistol 9 mm pistol 9 mm pistol.

Some primers may give more consistent initiation than others and there is no difference in pistol primer cup thickness. They are all .017 thick. Harder, softer, probably not, with the nickel plated being the exception. They are tougher.

What you have is what you have, so use them. Develop loads that perform to your expectations.

I dont clean primer pockets on pistol brass unless there is a seating issue with a batch. By then They are usually pretty much stretched out to not holding primers well anyway.

Win_94 · March 14, 2011, 11:32 PM

Quote:

hese were 5 shot groups,25 of each load on same day.

I just realized you think shooting "25 of each" is more testing. Not what I am talking about. I'm talking about load development; testing the components with different charge weights, seating depths.

If the load didn't shoot well in a 5 shot group, 20 more shots will not change the outcome... but if it does, there is something other than the load to blame.

wncchester · March 15, 2011, 01:38 PM

"I have not seen any effects upon accuracy when it comes to primers in handguns."

Ditto.

BR and 9mm handguns is like apples and hammers; there's just not much to compare.

WESHOOT2 · March 17, 2011, 06:33 AM

IME cleaning pistol case pockets has no affect on accuracy.

IME uniforming pistol case flash holes may enhance accuracy.

Johnny Guest · March 18, 2011, 10:22 AM

When I started reading this thread, there were 26 posts.
The Original statement and post:

Quote:

Originally Posted by WookieRookie

The role of a primer on accuracy

Hey guys, got a question. I load 9mm rounds. How important is a primer and/or primer pocket on accuracy. Reason i ask is, I got my hands on a thousand wolf primers for next to nothing. I have read many posts about them being inferior, but not sure why. Also, would cleaning primer pockets increase accuracy? I've always done it, but it takes a good chunk of time. Would I see any I'll effects not cleaning them?

It was amusing to read the off topic rifle shooting/loading stuff written on this thread:

------------------------------------------------------
registered match at 1000 yards
shoots a 284

CCI Bench Rest. He would also use Fed 210M
would also use Fed 210M with that cartridge
"I get ten shot groups at 200 yards that will fit inside my thumb nail".
a 1000 yard Wimbledon Cup winner
could buy 308, 7mm-08, 6.5-08 cases that took small rifle primers.
I used CCI primers all the way out to 600 yards last weekend. Shot a 199-8X at 600 yards with CCI #34’s
----------------------------------------
As a bench shooter I can tell you primers do make a great difference in rifle loads

Benchrest is an entire different game than high power or F Class.

First group== CCI primers,25.5 gns Varget,2.25COL-200 yards 2 inch groups

Second group--CCI=BR-4 ditto above for load-- 1 1/2 groups

3RD group-Rem 7 1/2 Bench Rest-ditto above--3/4 to 1 inch groups

recently loaded some 223 with CCI #41 primers

Each rifle will like it's own special load. Both rifles i used were Savages in 223.

nice shooting with a 30-30 at 200 yds

I don't think it's ever shot a scoped group at less than 300.

Im up to shooting eggs at 600 yards with a 223..

I explode GRAPES at 600 METERS with my .22LR.

read that CCI benchrest primers are made under more controlled conditions

I chose to start at 300 to 600 yards.

Does a 3 inch triangle with the 30-30 at 550 yards, one shot one kill, work?
--------------------------------------------------------

I ran through and removed all the posts which didn't concern 9mm or other handgun cartridges. Looks like we're left with some seven posts, and a couple only marginally reference handgun shooting. For all of you who bragged about the kind of shooting you do, picking off fish eggs at 1800 yards - - Do you feel like your efforts at deathless prose were worthwhile? I mean, now that they're gone, gone away?

Please, all - - Could we kindly stick to the topic at hand?
Johnny

March 10, 2011, 07:36 PM	#1
WookieRookie Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2010 Posts: 105	The role of a primer on accuracy Hey guys, got a question. I load 9mm rounds. How important is a primer and/or primer pocket on accuracy. Reason i ask is, I got my hands on a thousand wolf primers for next to nothing. I have read many posts about them being inferior, but not sure why. Also, would cleaning primer pockets increase accuracy? I've always done it, but it takes a good chunk of time. Would I see any I'll effects not cleaning them? Thanks for the help.

March 17, 2011, 06:33 AM	#7
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	testee IME cleaning pistol case pockets has no affect on accuracy. IME uniforming pistol case flash holes may enhance accuracy. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

March 10, 2011, 08:09 PM	#2
Doodlebugger45 Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2009 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,717	Personally, I have not seen any effects upon accuracy when it comes to primers in handguns. They either go off or they don't. For slow burning powders like H110 in larger capacity cartridges like .44 mag, some primers might do a better job of igniting powder than others. Some benchrest rifle shooters claim differences in accuracy due to the consistency of certain primers, but those types of effects will not be noticeable in handgun shooting. As long as your Wolf primers go off when they are supposed to, they should be just fine. A lot of volume shooters really like them and report very good reliability. The biggest issue in handgun loads with regards to primers are how hard the cups are. Some of them are harder for the firing pin to ignite, so if you have a fairly light firing pin or striker force, some of the harder primers like Wolf and CCI might not fire as easily as Federal primers.

March 10, 2011, 09:44 PM	#3
WookieRookie Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2010 Posts: 105	Great info guys, thanks. Any input on primer pocket...clean vs dirty? Or is it the same situation; if it fires, it's working?

March 10, 2011, 09:46 PM	#4
mc223 Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2007 Location: n/w Wisconsin Posts: 365	I went to sleep like 4 times while trying to read all of war and OOPs, that was slamfires post. 9 mm pistol 9 mm pistol 9 mm pistol. Some primers may give more consistent initiation than others and there is no difference in pistol primer cup thickness. They are all .017 thick. Harder, softer, probably not, with the nickel plated being the exception. They are tougher. What you have is what you have, so use them. Develop loads that perform to your expectations. I dont clean primer pockets on pistol brass unless there is a seating issue with a batch. By then They are usually pretty much stretched out to not holding primers well anyway. Last edited by mc223; March 11, 2011 at 12:14 AM.

March 15, 2011, 01:38 PM	#6
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"I have not seen any effects upon accuracy when it comes to primers in handguns." Ditto. BR and 9mm handguns is like apples and hammers; there's just not much to compare.