How Hot are Winchester Primers? WLP

jjmorgan64 · November 11, 2002, 09:19 PM

I use WLP's religiously for my 45 colt, Unique loads, with great sucess in the large cases,
I was wondering if they are acceptable for lighting H110?

They say regular or magnum loads,

I currently use CCI Mags for this, read somewhere that CCI mags might not be the hottest primers on the market either.

Just curious

Thanks as always

**Mal H** · November 12, 2002, 12:29 AM

I've used WLP's for years in both .44 Magnum and .45 Colt with both H110 and W296 (essentially the same powders) with zero problems. The only squib load I've ever had was with H110 and a CCI regular primer in .357 Mag. I would call that my problem not the CCI primer's or the powder's since H110 calls for a magnum primer.

Jim Watson · November 12, 2002, 09:15 AM

According to a post by Ed Harris on Load Your Own the Winchester primers are the hottest made. They have powdered aluminum in the mix to literally spit fire into Ball powders. Their Magnum primers are selected "hot" lots of the same basic primer. Other brands' Magnum primers just have more styphnate.

Johnny Guest · November 12, 2002, 02:46 PM

I've been using these almost exclusively for the past several years and have been very happy with 'em.

.44 Special
.44 Magnum
.45 ACP
.45 Auto Rim
.45 Colt

The WLP seems to ignite all those charges nicely.

Note, though - - - I do not load really hot loads for .44 Mag. Only revolver I have in that caliber is an old Super BKH and the small trigger guard really punishes the arthritic first joint of my trigger finger. For this reason, I normally don't load 240 gr. bullets at much over 1200 fps.

Best,
Johnny

Bill Adair · November 13, 2002, 08:52 PM

Jim Morgan,

Some people report using regular primers with slow powders like H110/W296, but I think it all depends on the load, and I suspect the ambient temperature.

Here are the chrono results for a load I tried in my 45 Blackhawk, with 5-1/2 barrel. The components used were Oregon Trail 250gr LRNFP bullets, Starline Brass, and 24gr of H110 powder.

Note that this load should only be tried in Ruger large frame revolvers, in good condition.

PRIMER AV ES

WLP 1104.4 114.4

CCI350 1356.6 36.6

The magnum primers increased the average velocity by 250+ fps, and reduced the extreme spread considerably.

I realize this is only one example, but you can see the significant difference that using the recommended primers made, with this particular load.

Bill

LAH · November 14, 2002, 08:40 AM

We use hardly anything but WLP's. I have no problems with them either for slow or fast powders and large or small cases. Just my 2.

alan · November 17, 2002, 06:58 PM

The "accepted wisdom" re RIFLE primers used to be that Winchester Standard Large Rifle primers were hottert than other brands.

With the 30-06, and charges of 4831 and 4350, I never had the least problem with hang fires of misfires using Winchester Standard Primers.

November 11, 2002, 09:19 PM	#1
jjmorgan64 Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2001 Posts: 519	How Hot are Winchester Primers? WLP I use WLP's religiously for my 45 colt, Unique loads, with great sucess in the large cases, I was wondering if they are acceptable for lighting H110? They say regular or magnum loads, I currently use CCI Mags for this, read somewhere that CCI mags might not be the hottest primers on the market either. Just curious Thanks as always __________________ The Forty-Four spoke and it sent lead and smoke And seventeen inches of flame. -Marty Robbins JM

November 12, 2002, 02:46 PM	#4
Johnny Guest Moderator in Memoriam Join Date: August 28, 1999 Location: North Texas Posts: 4,123	Re: WLP primers I've been using these almost exclusively for the past several years and have been very happy with 'em. .44 Special .44 Magnum .45 ACP .45 Auto Rim .45 Colt The WLP seems to ignite all those charges nicely. Note, though - - - I do not load really hot loads for .44 Mag. Only revolver I have in that caliber is an old Super BKH and the small trigger guard really punishes the arthritic first joint of my trigger finger. For this reason, I normally don't load 240 gr. bullets at much over 1200 fps. Best, Johnny

November 12, 2002, 12:29 AM	#2
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,955	I've used WLP's for years in both .44 Magnum and .45 Colt with both H110 and W296 (essentially the same powders) with zero problems. The only squib load I've ever had was with H110 and a CCI regular primer in .357 Mag. I would call that my problem not the CCI primer's or the powder's since H110 calls for a magnum primer.

November 12, 2002, 09:15 AM	#3
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,542	According to a post by Ed Harris on Load Your Own the Winchester primers are the hottest made. They have powdered aluminum in the mix to literally spit fire into Ball powders. Their Magnum primers are selected "hot" lots of the same basic primer. Other brands' Magnum primers just have more styphnate.

November 13, 2002, 08:52 PM	#5
Bill Adair Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2000 Location: Seattle/Tacoma, WA USA Posts: 345	Jim Morgan, Some people report using regular primers with slow powders like H110/W296, but I think it all depends on the load, and I suspect the ambient temperature. Here are the chrono results for a load I tried in my 45 Blackhawk, with 5-1/2 barrel. The components used were Oregon Trail 250gr LRNFP bullets, Starline Brass, and 24gr of H110 powder. Note that this load should only be tried in Ruger large frame revolvers, in good condition. PRIMER AV ES WLP 1104.4 114.4 CCI350 1356.6 36.6 The magnum primers increased the average velocity by 250+ fps, and reduced the extreme spread considerably. I realize this is only one example, but you can see the significant difference that using the recommended primers made, with this particular load. Bill

November 14, 2002, 08:40 AM	#6
LAH Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2002 Location: In The Hardwoods Posts: 1,188	We use hardly anything but WLP's. I have no problems with them either for slow or fast powders and large or small cases. Just my 2.

November 17, 2002, 06:58 PM	#7
alan Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 1999 Posts: 3,847	The "accepted wisdom" re RIFLE primers used to be that Winchester Standard Large Rifle primers were hottert than other brands. With the 30-06, and charges of 4831 and 4350, I never had the least problem with hang fires of misfires using Winchester Standard Primers.