Choice of primers

[Dr Dave]

Does anybody have experience with the Winchester "WLP" primers in their 44 Magnum handloads? Winchester claims that these things are suitable for both standard and magnum loads, but I don't see how. More specifically, if you were to use this primer for full-blown magnum loads (Speer #14) in your beloved bicentennial Blackhawk or your brand spanking new 1894SS, which would be the safer powder choice: 2400 or H110?

By the way, the Winchester site is down. I sent an e-mail to Hodgden but I got no real help. They use Remington primers to work up their 44 Magnum loads.

Thanks.

[zxcvbob]

WLP primers should be suitable for either powder. But if you have both, start with 2400 because it's more forgiving of light loads, marginal primers, etc.

[Dr Dave]

zxcvbob,

Thanks for the reply. 2400 may be more forgiving. It does concern me, however, that Speer recommends a magnum primer for 296/H100 and a standard primer for 2400.

[115scott]

CCI I have been using them for years and never had one misfire.

[Sevens]

I wanna hear more, more, more about people using Wolf primers!

I wanna buy a few thousand from Powder Valley at under $20 a thousand, and I want to hear from folks that have used a few thousand of them without FTFs.

[zxcvbob]

Thanks for the reply. 2400 may be more forgiving. It does concern me, however, that Speer recommends a magnum primer for 296/H100 and a standard primer for 2400.

If I recall correctly, if you look at the package it says WLP primers are for standard or magnum loads. They are unusually hot for a standard primer. And any brand of large pistol primer is gonna be hotter than a small pistol primer.

(I use Federal LP Magnum Match primers when I use 296, just because I got a good deal on a case of 'em 2 years ago.)

[zxcvbob]

I wanna hear more, more, more about people using Wolf primers!
I wanna buy a few thousand from Powder Valley at under $20 a thousand, and I want to hear from folks that have used a few thousand of them without FTFs.

I've used a few hundred without any problems at all. I wish I had bought 30000 of 'em instead of just 3000.

[DEDON45]

I use Wolf Large Rifle Primers in my .30-30, and have used Magtech No. 2 1/2 (Large Pistol Primers, they use the same part number as Remington) with success in both my .45ACP loads and .44Mag "Full House" loads... They were a bit less expensive than the other brands, and I was able to get a bulk amount of these whereas the others were a bit hard to find.

[scsov509]

It does concern me, however, that Speer recommends a magnum primer for 296/H100 and a standard primer for 2400

IIRC, Speer made the switch in recommendation in #13 saying that their testing gave better results with standard primers. I've used both standard and magnum primers fairly interchangably in most of my shooting applications depending mostly on what I can get hold of most inexpensive. I just advise backing the load down and working back up if you make a primer change.

I'm not sold out on a specific brand primer, though lately I've been using CCI pretty extensively after getting a great buy on a larger quantity. I walked into a local shop several months back and found they had a decent stock of CCI primers for $20/k, which around here is a steal. So I walked out the door about $200 poorer, but I'm well stocked on primers for the immediate future.

[Dr Dave]

This seems to be an odd duck. So, how about a load recommendation?

Does anyone have any recommended load for 44 Magnum that uses the Wincheser WLP primer?

[dgc940]

If your a accuarcy nut and cant tell any differance between any brand! all I can say is thse are some good looking 3 inch groups you have there.

[Crazy4nitro]

I have used CCI and Winchester. I started out using CCI cause they were available close to the house. + I liked using them in Nickle Cases. I found that over my Chrono Winchester had a 75fps on avg. more then CCI. So I now only use CCI in Nickle Cases that I load.
+ Wifey likes the "Pretty Bullets that dont smoke like your lead ones"

5.0gr of WSF,165gr FMJ,CCI 500's


'Nitro

[AF_Reloader]

I don't reload much else besides 12 ga, but I use nothing but Winchester. If the recipe calls for something else, I find a new one.

[Ranger325]

Mostly CCI an Winchester without problems. I'd not heard about Dillon recommending against CCI as an earlier post indicated.
I was chatting with a guy at an IDPA match a couple of weeks ago and he claimed that CCI are some of the 'hardest' primers. Not a problem for stock guns, but he runs a lighter firing pin spring in his Glocks and sticks with Winchester just to be safe. FWIW

Regards,

[Slamfire]

Does anybody have experience with the Winchester "WLP" primers in their 44 Magnum handloads? Winchester claims that these things are suitable for both standard and magnum loads, but I don't see how. More specifically, if you were to use this primer for full-blown magnum loads (Speer #14) in your beloved bicentennial Blackhawk or your brand spanking new 1894SS, which would be the safer powder choice: 2400 or H110?

I conducted my own tests with H110, and coincidentally used WLP primers. Having shot enough loads, there is a difference between W/W, CCI, and Federal primers, but not enough to worry me in pistol calibers.

You can compare the velocity in a 20” barrel against a five inch revolver at the bottom.

Personnally, I prefer 2400 in the 44 Magnum to H110. Far more flexible. I have shot a lot of 240 (any) with 17.5 grains 2400, and less 22.0 grs 2400 with any 240. The 22 grain load is quite powerful.

M1894 Marlin 20” Ballard Barrel

240 Nosler JHP 24.0 grs W296 WLP Fed cases
23-Mar-05 T = 64° F
Ave Vel = 1725
Std Dev = 7
ES = 21
Low = 1715
High = 1736
N = 5



240 Nosler JHP 24.5 grs W296 WLP Fed cases
23-Mar-05 T = 64° F
Ave Vel = 1752
Std Dev = 12
ES = 28
Low = 1735
High = 1763
N = 5


240 Nosler JHP 24.0 grs H110 WLP Midway cases
23-Mar-05 T = 64° F
Ave Vel = 1710
Std Dev = 3
ES = 9
Low = 1705
High = 1714
N = 5



240 Nosler JHP 24.5 grs H110 WLP Midway cases
23-Mar-05 T = 64° F
Ave Vel = 1745
Std Dev = 12
ES = 45
Low = 1723
High = 1768
N = 10


240 Rem JHP 24.0 grs H110 WLP Midway cases
23-Mar-05 T = 64° F
Ave Vel = 1719
Std Dev = 10
ES = 29
Low = 1705
High = 1734
N = 10

M629-5 5” Barrel

240JHP R-P 24.0 grs H110 Midway cases WLP
9-Oct-05 T = 66 °F
Ave Vel = 1228
Std Dev = 21.47
ES = 70.16
Low = 1268
High = 1197
N= 22

[TexasSeaRay]

I strongly prefer Winchester primers for small pistol loads that I load on a progressive.

For my larger pistol loads that I hand-prime, it doesn't make a lot of difference between Winchester and CCI.

But for large rifle, I'm about to give up on CCI.

Last week, I loaded up two-dozen 30-06 loads with different powder configurations, two-dozen 30-30 loads for zeroing in with different ranges--and out of almost fifty rounds, I had eight complete duds--would not fire at all. I had a total of twelve misfires, but got four to finally discharge, leaving eight that were just flat dead.

That's a 25% failure rate, and the highest rate I've had with CCI ever.

And this was from a new batch with a different lot number. Prior to breaking open that brick, I was averaging about 10% failure rate with CCI large rifle.

Two different 30-06 rifles keeps me from blaming the firearm.

Primers never touched my hands--went from tray to primer tray to primer pocket untouched. All were fully and correctly seated, and I uniform all rifle primer pockets, debur the flash holes, and do a light chamfer.

I've had failures with all brands except Winchester (excluding when I didn't seat them correctly), but not nearly as many as I've had with CCI. Back in my competition days, I refused to load them, but during the Winchester shortages during the first Gulf War, I acquiesced and began buying CCI.

When these CCI's are gone, no more. I'm stockpiling Winchester primers like crazy.

Jeff

[KC5TPA]

TexasSeaRay, I recently bought 1000 CCI SRM primers to feed my 454Casull. The first 40 rounds I loaded... 2 complete duds.
(Read like Bill Shatner) "I'm... relatively newish. To reloading., ...but my God". I've shot thousands of Winchester so far without one hiccup.
I did buy 100 CCI LR to try and found no duds in that package but needless to say my confidence in CCI primers is shattered forever.
Anybody in the SE Ohio area wanna pick up 960 CCI SRM primers on the cheap? Afore mentioned problems will be forwarded to potential buyer!

When 'installing' the new primer do not be afraid to give the handle a 'firm' push when seating so the anvil and cup are fully inserted. The reason is so the firing pin does not have to 'finish' seating the primer for you.

These are probably not duds, more so insufficiently seated primers.

[CrustyFN]

Damn Nitro I love that picture, every time I see it I get excited. I love the look of nice clean nickel cases. As far as primers I buy Magtech and Wolf because I can buy them a lot cheaper than the other brands. So far I haven't had any problems with either brand so as long as they keep shooting, I'll keep buying.
Rusty

[under_dawg]

I bought a box of 1000 cci 550's. I have about 2 duds out of every 100 I shoot. Most of the time a 2nd or third strike will set them off, but not always. I'll be trying a different brand when these are gone.

[KC5TPA]

I have loaded over 700 rounds of CCI 500 Lot# A08PC and I have not had the first misfire.

[WESHOOT2]

I have the big four; I normally develop using CCI or Federal, but test others when I sense I'm nearing the end.....

I use numerous hand devices, and a Duillon XL650.

Sometimes, even now, I go through a few thousand in a day.

WLP will be fine behind W296.