Federal Primers

usmcmba · Post by **usmcmba** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 6:13 pm

Hi all,

I have used Federal Large pistol match primers for years when loading .45 loads. Unfortunately these are hard to find. Has anyone done any testing to see if there are any "significant" different in accuracy between the standard and match primers? I have to wonder sometime if using match primer is more critical in rifle loads and pistol loads. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance for any info.

David

Isabel1130 · Post by **Isabel1130** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 7:28 pm

Primers are not critical. Try Winchester. I had been using CCI and went to Federal only to start having alabis due to stove pipes on my short line loads (but those loads are designed to have less recoil and not for accuracy.) If you do go to Winchester or CCI which perform about the same but are not a progressive press friendly as Winchesters, you might need to bump down the powder a tenth of a grain or two in order to get the same velocity as both the Winchester and CCI primers are peppier than the Federals. Kate

usmcmba · Post by **usmcmba** » Sun Aug 29, 2010 11:56 am

Thank you for the info Kate!

Bob-Riegl · Post by **Bob-Riegl** » Sun Aug 29, 2010 2:58 pm

Not that my notoriety deserves to tout a particular selection---I have and only will use Federal primers since Chang Yu shot his first handgonne in Hunan province. "Doc"

Rover · Post by **Rover** » Sun Aug 29, 2010 7:51 pm

I love the food there!

alb · Post by **alb** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 4:17 pm

I recently switched from Magtech primers to Federal Gold Medal Match primers (I have a lot of them that I got last year during the shortage). I was shooting 185 grain LSWC heads with 5.0 grains of Solo 1250 with the Magtech primers. When I switched to Federal, my muzzle velocity went from 825 fps down to 719 fps. I had to put an 8 lb. recoil spring in my gun to get it to function without stovepiping. With the slide-mounted dot-sight, the function feels really terrible. The lower muzzle velocity is bad for accuracy as well.

Unfortunately, I have about 2,000 rounds of this stuff loaded. It looks like I need 5.4 to 5.5 grains of Solo 1250 to get back to where I was with the Magtech primers. Primers do make a difference when it comes to velocity.

TonyT · Post by **TonyT** » Sun Sep 05, 2010 5:49 pm

A decrease from 800 to 720 fps from switching primers is morte than I would have imagined. The most I have expereinced is almost 50 fps when switching between FLP and WLP - the difference appears to be powder dependent.

alb · Post by **alb** » Mon Sep 06, 2010 10:38 am

TonyT wrote:A decrease from 800 to 720 fps from switching primers is morte than I would have imagined. The most I have expereinced is almost 50 fps when switching between FLP and WLP - the difference appears to be powder dependent.

I am also seeing a large extreme spread in velocities. Solo 1250 is a slower burning powder and I suspect that I'm getting incomplete burning with the Federal primers. I've increased the load to 5.4 grains from 5.0 grains, and my velocity is now back up to about 815 fps, and my extreme spread has narrowed.

Above a certain point, the change in muzzle energy appears to be linear with respect to change in powder charge. Below that point, however, the muzzle energy drops off non-linearly with decreases in powder charge.