What primer for ball powders in the .223?

Nic_58

Nic_58

New member
I'm fixin' to try some W748 in my .223 Varminter. I've always used extruded powders like Varget with a CCI 400 small rifle primer. What are the preferred primers for ball powders such as H335 and W748? Can I use my CCI 400's or Winchester WSR's without going to a small rifle magnum primer?
 
I use rem 7 1/2's for 748. But I'm not sure it makes a difference. I would just use what you have on hand, and if you don't like the results try something later.
 
I use rem 7 1/2's in all my SR primer cases. 26.3 gr of h335 (same thinkg as 748) and a 55 gr bullet has been my standard 223 load for long time. If that load doesn't shoot I usually get rid of the rifle, not necessarily because I like the load that much, but i'm not about to change the load I use for a dozen 223's just cause 1 rifle won't shoot it
 
Quote:
I use rem 7 1/2's in all my SR primer cases. 26.3 gr of h335 (same thinkg as 748) and a 55 gr bullet has been my standard 223 load for long time. If that load doesn't shoot I usually get rid of the rifle, not necessarily because I like the load that much, but i'm not about to change the load I use for a dozen 223's just cause 1 rifle won't shoot it




Wow!
What book did you use for your data? Hornady shows 23.2 gr MAX. Nosler shows 25.0 gr. MAX, Speer shows with 450 primer 26.0 gr. MAX, and my Sierra bok shows 25.9 gr. MAX. I personally will not give out any reloading info to anyone if it will exceed the Manual for the type of projectile or even case brand. I know some guys load hot for some loads, and I have never gotten within a half grain of Max by any manual without showing excessive pressure signs....JOHN
 
I use Fed 205 GM with Win 748 in my 223 Rem, but in the bigger case like the 308 i use CCI 250 or Fed 215 mag with Win 748.
 
hello, i worked up a load with w-748 over the weekend & used federal match primer with a h-day 55 grain s.p. seemed to work well for me the 5 shot group was just under 1" at twenty degrees i wondered about a mag primer as the speer manual showed a mag primer in their manual,one thing i noticed is this powder likes to stick somewhat "clingy" in my plastic powder funnel, may have to find a metal one. good luck...
 
About all I use in my AR now is H335 & CCI450 magnum primers.I bought 1k primers last year & have 300 left. Bout time to get some more. Walmart is always out of H335 here, so next time I'm going to order an 8lb jug /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

HS
 
Quote:
Most ball powders require magnum primers to properly ignite the powder.


I talked to a Sierra and a Hornady tech on the phone yesterday about this subject. Both told me there was no reason to use a magnum primer with ball powders in the .223 Remington. One of them said "maybe" if you're going to be shooting much in sub zero temps, but that wouldn't include me because I don't get out of the house except to go to work when it's that cold! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Sierra Reloading Manual - 5th Edition Reloading Section, page 117 Primer Section "Small Rifle Magnum : Providing a hotter or more intense flame than standard primer, the Small Rifle Magnum is recommended for use with some ball powders, and those loads that will be used in subzero temperature. They may also prove to be beneficial when very large amounts of powder are being ignited, as in wild-cats such as the .22 Cheetah."

I also read in the same manual something to theeffect that Mag primers and Ball powders being joined at the hip isn't carved in stone. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

On the flip side, I have seen at least two other major manuals that showed an "*" next to many loads using Ball powders and the "*" was identified as "Manum Primer Recommended"

I read somewhere also that if you are seeing a lot of what looks like unburnt powder in your bore, trying magnum primers would have a positive effect.... I tried it with H380 and it did in fact cut down on powder "leftovers".
 
Last edited:
One way to decide between Standard and Magnum primers is to use your chorongraph and try both primers and see which gives you the least SD in Vel. One other way is to look at you groups and if you are having ver or hor stringing in the groups , then going to mag primer will sometime correct this. If the primer isn't giving complete burn then you will have groups from your rifle printing one to two shots in a group and one or two shots grouping 1/2 up or down or left or right from the first couple of shots. This is because the difference in pressure caused by a primer that isn't giving complete burn and magnum primers will most of the time correct this problem. Like TC stated , most ball powders loads will group better with magnum primers when the case get to 243 or bigger size. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Quote:
hello, i worked up a load with w-748 over the weekend & used federal match primer with a h-day 55 grain s.p. seemed to work well for me the 5 shot group was just under 1" at twenty degrees i wondered about a mag primer as the speer manual showed a mag primer in their manual,one thing i noticed is this powder likes to stick somewhat "clingy" in my plastic powder funnel, may have to find a metal one. good luck...



Dave, if you take a "Cling Free" dryer sheet to the inside of you powder funnel, you should be able to stop the static cling. It's not the powder, it's the static that is holding the powder there....JOHN
 
Ball powders are generally harder to ignite than flake and extruded powders and magnum primers are often called for, even in non-magnum rifle and pistol cartridges. Let your reloading manual be your guide to primer selection. You won't hurt anything using a magnum primer in 80 degree weather. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

HS
 


Write your reply...
Back
Top