Reloading: Question about primers?

[bearpaw]

I am wanting to use one large rifle primer for all cartridges that use large rifle primers.  Meaning .22 centerfires, 24, 25, 28, and 30 calibers.

Can I use the Federal 215 Magnum primers in the smaller calibers and cartridges and how much do I need to offset the powder weight when reloading with 215 magnum primers verses standard large rifle primers?

[h20hunter]

tagging this for reference....good question

[elkaholic123]

I am thinking 1 1/2 - 2 grains less 

[bobcat]

I'm a little confused by your question.

22 centerfire cartridges use small rifle primers.   

[Huntbear]

Bearpaw,

Whenever you change a component in your reloads.  You need to reduce your load by 10% then work back up.

As for .22 CF Bobcat is right. those are Small Rifle Primers.

However, anything that takes the Large Rifle Primers.. yes, those 215s are great primers to use.  Just be advised, magnum primers burn hotter, they are designed for large capacity cases, using them in smaller calibers you will most likely need to use slower burning powders, so as not to get pressure spikes.  I do use them in my .257 A.I.  However, I am using Ramshot Mag. powder as well.  Not the 4350 that is much faster burning.

[bearpaw]

I'm a little confused by your question.

22 centerfire cartridges use small rifle primers.   

.223 and .22 hornet and other smaller .22 centerfires use small rifle primers, but the larger .22 centerfires use large rifle primers.

[BLKBEARKLR]

I am wanting to use one large rifle primer for all cartridges that use large rifle primers.  Meaning .22 centerfires, 24, 25, 28, and 30 calibers.

Can I use the Federal 215 Magnum primers in the smaller calibers and cartridges and how much do I need to offset the powder weight when reloading with 215 magnum primers verses standard large rifle primers?

To answer the question, No you can not use the 215 primer in a 22 they require small primers. You should also think about actually using that magnum primer in those other rifles. They are designed for hotter loads, not saying they are unsafe or not. But that primer was designed mostly for the big weatherby magnums. I did some research on them and even from my 338 I am going to stick with the CCI's. I have taken years to get my setups where I want them and not had an issue.

If you do end up using them let us know how they work out. I am interested.

A good link to read.   http://www.reloadersnest.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5417

Joe

[bobcat]

I'm a little confused by your question.

22 centerfire cartridges use small rifle primers.   

.223 and .22 hornet and other smaller .22 centerfires use small rifle primers, but the larger .22 centerfires use large rifle primers.

OK. Never thought about that. Of the 22 centerfires, I've only loaded for the 222 Remington. So the 22-250 and I'm guessing the 220 Swift woud be the ones that would use the large primers?

[Hunterman]

I am wanting to use one large rifle primer for all cartridges that use large rifle primers.  Meaning .22 centerfires, 24, 25, 28, and 30 calibers.

Can I use the Federal 215 Magnum primers in the smaller calibers and cartridges and how much do I need to offset the powder weight when reloading with 215 magnum primers verses standard large rifle primers?

I use the CCI 250 Large Rifle Magnum Primers for all my reloading. .240 (6mm)  through .30 cal. I don't do any powder off set..

Hunterman(Tony)

[Huntbear]

I am wanting to use one large rifle primer for all cartridges that use large rifle primers.  Meaning .22 centerfires, 24, 25, 28, and 30 calibers.

Can I use the Federal 215 Magnum primers in the smaller calibers and cartridges and how much do I need to offset the powder weight when reloading with 215 magnum primers verses standard large rifle primers?

I use the CCI 250 Large Rifle Magnum Primers for all my reloading. .240 (6mm)  through .30 cal. I don't do any powder off set..

Hunterman(Tony)

But you also worked up your load from the beginning with those powders and that primer..

[bearpaw]

I found some data on using large rifle magnum primers.

22/250:  http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=22-250&Weight=40&type=rifle&Order=Powder&Source=
220 Swift:  http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=220%20Swift&Weight=50&type=rifle&Order=Powder&Source=
225 Winchester:  http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=225%20Winchester&Weight=52&type=rifle&Order=Powder&Source=

[Hunterman]

I am wanting to use one large rifle primer for all cartridges that use large rifle primers.  Meaning .22 centerfires, 24, 25, 28, and 30 calibers.

Can I use the Federal 215 Magnum primers in the smaller calibers and cartridges and how much do I need to offset the powder weight when reloading with 215 magnum primers verses standard large rifle primers?

I use the CCI 250 Large Rifle Magnum Primers for all my reloading. .240 (6mm)  through .30 cal. I don't do any powder off set..

Hunterman(Tony)

But you also worked up your load from the beginning with those powders and that primer..

So true Huntbear  It took some time to work-up my loads. Thats why I hunt everything with with my 150gr.'s out of my .30 cals

Hunterman(Tony)

[bearpaw]

I was hoping to hear from someone that had used the mag primers in the large.22's. The data I found will give me a baseline to get started.

I will have to look into it further to determine how much it affects how much powder is used. Also curious if accuracy will suffer, improve, or stay the same.

It's the 215 match primers that I am wanting to switch all my reloading over to.

[Huntbear]

Bearpaw...

In my .257 A.I.  I am actually getting better velocities, and my groups are about the size of a dime at 200 yds. 

[bearpaw]

Thanks for the posts everyone, BLKBEARKLR, your link helped provide the info I was looking for, here are a few of the comments from that link:
http://www.reloadersnest.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5417


Speer Manuals # 11 and # 12, list the CCI 250 primer for use with all ball powders. The # 11 manual shows for 8mm-06 a max charge of 59 grains of IMR 4831 and use of CCI 200 primer.
The # 11 manual shows for 300 H&H shows the use of the # 200 primer for all stick powders and the # 250 primer with all ball powders, regardless of bullet weight.
Personally, when ever I use a charge of 60 or more grains of any of the stick powders, I use a magnum primer, but reduce the charge weight by 2 grains and work up. For the ball powders, I use which ever primer is listed in the particular manual I am using.
Some of the people that I have discussed reloading with say that they use magnum primers exclusively, they reduce any starting load by the 2 grains and work up. They say that the use of the magnum primer reduces their powder usage enough to justify the use of the hotter primers.
All of the above information is for rifle cartridges only.


Curly, I don't know if there is a magic formula or not. I have tried both in my .300win and went with the most consistent for the load I was using. We don't get your Canadian temps here in the southeast so I shot standards for years. I'll agree with Woods. I switched to Fed GM215M a couple of years ago and found them to give the best groups and most consistent velocities in my current rifle..CR


FWIW I would just advise people to be careful when switching from standard to magnum primers with a given load. Last week I did the opposite and noticed a surprising drop in chronoed velocity (around 200fps as I recall -but don't have my notebooks with me).
That tends to suggest that doing the opposite could really increase pressures. And if you are working near max it could push you over the edge.
I recall being surprised that it made such a difference. This was the first time I had ever chronoed loads with different primers.
Ben

[bearpaw]

Bearpaw...

In my .257 A.I.  I am actually getting better velocities, and my groups are about the size of a dime at 200 yds.

I have been using CCI 250 Mag primers in all my 25 and larger calibers and an very happy with them. But I am switching to the Federal 215 Mag since everyone pretty much says they are more accurate. I was also wanting to go with them in my .22 reloads. When I start experimenting I will chrony the regular large rifle powders and then chrony the magnum primers loads when I work them up to where I want to be to compare speed verses amount of powder used and the accuracy.

[BULLBLASTER]

Bottom line is you should rework your loads and see. I use mag primers in all my reloads 22-250 to 300 rum and am in process of switching over to 215 match primers. Just shoot what I have loaded and back off 3-4 grains and really work up. It is not asviseable to sub primers at Max load as pressure may be too high. Just rework the load and if it shoots good you are fine. Just a matter of if it shoots well with them and is not creating excessive pressure.

[MDGrand]

I switched from CCI LRM Primers to Federal 215s about a year ago. I use them in everything from my smallest Caliber 6.5x284 Norma, 300 WSM, 300 Weatherby to my 300 RUM. VERY consistent and yes more accurate.. not incredibly more accurate in my experience, but yes, more accurate.

As far as pressure concerns.. I have a few loads that I have built up using the max load with the Fed 215 primer.. and I have had little no no signs of pressure whatsoever. Many receipes I see are calling for a mag primer anyway.

On a side note.. as it relates to this topic.. I decided to call a few bullet makers about 2 years ago and talk to their bulletsmith to see what went into their testing. Sometimes they dont list the barrel length for estimated velocity, etc. ANYWAY... in talking with a few guys at Barnes, Nosler, etc.. most loading receipes that come from either the bullet maker, powder maker, etc usually publish their recommended max load 2 grains lighter than what most rifles can handle. That is to NOT say that you should just ignore the max listing and go over, but comming from the Nosler Bulletsmith and Barnes Bulletsmith I talked to said that due to legal concerns, they never publish their highest data. Even though it might be accurate and even though it might have never showed any pressure concerns.

I keep this in mind when starting low and working up. Not afraid to build a max load and bring that out to the range too.

[carpsniperg2]

I have been using the mags in all my 22-250-340wby pretty much since I started reloading. The last couple years I have switched most of my magnums from the 250 to the fed 215. I have good luck with both primers but the feds give me a little more fps, not much but a little.

[Huntbear]

Where are you guys finding the Fed. 215 primers at..  I can not find them anywhere, locally I get basically laughed off when I ask at the gun shops....

[Jamieb]

I've loaded Both LR primmers and RLM primmeers in a few cartridges trying to shrink a group up a little. I've found that every cartridge that I have that the books call for a LR primmer, useing a mag primer opened up the group, never made it better.
My Rem 700 in 7mm08 is a good example, with RE-15 under a 120gr nosler balistic tip and a CCI200 the rifle shoots under 1" 5 shot groups at a 100 yards. With a CCI250 it's a 2MOA shooter.

[carpsniperg2]

Where are you guys finding the Fed. 215 primers at..  I can not find them anywhere, locally I get basically laughed off when I ask at the gun shops....

Wholesale sports stocks them. They sell as soon as they put them out. I found some the other day. I bought another k of them. They had 2 more I wish I had bought. I will be back at the store in the next few days and if they have them I will grab them.

[JimmyHoffa]

Where are you guys finding the Fed. 215 primers at..  I can not find them anywhere, locally I get basically laughed off when I ask at the gun shops....

I had to special order from a sporting goods store.  Everyplace was out, and it took a while....but finally managed to get the 215GM primers!

[bearpaw]

Where are you guys finding the Fed. 215 primers at..  I can not find them anywhere, locally I get basically laughed off when I ask at the gun shops....

A while back they had them at Big R. Last time I checked at our store they were out again, you have to check in time to time to get them, powder is also in short supply, and some other components and guns as well are getting hard to find. Dependng what happens in November, there could be outages of nearly everything.

[dscubame]

Anyone have a update on 215 primers and the availability?  Just started looking yesterday and hit Cabelas Marysville, White Elephant Spokane, and Cabelas CDA with no luck.  Plan on Sportsman Spokane and North 40 on the way home.

[BULLBLASTER]

You check valley elephant? Or division?

[dscubame]

You check valley elephant? Or division?

Valley and good thought about Division...