Best Pistol Primers?

[Beerman]

I've used all the major brands of primers at one time or another, including Wolf (large pistol only.) They all work pretty well.

Federal are the softest cup primers on the market. They are therefore the easiest to ignite. For this reason they are - at least have been in the past - preferred by various types of target shooters as the hammer spring can be lightened and still ignite the primer. The downside is they are the easiest to crush during primer seating. I've not had much problem with them using the Lee Hand Primer device (which I've had since the 1970s or so) but they tend to crush in my Dillon XL 650 if they don't line up perfectly with the primer pocket. Not many, probably not more than two or three per hundred, but it is annoying. I don't recall any particular misfire problem with them.

Remington primers are the next softest. Shooting PPC some years ago, most competitors liked either Federal or Remington for sure ignition with light springs. They don't crush so much with the Dillon press. No particular misfire rate.

CCI, Winchester and Wolf are all three about the same in cup construction and sensitivity. They run fine through my Dillons and normally go bang when struck with normal impact levels of hammer or striker springs.

As long as I'm on the subject, I loaded fifty round lots of .45 ACP hardball ammunition, with the same basic case, bullet and powder (WW 231) and the only difference being primers: Winchester, Remington and Wolf (all large pistol primers, of course.) Accuracy was similar enough to be indistinguishable and the averages of all three lots were within 20 f/s or so. So in my mind, no difference at all.

Most of the primers in my stock are Winchester, but only because that was what I could find most easily. (I used to buy primers exclusively at gun shows.) I have no problem with CCI, Remington or Wolf. Federal is my least favorite, only because they seem to crush the easiest in my application. Once installed, they are just fine. If I had a choice of all of them, I'd go with lowest price.

Thanks Sir..

 

[Crubear]

My favorites right now are the ones I can find on the shelf, I've used Win, CCI, Fed, and Rem and never had a problem with any of them

 

[sold7]

CCI if I can find them

Been shooting Wolfs without a hitch but have shot less than a 1000 so the verdict is still out but that was all I could find

 

[Petro_58]

My preference has always been Winchester. Never had a single issue. The Winchester large pistol are recommended for both standard and magnum loads.

Yes Winchester or CCI are what I usually use. I have bought and used some of the Import Primers and had No issues with them. But I like to stick with the Win. or CCI.

 

[RamRoddoc]

I've used all the major brands of primers at one time or another, including Wolf (large pistol only.) They all work pretty well.

Federal are the softest cup primers on the market. They are therefore the easiest to ignite. For this reason they are - at least have been in the past - preferred by various types of target shooters as the hammer spring can be lightened and still ignite the primer. The downside is they are the easiest to crush during primer seating. I've not had much problem with them using the Lee Hand Primer device (which I've had since the 1970s or so) but they tend to crush in my Dillon XL 650 if they don't line up perfectly with the primer pocket. Not many, probably not more than two or three per hundred, but it is annoying. I don't recall any particular misfire problem with them.

Remington primers are the next softest. Shooting PPC some years ago, most competitors liked either Federal or Remington for sure ignition with light springs. They don't crush so much with the Dillon press. No particular misfire rate.

CCI, Winchester and Wolf are all three about the same in cup construction and sensitivity. They run fine through my Dillons and normally go bang when struck with normal impact levels of hammer or striker springs.

As long as I'm on the subject, I loaded fifty round lots of .45 ACP hardball ammunition, with the same basic case, bullet and powder (WW 231) and the only difference being primers: Winchester, Remington and Wolf (all large pistol primers, of course.) Accuracy was similar enough to be indistinguishable and the averages of all three lots were within 20 f/s or so. So in my mind, no difference at all.

Most of the primers in my stock are Winchester, but only because that was what I could find most easily. (I used to buy primers exclusively at gun shows.) I have no problem with CCI, Remington or Wolf. Federal is my least favorite, only because they seem to crush the easiest in my application. Once installed, they are just fine. If I had a choice of all of them, I'd go with lowest price.

Thank you sir that's a wealth of information you provided from experience.

I shoot mostly range ammo currently so cheap primers as long as I don't have to stop the presses while reloading (jams) and they work are fine for me. My Dillon seems to choke (rarely) but it's typically wolf small pistol primers.

I'm not sure why, it just does. If I could buy wolf for $20 and others Win/CCI etc. for $30+ I'd buy the Wolf.