Large Magnum Primers for .308???

[drum13]

Ordered the wrong primers and received Winchester No.215 Large Magnum Primers.

Can't send them back and was wondering if I can still use them to reload .308 for my Remington 700.

I will be using Varget and 168-175 SMK BTHP's and possibly 168 A-Max's in a variety of used brass.
Would the powder charge need to be reduced?

Still new at the reloading game. Thanks for the advice.

 

[ksthomas]

Re: Large Magnum Primers for .308???

Yes, you should probably reduce the charge weight a bit to start, and work back up to whatever the new max load turns out to be. I'd be a bit more doubtful about the accuracy. Generally speaking, you'll get your best accuracy with the mildest primer that will reliably set off the powder charge. Unless you're talking really extreme cold weather, and densely packed charges of very slow burning ball powder, I doubt you'll ever find a real need to use mag primers in a 308 case. Of the mag primers, the Fed 215 are some of the hottest. Doesn't really help in this case, merely an observation.

 

[drum13]

Re: Large Magnum Primers for .308???

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kevin Thomas</div><div class="ubbcode-body">....I'd be a bit more doubtful about the accuracy. Generally speaking, you'll get your best accuracy with the mildest primer that will reliably set off the powder charge. Unless you're talking really extreme cold weather, and densely packed charges of very slow burning ball powder, I doubt you'll ever find a real need to use mag primers in a 308 case. Of the mag primers, the Fed 215 are some of the hottest. Doesn't really help in this case, merely an observation. </div></div>
Don't want to lose accuracy, that'll drive me crazy. Good info though, thank you. Was hoping I could save (Haz-Mat fees) from having to order the regular 200's.

 

[ksthomas]

Re: Large Magnum Primers for .308???

Hang on to them. Stored properly, they last forever, and at some point you'll certainly find a better use for them.

Glad to help!

 

[drum13]

Re: Large Magnum Primers for .308???

Sounds good... Thanks again!!

 

[leadbullet]

Re: Large Magnum Primers for .308???

drop your charge .3 gr and work from there or if your load is not max use them as is you'll gain around 30-50 FPS at the most, nothing to worry about.

 

[drum13]

Re: Large Magnum Primers for .308???

sounds even better!

 

[Bunnypunter]

Re: Large Magnum Primers for .308???

I've been told using Magnum Small Rifle Primers is ok in an AR. Is this true as well? Is there much of a gain and will it affect accuracy?

 

[ksthomas]

Re: Large Magnum Primers for .308???

Depends on who's making the primer under discussion. There is no industry "standard" for defining the difference between a Standard, Match/Benchrest or Magnum primers. What does or does not constitute one of these classifications is up to the individual manufacturer. As a result, whast one maker may describe as a Magnum primer, might be completely in line with another brands Standard primer. The one exception to this is the CCI M41 and M34 primers, which are done to GI primer specs for cup thickness and resistance to slam fires. With some makes (particularly where Small primers are concenred), the Magnum designation refers to these thicker cups. Cup thickness and hardness is a particular concern for those who reload US military style autoladers, due to the prevalence of floating firing pins in these designs. As to the brisance of the Magnum primers, you'd be hard pressed to find a combination that actually needed the extra ignition power of them in a 5.56/223 load. Ball powders and extremely cold temps might be one, but in general, a Standard primer will do the trick nicely. And as we mentioned before, the minimum violence needed to set the charge off is what usually gives the best accuracy.

Which primer are you interested in using? The Wolf/Tula Small Magnums are used by a good many Service Rifle competitors, and has developed a very good reputation.

 

[drum13]

Re: Large Magnum Primers for .308???

Got a new box of Winchester Large Magnum Primers (No.215) ordered by accident. Can't return them. Normally use regular 200 Large Rifle.

Just want to load accurate 308 for target (paper/steel) and some hunting for my Remington 700's, 20".

Will be using Varget w/168 & 175 SMK HPBT and A-max 168's. Brass will be used, some reloaded several X's - Federal Match, Winchester and Privi PPU Match. Most of the Privi is only once fired.

Thanks for all that info! So do most magnum primers just have thicker cups? I thought they would have a bit more charge to them.

 

[ksthomas]

Re: Large Magnum Primers for .308???

No, as I said, there's really no industry "standard" by which they are all measured, which leads to some wide discrepencies. None of the large rifle primers, to the best of my knowledge, are simply thicker cups. Some may be very little different than that same company's standard Large Rifle primer, while others (such as Federal) are significantly "hotter." Another problem here is that they may change their primer compound or design, generally without telling the shooting/handloading community about this. Some years back, the vast majority of us were using Winchester primers (WSRs) in our Service Rifle match loads. Good primers, and had long been the standard for that game. Suddenly, and completely without warning, everyojne started having problems with loads we'd been using for years. Pierced and/or badly cratered primers, all sorts of nasty stuff. Turns out Winchester decided to enhance the sensitivity (which no one seemed to be having a problem with in the first place) of this particular primer by thinning the cups just a bit. They did, we had major problems until that all got sorted out, and now you rarely see competitive HP Service Rifle shooters using Winchester WSRs any more.

The Federal 215s are fairly hot, though. Probably the hottest LRPs available on the market today. Just use the appropriate caution when making this switch in a 308, and I wouldn't use them for any serious precision shooting such as actual match ammo.

 

[McLarenross]

Re: Large Magnum Primers for .308???

Ive been using Wolf Large Rifle Magnum with RL-15 and 178 A-Maxs in my 308 for about 2000 rounds now. No issues at all with it, given that you work up your load using that primer. If you work up with a standard primer, them switch to a magnum you could over pressure your loads. When in doubt, back off and start again.