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what primers for 8208xbr and 223 heavy bullets?

Rangerbob33

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Minuteman
Feb 10, 2017
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Nebraska
Just like it says, what primers are people using for 223 Remington with IMR 8208XBR and 75-80 grain bullets?
 
Per John Holliger (White Oak Precision) recommendation and some of my own trial and error ... Remington 7 1/2. I use 23.6gr behind a 75gr BTHP or 77gr SMK.
 
I'M not shooting the 8208 but varget 90gr vlds tested both 450s and rem 7 1/2 rem work best on the other 223 is shooting 90smk with pp2000 and also best accuracy was achieved with the 7 1/2 primers.
 
I had the worst results out of my WOA's with Remington 7.5's with 8208. I have been using 205M's for years with excellent results.
 
I use 450's with xbr and hornady 75's and 55 fmj's. Both shoot well. Would love some 205's, but federals do not exist where i live.
 
This prob won't help but I use wolf srm w/77smks and 80smks I bought like 40k when they were on sale. Unfortunately I don't think you can buy them anymore. I also have had good luck with 7 1/2s and BR4s. I usually pick up 10k of the 7 1/2s when they go on sale.
 
24.5 grain XBR with 75 grain A Max bullet. And Remington 7 1/2 Primers.
 
Out of curiosity what would be the drawback to using BR4 primers? It appears no one has listed them?
 
I know this is an old post but it has recently become relevant.

Forgetting powder choice, what is the reason for using magnum primers in a 223 with heavy bullets? Is it to fully ignite the dense powder charge or for the thicker cup?

I’m having some problems with cci 400’s shooting the 80gr eld in a bolt gun. I’m getting deep cratering and flattened primers on what shouldn’t be a max load and no signs of pressure on the brass or the gun.
 
I have had good results with CCI 400, 450 and Tulammo 223 primers. I really like the wolf primers when I could get them.
 
I know this is an old post but it has recently become relevant.

Forgetting powder choice, what is the reason for using magnum primers in a 223 with heavy bullets? Is it to fully ignite the dense powder charge or for the thicker cup?

I’m having some problems with cci 400’s shooting the 80gr eld in a bolt gun. I’m getting deep cratering and flattened primers on what shouldn’t be a max load and no signs of pressure on the brass or the gun.

For me, it has nothing to do with any dimension on the actual primers; I would say it's more in the way the primer ignites the powder. I've found better accuracy/precision with CCI450's than any others and I use XBR exclusively with 77gr pills. As for SD/ES, I'm not sure since I haven't bothered to use my chrono in a few years. A lot of folks get super low SD/ES's with Wolf magnum primers, though.

I would try a magnum primer with proper load development methods. You may be surprised.
 
I've used BR-4's and 7.5's. Prefer the BR-4's, but either will work (24.5grs of 8208 under a 75gr ELDM).
 
Is it smart to substitute for a thicker primer to mask potential high pressure tho?

What kind of velocity are you guys seeing from 223 with 80gr bullets?

I’m getting cratered/flattened primers at 2800fps with 80gr eld in a 24” bolt gun with a 223 match (long throat) chamber with H4895 and varget.
 
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Well idk, that’s my question. I’ve loaded a lot of different cartridges for a long time and I’ve never seen the primer deform so much w/o some ejector smear, gas cutting on the bolt face, or sticky bolt lift. I’ve shot hot 55gr loads with wsr primers in this gun with the factory barrel and never saw a thing wrong with primers and Winchester has a softer/thinner cup.

Based on the brass/gun I’m comfortable loading hotter, I haven’t checked for loose primer pockets in the fired brass tho.
 
Is it smart to substitute for a thicker primer to mask potential high pressure tho?

What kind of velocity are you guys seeing from 223 with 80gr bullets?

I’m getting cratered/flattened primers at 2800fps with 80gr eld in a 24” bolt gun with a 223 match (long throat) chamber with H4895 and varget.
I have a 26” barrel and I get 2950 with the 80’s and H4895. I only get 2850 with Varget and the 75bthp’s.
 
BR4 in the 20" MRP 5R with 8208, no issues. 77 SMK and at 23.2. Tested also in the Tikka Varmint, H4895 and 75 HBTHP although using up the Fed first.
 
Well idk, that’s my question. I’ve loaded a lot of different cartridges for a long time and I’ve never seen the primer deform so much w/o some ejector smear, gas cutting on the bolt face, or sticky bolt lift. I’ve shot hot 55gr loads with wsr primers in this gun with the factory barrel and never saw a thing wrong with primers and Winchester has a softer/thinner cup.

Based on the brass/gun I’m comfortable loading hotter, I haven’t checked for loose primer pockets in the fired brass tho.

The cups on 400's are not strong enough for higher (but within reason) pressures. I've stopped using them after having to replace two firing pins.
 
The cups on 400's are not strong enough for higher (but within reason) pressures. I've stopped using them after having to replace two firing pins.

What load and what rifle? I always read this, so I always feel like I am pushing my luck with them. I accidentally bought 5k of them instead of 450s.
 
What load and what rifle? I always read this, so I always feel like I am pushing my luck with them. I accidentally bought 5k of them instead of 450s.

I popped a couple primers in an early 90's Bushmaster carbine upper shooting 55gr nosler BT with (off memory) 26gr Varget in LC brass. I popped a primer in a home built Mk12 Mod O with WOA barrel and (I believe) Brownells BCG shooting 75gr Horn HPBT with ~ book max 8208 in sorted LC brass. The same rifle popped a few primers using GA Arms 77gr HPBT reloads. They were purchased around the '12 shortage and had what looked like CCI primers, but that's just my guess based on looking at them. I didn't disassemble any loaded rds to measure or compare color on primer compound.

I have several thousand 400's and use them for 55gr FMJ loaded moderately for close range target.
 
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AR's and CCI 400's are a poor match. The 400 is meant for 40,000 psi not 52,000. Add a heavy firing pin with a deep protrusion and a large flash hole at best you get extrusion. A little more pressure gives you pierced primers. That leads to flame cutting on bolt faces and firing pins.

In practice the difference between 24 grains of Varget and 24.5 grains with a Sierra 77 is extrusion at 24 grains (2700 fps) and pierced at 24.0 (2750 fps).