Reloading with Wolf primers

[BiggSean]

I'm about to start reloading for the first time this weekend. I'll be reloading 9mm rounds first, and then .50ae.

I spoke with someone at a gun show who told me that Wolf primers have a tendency to burn a little hot, and that he backs off his loads by 1 gr. Does anyone else have any experience with this? I'll be reloading 115 gr FMJ 9mm rounds and 300 gr FMJ .50ae. I'll be using Winchester 231 for 9mm and Winchester 296 for .50 ae. I searched around, and couldn't find any load data that specifically cited Wolf primers in conjunction with these rounds/powder.

[Jonathan Doe]

I have never used Wolf pistol primers, but have tested large rifle primers. It performed superbly. I hope the pistol primers do so as well.

[tdc57]

Yes they are a little hotter than your standard primer, if you drop your gr count by (2 gr) IMO you'll be fine.. I use wolf primer for 223 and .40 SW all of the time; just adjust the gr count by 2gr.

I have never had an issue with either load.

[BiggSean]

How would you adjust the load on a .50ae round that calls for between 29 and 32.5 gr?

[scratch]

If 29 is the minimum stated, I would start there and check primers for pressure. If OK, I would move up in 0.5 increments for whatever accuracy your looking for. This is how I would approach it...YMMV.

[Fjold]

As long as you start your load development at the recommended starting load in your manual and work up in .2-.5 grain increments, watching for pressure signs, until you get the performance level that you want, you'll be fine

[22popnsplat]

As long as you start your load development at the recommended starting load in your manual and work up in .2-.5 grain increments, watching for pressure signs, until you get the performance level that you want, you'll be fine

I agree with Franks approach

[FieldsofFire]

So the consensus is to not drop charge solely in compensation of the Wolf primer but rather to just start at the minimum load numbers for a certain combination of powder and bullet weight?

I'm in the same boat as you, OP, I have some Wolf primers I'll be using for the first time.

[Leon75x55]

Wolf primers are great, been using them for years. If you are nervous, don't do max load.

[BiggSean]

Since I'm new at re-loading, I've only been running starting loads thus far.

I don't want to make any mistakes with a round as potent as the .50ae.

[FLIGHT762]

I got a few thousand of the L/R primers. I loaded about 80 rounds in target loads in the .308 Winchester.

Out of the 31 loads I fired yesterday, I got 2 FTF (duds). Primers were struck hard and even tried them in another rifle. I disassembled the rounds and punched out the primers. They looked normal(looked like they had an anvil). I weighed them with other unfired Wolf L/R primers and they weighed the same.

I never had this problem with US primers. I used them in my Remington 40 XBKS. This rifle has about 1400 rds. down the tube. Never had a FTF before.

No big deal. I'll keep using them,but a little disheartening the first time out trying them.

[Southpaw45]

I have used about 4000 wolf primers for my 45 Colt loads and another 1500 hundred for 45 ACP and everyone went "BANG". I did experience powder detonation problems with the 45 Colt loads when using Clays powder but never had a problem with Winchester primers with the same load. I always felt Win LP primers were hotter because they could be used with magnum loads.

[rksimple]

I got a few thousand of the L/R primers. I loaded about 80 rounds in target loads in the .308 Winchester.

Out of the 31 loads I fired yesterday, I got 2 FTF (duds). Primers were struck hard and even tried them in another rifle. I disassembled the rounds and punched out the primers. They looked normal(looked like they had an anvil). I weighed them with other unfired Wolf L/R primers and they weighed the same.

I never had this problem with US primers. I used them in my Remington 40 XBKS. This rifle has about 1400 rds. down the tube. Never had a FTF before.

No big deal. I'll keep using them,but a little disheartening the first time out trying them.

Wolf primers are slightly larger in diameter than most others. They seat pretty tightly. You need to really be sure you're seating them fully or they'll fail to ignite. I've gone through a few thousand already with no problems at all in 223, 308, and 260.

[5hundo]

Yes they are a little hotter than your standard primer, if you drop your gr count by (2 gr) IMO you'll be fine.. I use wolf primer for 223 and .40 SW all of the time; just adjust the gr count by 2gr.

I have never had an issue with either load.

Let me get this straight; You reduce your loads by 2 grains when using wolf primers?!?!?

Are they that hot?

I'm about to start using some for .41 Mag with Unique, so I'd like to know if that's correct, or not. I bought the Wolf Large Pistol Magnum primers and now I'm a little leery of them...

[rksimple]

I've found the LR primers to be about the same as 210m's...not as hot as Winchester LR's.