Which primers should I use?

[em9sredbeam]

I usually use cci small pistol for my 40 cal and cci lg pistol for my 45. This batch of 40, I had a couple bad primers, 3 out of 150. One worked after three tries. I need to do an order for primers and Im debating which brand I should buy, because I am planning on buying several thousand. What should I get? Should I stick with cci or go federal or winchester? I will be buying from powder valley.

[Bill Steele]

I use Winchester primers exclusively these days. Federal's are too soft for my taste and CCI/Wolf too hard, kind of a three bears thing.

Having said that, you might want to check out the ruptured primer thread in this section, maybe some issues cropping up with WLP's.

I have loaded many thousands of CCI primers in the past and never had a fail to fire. Fail to fire's usually are related to a primer that is not fully seated. Your firing pin does the final seat and that is why they fire on subsequent strikes. CCI's being harder, maybe a softer primer will be easier to seat with the process you are using. That is one of the reasons I like Winchester, the cups seat very nicely.

[XDRoX]

CCI are my favorites. Anything's possible, so maybe you got 3 bad primers, but it's very unlikely. Especially if one fired on the 3rd try.

Couple things you may want to try. Make sure the primers are completely seated. They are not activated until they are completely seated. When a primer isn't completely seated it's possible for the firing pin to seat it but not detente it. Then on the 2nd try it goes off because it's now activated.

If they're not going off until the 3rd or 4th try then your firing pin may need to be looked at. Is it possible that you may have gotten some oil in there? It can slow down the pin as well as a weak spring.

If you don't trust CCI any longer then Winchesters are very similar. Federals are the softest of the bunch and I wouldn't recommend then because they are easier to set off by accident.

[HighLander51]

[BajaJames83]

I like CCI or winchester, no problems with either.
had a few winchester that came out of the box a little square rather than round, but other than that no issues

[BigBronco]

I am using mostly Win and CCI's. It is simply a personal preference thing. I would not suggest using Federal primers if running through a hand priming tool like the Lee or a progressive press as I have heard storied of things going bang.

[Ukiahgunnut]

I load both CCI and Winchester primers.

UGN

[damndave]

Winchester for pistols.
Federal or CCI for rifles.

[thomashoward]

I have used Federal last 30 years

[Chief-7700]

Winchester primers are the ones I use. Had a couple of Federal LPP go bang in the XL-650.
Chief

[Captain Glock]

Especially if you have "compromised" the stock firing pin/hammer spring, I suggerst Federal primers.

With Vakek GSSF trigger kits in Glocks--which include a "weakened" trigger spring, Federal primers are reliable, while Winchester primers are not. I haven't tried other brands--and don't plan to, since Federal primers are so dependable.

The story I heard from old-time revolver shooters is, when they backed off the strain screw in order to achieve a lighter double-action trigger pull, only Federal primers could be counted on to pop.

[Brian1979]

I run Wolf since they are so much cheaper and they are out of shape at times and I have to fight with some in the primer tubes. I use them for 45acp Large Pistol Primer and in 20k primers no issues of any sort.

Just bought the Dillon RF 100 and it seems to like the Wolf primers but its brand new and time will tell as I start to load more using it. Its possible they relaxed the ID of the tube to allow for the primers to easily fall in place or something but so far so good.

[kurac]

I use what ever I can get, no complaints so far but when I have a choice, I try to stick with CCI