What is your favorite primer for .223 AR loads?

[NRAhighpowershooter]

CCI-400's for everyday stuff and 200 and 300yd HighPower matches
and CCI BR-4's for 600yd stuff....

[Capybara]

Thanks for all of the input guys. Milotrain, very interesting links, thank you.

[MIAMIbaseballer]

I use tula 556 Mag primers... they have worked great for me... no issues to report and much less money then other brands.

[stphnman20]

Been using CCI#41. Not going to change.

[koehn,jim]

I only use military grade primers in my military weapons. The free floating firing pins concern me. To answer the question about slam fires I had one in an m1 carbine about 30 years ago, turned a nice collector grade into a shooter after putting a new bolt in it. It was with factory ammo not reloads.

[EL_NinO619]

No. 41, Wolff, Tula, Winchester, CCI400 in that order. CCI 400 per CCI is not designed for .223 5.56 in semi-auto's, I have never had a problem though.

But the more I load the more I like tula/wolff

[Ninask]

Remington
if I could still find them
whatever I can find is the story lately
N

[jimmykan]

My personal experience is that the Russian primers, Tula and Wolf, have trouble igniting military ball powders such Hodgdon H335, and surplus WC844. I was getting duds and hangfires about 1 in 10 cartridges loaded.

The primers had no trouble igniting other ball powders such as Ramshot X-Terminator and Winchester 748, nor stick powders such as IMR 4198.

I experienced this problem with multiple primer styles (small rifle KVB223, small rifle magnum KVB223M, 5.56 KVB556) and multiple lots. The Wolf brand primers, I was able to return to their OC office for a full refund, so that was good customer service. The Tula ones, I just sold off with that caveat to the buyer.

[wild_weasel]

While I have been reloading since 1986, still using my original RCBS Jr press, I have only been reloading 223/5.56 for about a year. I started out with a pound of WW748 along with WSR and CCI #41 primers that were on my shelf, before switching over to CFE223 once I ran out of WW748. I included x1000 TULA 223 standard primers in my last order to Powder Valley and am happy to report that the first x300 primers I have tried with WW748, CFE223, H335, and H322 have all functioned 100% in my mid-length AR-15 with no hang or mis fires. I believe the trick with TULA primers is to ensure they are firmly seated in the primer pockets.

Considering cost and reputation Winchester Small Rifle Primers (WSR) are my favorites. But if all I had available were TULA 223 Standard primers or CCI #41 primers I'd be good to go with those too. They have all been 100% reliable for me and produced accurate reloads for my AR15's

[Capybara]

I think I am going to try Russian.

[SWIFT50]

CCI# 41. And Federal Match.

[bigedp51]

http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2009/06/primers-small-rifle-primer-study.html

1. In this link the Remington primers are called "mini flame throwers".
2. Remington ran Lake City but loaded this ammunition with harder to ignite Winchester ball bowders.
3. Remington was instrumental in the development of the military 5.56 cartridge and the primer used.

For the purpose of reducing the chance of slam fires in the AR15 rifle it is recommended the the primer cup thickness should be .025. The thinner cups increase the chance of slam fires and may not be rated for higher chambers pressures like the Remington 6 1/2.



CHOOSING THE RIGHT PRIMER - A PRIMER ON PRIMERS

http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=56422.0

I keep things simple with my two AR15s and Savage .223 rifles, I use Remington 7 1/2 primers on ammunition loaded with ball powders and CCI BR4 primers with precision ammunition loaded with single base powders.

And remember Remington and Winchester didn't use CCI 34 and 41 primers when they ran Lake City Army Ammunition Plant.
(do you see any other company making this type primer and selling them)

[Bumslie]

Love Tula. No problem igniting h335, h322, RL15 for me.

[ireload]

I use CCI 450 and Wolf. I find that Wolf tends to be a tad tight when sitting in certain mil brass even though the primer pocket has been swaged. Both gives me good accuracy and reliability.

[Spanky8601]

Here is a pretty good article about primers. Good stuff. http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.p...&topic=56422.0