Being brand specific when reloading by the book

glockman40sw

when reloading using one of the reloading manuals and they call for a remington 9 1/2 primer can you use a winchester large rifle primer or CCI large rifle primer in its place? I heard that changing primers changes pressures, but I don't know if that is true.

geeguy

The primer will change the pressures.

However, unless you are loading at the top end it should be OK. The point is to be consistent if you expect accuracy. Once you find what works for your gun, stay with it. I do not recommend having a box of 20 rounds with three different primers, you never know what you've got.

Best of luck

guntech59

When I change brands or type of primer, I start the load development over again. *, perhaps! But I haven't blown anything up yet, either.

Mtnlover

Totally agree with first 2 posters. Once changed primers (only) on a good-shooting 22-250 from CCI to Federal Bench Rest and groups blew up badly. Clearly due to my picky rifle as Federal has a great rep for premium components. Find the brand your rifle likes and stick with it.

e8gm

Bear in mind too that the information in the reloading manual is only a guide. You probably won't be using the exact same rifle/barrel combo they used in their load developement. Primers all perform the same function but pressures do change with the choice of components. That's why a prudent reloader will always work up a load starting from the somewhere near the bottom of the published loads.