243 Win - Federal Primers vs CCI

CalCoyote

CalCoyote

New member
I am just getting started into reloading and the 243 Win will be my first caliber. I have been studying about it for the last few monthes and slowly gathering components as they became availiable. I have 300 CCI LR primers, 1000 Remington LR, and I have had 1000 Federal LR primers on backorder for several monthes with Cabelas. My plan was to shoot all three and see which grouped the best in my rifle and then trade off the ones I don't want. Well, Cabelas just emailed and said they have no idea of when they could ship the Federal, but they could substitute with CCI.

I know each rifle has its own appetite, but how important will it be for me try all three? This is a sporter weight factory barrel (Savage) that I will be mounting on my previous 223 action. How much difference will the brand of primers likely make, or will that be the least of my problems? Should I just go for the CCIs?

A little extra info: I will start working up loads with H414 and Varget. I have some 55g noslers, 80g Remington, and 95g Partitions. I plan to start with the 80g and hopefully shoot those this summer for coyotes, and then work up a recipe for the partitions for hunting Blacktail up here in NW Oregon this October.
 
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Primers are about the last thing on the list that I go to change when working up loads. Most of the time, it doesn't make much difference in accuracy or velocity whichever manufacturer you choose.

Now dont get me wrong, you can try 3 or 4 and find out what your rifle really likes, but this is a hunting rifle and most the time, any primer will give 1/2-3/4 MOA with a good worked up load which is plenty accurate. The only time I"ll do a primer swap is if I cant get the rifle to shoot at all with the multiple outings and different powder charges and seating depths, which are a lot more critical to accuracy then what brand of primer you are using.

I've used a lot of Federal 210s, CCI 200's and BR2's in standard cartridges and both brands have performed great for me.

I went on a whim awhile back when I had my 25-06 and bought a few Winchester WLR primers to try in my 25-06 and it seemed to like them equally as well as the Federals or CCI's, maybe even better.

Only primers I have never bought or tried, or really ever cared to were Remingtons.
 
I have had pretty good success in CCI200, Rem 9 1/2, and Fed 210 giving similar groupings on extremely accurate rifles.

However, Winchester Large rifle, CCI 250 give much different ignition characteristics.

Fed 215's and Win Mag primers give truely magnum ignition characteristics.
 
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I load in my preferance, Win, Fed, and Cci. I think they are all good primers, it depends on what is available. My last choice is cci, it is always hard to seat, especially in Win brass(new).
jim
 
I would take the switch for the CCI primers, work up an accurate load with these, and go shoot stuff. That will give you 1,300 to fiddle with, in fact, I'd try to swap the Remington’s for some CCI primers and you'd have a good number in your stock. I worry less about primers when considering accuracy than about anything else. I prefer Federal Match, but Winchester, CCI, and Remington are all quality primers. Once I work up a quality load, then I do not substitute anything or change the load in any way; that is why I like to have a good number of supplies alike on hand.
 
try winchesters if you can find them great primers and a tad hotter than others. Also 1 bullet that can do it all for you 95 grain nosler bal tips awsome bullet for the .243, I load Nosler brass very good stuff and accurate.

heavier for caliber bullets seem to like h-4831 sc powder in my remington!!!!
Good luck.
 
There can be a noticeable difference between primers, you'd be surprised just how much. Do a comparison load sequence and see what's what with your gun. An example: In one .243AI working up a fireform load with 760 powder and Fed.210M vs. CCI250......at most accurate velocity the CCI250 was 27fps slower than the 210, but SD with Fed. was 38 and with CCI it was down to 4.4 and group size shrunk. I've had the same results with other guns/chamberings/powder comparing 250's. But these are my rifles and chambers/brass/powder/bullet/seating depth....yours may act differently.

I'll often do side-by-side primer or bullet comparisons and the result can be unexpected. Trying different things is how you find out.
 
agree with ackman 100% a cronograph is a must have when trying to compair apples to apples. I found the same thing with CCI BR primers 40-45 fps slower than my winchesters and one would think the SD would be lower with a BR primer not in my gun the best has been Win primers with h-4831 sc powder I'm at 9.2 SD and will print 3/4" group all day at 200 yrds, not bad for a factory remington.

I also will try groups at 100 and 200 and the odd thing is some guns and bullets will shoot a better 200 yrd group than a 100 yrd group. I site my rifles on at 200 zero becuase of more wide open terrain.
 
Some good information here that has been a big help. I will go ahead and take the CCI primers and only use CCIs until I get my load charge, and seating depth fixed, and will save experimenting with different brands of primers for last. This is a hunting setup not a bench rest rifle, but I still want to refine the accuracy as much as my factory barrel will allow.

I have hunted for 30+ years, but this will be my first attempt at reloading. I have been studying about it for the last several months. This is exciting.
 
I use mostly Remington Primers but have tried a few others cci br and WLR and WLRM and they all make it go bang.A word of caution when / if nearing the max load of H414 and the 55g Noslers, I had pierced primers at the max recomended in the Nosler manual.I too was (am) relatively new to reloading and did not think the flattened / slightly cratered primers on the previous 5 rounds looked that bad.But then also I must admit the previous load was maybe .5g less...not exactly aproaching the max cautiously I guess. Live (hopefully) and learn.

Edit- wanted to add btw, I hope you really enjoy your new hobby.
 
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i have loaded a lot of .243 ammo. if you load either 37.5 of I4064 or 38.0 of varget behing an 85 sierra bthp you could shoot everything with that. both print less than an inch out of every rifle i have tried. i use wlr, 210gm; and br-2 which ever it likes best.
 
Yes IMR 4064 is a powder that has worked well in the R25 in .243 Win. pretty much regardless of bullet brand or weight.And I have had some 80g Sierra SBT`s group exceptionally well.
 
Originally Posted By: RONINFLAGi have loaded a lot of .243 ammo. if you load either 37.5 of I4064 or 38.0 of varget behing an 85 sierra bthp you could shoot everything with that. both print less than an inch out of every rifle i have tried. i use wlr, 210gm; and br-2 which ever it likes best.


I purchased a can of Varget a couple of months back and was planning on using it, however I have read some posts recently where guys are having trouble getting a good group in a 243 with it. One poster wrote that he had never got an accurate group with Varget in ANY 243 that he had owned.

With regard to the 85g Sierra bthp, I have read nothing but glowing reviews. However, is an 85g Sierra strong enough and heavy enough to break a shoulder on mature buck without splashing? The Blacktail up here seem to run smaller than Rocky Mountain Mule Deer or Northern Whitettail.
 
I've lung shot whitetail deer with exits with the 85 gr. Sierra BTHP Game King, shot others and broke their necks with exits, and once shoulder shot a 150 lb. buck with the bullet leaving a tiny fragment exit. They were all gathered up easily with none being troublesome to recover. But if it really concerns you, the 85 gr. Barnes TSX or Nolser Partitions could probably offer more insurance in that regard.
 
Originally Posted By: GCI've lung shot whitetail deer with exits with the 85 gr. Sierra BTHP Game King, shot others and broke their necks with exits, and once shoulder shot a 150 lb. buck with the bullet leaving a tiny fragment exit. They were all gathered up easily with none being troublesome to recover. But if it really concerns you, the 85 gr. Barnes TSX or Nolser Partitions could probably offer more insurance in that regard.

I spoke on the phone with a customer support guy from Nosler a few months ago. He shoots a 243 and 100g Nosler partitions and he said that he has had shoulder shots that penetrated and broke both shoulders. I was afraid that the 100g might not stabilize with my barrel so I got the 95g partitions. The Sierras sure would be easier on the pocket book...half the cost. Every time I pull the trigger it is 60 cents just for the bullet (not counting primer and powder). But I guess I don't have much room to complain when compared with the price of factory ammo. I saw a box of Federal loaded with the 85g Sierras for $37 at the local store last week.
 
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I've killed plenty of other deer with 100 gr. Hornady Interlock and 100 gr. Core-Loct's also. The Partition is great and so is the TSX but with decent shot placement deer just aren't that hard to kill and a good cup-n-core bullet like the Hornady Interlock all things considered is hard to beat. The deer I shot with Partitions didn't die any quicker than the deer shot with Interlocks. Just hit 'em right and break out the knife...
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All I shoot when hunting big game is Partitions. Yeah, they cost more, but I limit myself to just checking my zero and what I shoot at game, so the cost isn't a concern. I shoot a box a year, so I don't really notice.
They wouldn't be my choice for a P-Dog shoot.
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My buddy makes a trip once a year to Bend, and I had him pick me up a couple of bags of "factory seconds". I weighed and visually inspected a bunch of them and couldn't tell why they were even rejected (probably had a ding in the tip or something, they must be really picky about cosmetics).
I don't remember exactly what I paid for them, but it was around half shelf price (or less) at the time. I think I might have a lifetime supply sitting here now.

Just an idea, since you're in the general area.
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The performance on game is worth the "premium" price, in my opinion, IF you can get them to group well in your rifle.

Quote:...60 cents just for the bullet

Yeah, but that jacket-drawing process to make one is a real time-consuming piece of work. I doubt Nosler is making any more profit on Partitions than their other bullets, truthfully.

 
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Welcome to the world of hand loading! Now to burst your bubble
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Thanks to the wonderful information tank of the internet and thousand of pages written in gun magazines. Its a wonder that unless your shooting the newest cartridge loaded with the newest bullet in the brand new rifle topped by a first focal plane, wagon wheel size turrent scope with 20 zillion hash marks you will NOT hit the target or kill anything at all!!

In reality your probably looking for a good load that shoots minute of rodent. Varget will work fine with any .243 bullet. Also a 1-12 will stabilize a 100gr bullet just fine. To much heresay and repeated information on the internet and in magazines with writers copying writers. As some of the fellow PM guys have stated though the primer has some bearing on accuracy. Hopefully your not trying to win a benchrest match where .001 can win or lose.

When you start reloading pick a load, bullet and try it out. If it shoots great then reload somemore and get to killin varmints. If it doesnt shoot as good as you think it should go up and down .5gr of powder and see how that does. Usually you will see a rifle tend to group tighter going one way or the other, keep track and then fine tune it. Adjust powder charge first, bullet seating depth 2nd, Buy a new rifle 3rd
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One more tip if your checking rifle for accuracy make sure its CLEAN. If it has loads of copper build up in it, no matter what load you run through it your not going to be impressed with the "pattern".
 
Varget is a great powder in .243 my remington has shot great groups with 70 grain bal tips!!!!! The larger bullets then switch powders as you can't get the case capacity with varget as some slower powders and capacity can lead to inconsistant groups!!!!!!
 
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