It's normally my last step but it's still important!

After I have done ladders with powder/s and seating depth's I then go back and retweak the best node in smaller powder increments and at that time I try checking a few to several different primers. Sometime I get a little lazy and forget about primers and just go with what has worked for me in the past but this target kind of reminded me that I shouldn't skip this test. Top row BR4's bottom row Wolf SRM primers. Same seating depth's and powder charges, same morning, same conditions, shot alternating BR4 to Wolf, wolf to Br4, etc.

 

That’s amazing in just one component change. Thanks for sharing.
Wayne

 

ok
BUT
IT MEANS LITTLE
you need to work up a load for the primer, just like any other change.

 

Yeah, I'll get right on that!

 

Ive seen that happen when going to a different lot of the same primers.Lesson learned it pays to test everything if you are trying to get the most out of your load and rifle.I appreciate people sharing these types of test.Keeps me thinking...

 

I've had loads where different primers didn't change anything, and I've had loads where a different primer shrunk the groups in half.

Until you test you don't know.

 

WOW! "the chicken or the egg?" Thanks for the post Chuckhunter. Not so much rssmithsr.

 

Do you ever stop trolling ? You must have gotten beat up a lot in the past....

 

Top left looks great. I would shoot one .2 less powder to see if it still stays small. More than good enough for varmint hunting. No need to continue testing unless you want a good load with more speed.

 

Thanks Chuckhunter, I shoot ladders and play with jump but really never did much tweeking with primers. After seeing this post I most definitely will give it a shot. Seeing the different results with the same conditions really got me interested. Thanks again.

 

I've read about this a few times lately but am yet to try it. Are you comfortable not going down in powder charge before trying the different primer? I've been wondering about that. (I've only been reloading for a couple years)

Thanks!

 

Keep load the same. Only change is primer.
The results can be astonishing.

 

Primers make a difference. People that never treat different ones may be leaving something on the table. But hey, let’s hope they don’t ever test it because then they will all be doing it

I’ve found best load and final was primer change. And if one shot best I went with it. No re working of entire load. Almost like it’s a final tweak in my load. So far it holds and hasn’t bit me to not re work load

 

so let me get this straight you can change primers WITHOUT load development. is it ok to change powders the same way ? why is changing one component ok but not others?

 

You have. You find powder charge window and best seating. Then last try different primers. You aren’t just picking a charge and random seating then throwing different primers in

 

It is part of load development, the final part. Unless of course you want to look at neck tension also.

 

Actually have plans to do that when weather gets warmer because these groups were fired in 47" Temps, so a slight tweak will be needed when Temp's get to 70" and up.

 

Could you tune the vertical out on the bottom row? It would be interesting to see if a slight increase or decrease in powder tightened that group up.

 

I need to try br4's ....so far I've just accepted what I've got.

 

Actually, most of the load workup was done with CCI-450's and they shot very well, similarly to the top row, just a little larger. Then tested the Wolf's and the BR4's and obviously the BR4's gave the best performance. Something I noticed and have noticed before, with the exception of the 30.3 Gr. load, the BR4's shot on avg. approx. 8fps. faster than the Wolf SRM's. They also generally speaking give me a couple of fps more velocity than the CCI-450. Just a general statement at least as far as my experience goes, the Wolf primers, Lg & Small have given me some of the very best groups, Es & Sd's and have also given me some of the worst, I guess that's why we test.