cci 400 primers

[want2b]

Switching to cci 400 primers in .223 from winchester other than dropping the powder charge is there any other precautions I should take. The loads I use are below max with benchmark powder.

 

[17cal Fan]

Should be fine, just drop the powder a little and shoot a handful of them. Will prolly change point of impact but that is fixable.

 

[want2b]

Should be fine, just drop the powder a little and shoot a handful of them. Will prolly change point of impact but that is fixable.

thanks for the reoly

 

[KMW 1954]

Watch for cratering and pierced primers also, I ran into that when switching from the 450 to the 400. Also with reduced loads or both TAC and A2460.

 

[Longtrain]

I use 400’s in my 223 and 223AI loads. They will show firing pin craters before other brands, they’re thinner. Watch for other pressure signs, ejector, extractor marks or heavy bolt lift when adjusting loads with these primers. I have found that the SD’s are some of the lowest with these primers. YMMV.

 

[want2b]

I use 400’s in my 223 and 223AI loads. They will show firing pin craters before other brands, they’re thinner. Watch for other pressure signs, ejector, extractor marks or heavy bolt lift when adjusting loads with these primers. I have found that the SD’s are some of the lowest with these primers. YMMV.

How much did you reduce your loads to avoid the pressure signs.Thanks in advance

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

If you have been running the "newer" non plated Win primers and are not loading near max you will be fine. But it never hurts to drop back a half grain and work back up. Bet it will end right where you were at!

Frank

 

[coldboreshot]

Switching to cci 400 primers in .223 from winchester other than dropping the powder charge is there any other precautions I should take. The loads I use are below max with benchmark powder.

Could you expand on your conclusion as to, why the switch?

 

[Longtrain]

How much did you reduce your loads to avoid the pressure signs.Thanks in advance

Cratered primers, flat primers, pierced primers, soot around the primer edge, heavy bolt lift, extractor and ejector marks on the case head are all signs of pressure. I load moderately for accuracy, usually finding a load in the mid range of powder recommendations. Punishing the case, rifle and myself with excess load charges doesn’t make sense to me.
A CCI400 primer may crater, not due to pressure, but the thinness of the primer cup. Now, add another pressure sign and you’ll need to reevaluate your charge.
With all that being said, the prudent path upon changing any component of a load is to always reduce your load to a manual starting charge and work it back up.
You’ll probably find that CCI400’s may crater without any other pressure signs with a less then max load.

 

[markm87]

Primer flow and flattening aren't the best tea leaves to read unless you know your existing primer cups' behavior well.

Chrono results and swipes are no doubt indications of high pressure. I agree with dropping a half grain for a test run.

 

[want2b]

Could you expand on your conclusion as to, why the switch?

Ran out of winchester primers have a ton of ci 400 that I bought years ago.

 

[want2b]

Cratered primers, flat primers, pierced primers, soot around the primer edge, heavy bolt lift, extractor and ejector marks on the case head are all signs of pressure. I load moderately for accuracy, usually finding a load in the mid range of powder recommendations. Punishing the case, rifle and myself with excess load charges doesn’t make sense to me.
A CCI400 primer may crater, not due to pressure, but the thinness of the primer cup. Now, add another pressure sign and you’ll need to reevaluate your charge.
With all that being said, the prudent path upon changing any component of a load is to always reduce your load to a manual starting charge and work it back up.
You’ll probably find that CCI400’s may crater without any other pressure signs with a less then max load.

My accuracy load with the winchesters was 26.0 grains of benchmark I have reduced the load to 25.0 for testing but have not fired them yet.The problem may be compounded by the fact I"m shooting them in a Savage model 10 that showed minor cratering with the win.I blamed an ill fitting firing pin for that cratering in the absence of any other pressure signs.Thanks for the info.

 

[want2b]

If you have been running the "newer" non plated Win primers and are not loading near max you will be fine. But it never hurts to drop back a half grain and work back up. Bet it will end right where you were at!

Frank

Max load is 26.5 grns of benchmark my go to load was 26.0grn I'm not sure whether the win primers were plated or not but they showed very little cratering when fired in my savage.Thanks for the response

 

[spaniel]

Are CCI400s just known to be thin, or did they have a bad run of them for awhile? I thought I read that somewhere too. The reason I ask is I used them and other primers in several 223-based chamberings with no issues. Reloaded a bunch of 223AI and 20 Practical rounds recently with the same box of CCI400s, bought several years ago, and got pierced centers on both. With loads that had shown only moderate pressure signs previously.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Savage bolts can really benefit big from Grimstod working them over. He'll bush them and do a lift kit at the same time if wanted.

 

[jds holler]

Anyone have one of those charts listing "Primer Brisance" of our common primers?

OR --- any truth to the claim that CCI 550's are identical to CCI 400"s?? jd

 

[SKWERLZ]

Are CCI400s just known to be thin, or did they have a bad run of them for awhile? I thought I read that somewhere too. The reason I ask is I used them and other primers in several 223-based chamberings with no issues. Reloaded a bunch of 223AI and 20 Practical rounds recently with the same box of CCI400s, bought several years ago, and got pierced centers on both. With loads that had shown only moderate pressure signs previously.

They were intended for lower pressure cartridges like 22 hornet.

Personally I like #400 but they don’t tolerate spicy pressures or sloppy firing pin/bolt face well.

 

[want2b]

Savage bolts can really benefit big from Grimstod working them over. He'll bush them and do a lift kit at the same time if wanted.

I'll definitely look into that I hope his contact info on this site is current.

 

[want2b]

They were intended for lower pressure cartridges like 22 hornet.

Personally I like #400 but they don’t tolerate spicy pressures or sloppy firing pin/bolt face well.

I'll try reduced loads and see how it goes I'am not going to get any
where near max.

 

[jimmymac]

FWIW, I ran CCI 400’s with full pressure 6PPC loads in a custom action for an entire season in 2021 with no issues at all.