.300 Win Mag Primer?

[Dgd6mm]

I have a simple question, which primer to use for the .300 WM, LR or LRM?

Thanks,
Don Dunlap

 

[7stubby]

Back in the day when I was into the "Big Boomers" I used a CCI 250 in my 300 Win Mag. So to answer your question Large rifle magnum.

 

[Chuckhunter]

Don, I always used Fed 215's in my 300 Win Mag. Mainly because it was a hunting rifle and I wanted a little hotter primer in case I was hunting in very cold temps. If you are using a very slow powder and heavy bullets I would go with a Mag primer if you are shooting 180's or less with a little faster powder like RL-22 or H-4350 the LR's will work fine. Generally the manuals suggest Mag primers with Mag cases. I guess it's your call. Hope I didn't confuse you more than help you.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

LR Mag primers. Don't want to risk a delayed ignition of the powder when charges are over 60 grains, especially if it gets cold in your part of the country. I have always used Federal 215 or GM215M's in a 300 Win, but any other Mag primer like CCI 250 or Remington 9 1/2M will work as well.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Thanks for the replies. I bought this Savage FCP to play with. I have owned a few .300 RUM's and that good looking .300 Lapua that is for sale on here. I always used Federal Gold Medal magnum primers for them. I still have enough leftover from them to burn this barrel out. I was a little confused this a.m. when I opened up my Lee Deluxe 4 piece die set and seen where it says LR primer. I DO have manuals but wanted input from other .300 WM shooters. LRM primers it is, do not want a hang-fire. I also thought it would be a LRM primer.


Thanks,
Don Dunlap

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I was taught that a good rule of thumb is to use a LRM when loading cases with charges exceeding 60gr. Theres some varying opinions on this, but I will tell you that I know for a fact that a family member has experienced multiple hang fires on a hunt with a 280 Rem using only 50-some odd grains of powder in a good cold snap during rifle season in Montana. There were two hang fires in a row when trying to take down a bull elk. The first round very luckily went off right before he ejected it, avoiding any injury, but missing the bull. The second pull of the trigger went "click" with no report, but this time he held on his target as the bull was turning to run away and hit it when the charge ignited a few seconds later. Two following shots fired normally and eventually brought the animal down. So there is a possibility that it can even happen with charges slightly under 60gr if the weather is cold enough. Perhaps there were other factors causing the hang fires (frozen trigger mechanism, faulty powder, etc...), but there's really no way of knowing because it would be very hard to re-create that situation and environment for testing. Due to the fact that he had never experienced hang fires with that particular rifle or load prior, we chalked it up to primers and cold weather.

If in a warm climate, most will tell you it is not a concern to us LRM's. I've never lived or hunted in a warm climate so I actually use LRM's in all of my hunting rifles, large magnums or not, just to be sure.

 

[bheadboy]

I must be the exception, I have hunted 300wm in Yukon, the lower 48, in temps form -30f below to 45f

always rem700, always R/P brass, always Nosler pt, always Rem 9 1/2 and either imr 4831 or h4831 depending on the time of the trip ( 1970's-1980's or later) running loads of 74-78 grains depending on the powder/bullet weight.

taken griz, moose, caribou, black, elk, mulie, ---- never a hang fire, or failure to function as expected.

I think some of the hang fires people experience are for oily bolt components, primers not seated solid, sized too much set back allowing the case to move forward on the strike.

there is a lot more to hang fire than primer. the Rem 9 1/2 is noted to be possibly the hottest of the std primers.

Bob

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I must be the exception, I have hunted 300wm in Yukon, the lower 48, in temps form -30f below to 45f

always rem700, always R/P brass, always Nosler pt, always Rem 9 1/2 and either imr 4831 or h4831 depending on the time of the trip ( 1970's-1980's or later) running loads of 74-78 grains depending on the powder/bullet weight.

taken griz, moose, caribou, black, elk, mulie, ---- never a hang fire, or failure to function as expected.

I think some of the hang fires people experience are for oily bolt components, primers not seated solid, sized too much set back allowing the case to move forward on the strike.

there is a lot more to hang fire than primer. the Rem 9 1/2 is noted to be possibly the hottest of the std primers.

Bob

That's funny because he was using a Rem 9 1/2 primer. You are absolutely right though. there are many possible causes to a hang fire in cold weather. Not sure if any real scientific testing has been done on primer ignition in extreme temps? Would be an interesting read. I'm sure Brian Litz knows something about it...

The rule I go by for using a mag primer in big cases may be a superstition started around campfires by old drunk men on hunting trips telling stories and making up excuses for why they missed the biggest animal they ever saw, but it's what I go by

 

[longshotbml]

You didn't state your intended use. For hunting the Magnum primer is essential. For long range hole punching or steel ringing different combinations will have different preferences. My 300 frequently will show a smaller extreme spread and tighter groups with a standard primer. At 1000 that means better scores.

 

[Dgd6mm]

longshotbml, the intended use is steel, paper, play. As of now no intentions of hunting it. I prepped some Remington brass that I shot in this rifle that was loaded ammo when I bought it. I primed them with GMM 215m and 175 SMK's. When I get some more brass I will build a load with 208 Amax's. In all my target rifles I prefer Tula LRM primers, with the exception of my .223 mid -range ftr rifle, I use WSR primers. Only because the Tula SRM primer are scarce.

 

[BCBRAD]

I use a Federal 210M primer. Used it from below freezing on up with no issues. The reason is that I don't want the primer to be the dominant variable, for target shooting.

 

[hogan]

What primer does your Handloading Manual advise?

 

[Chappy]

The rule of thumb I've always went off of is this for large rifle primers: burns more than 60 grs=Magnum, less than 60= standard.

 

[SmokinJoe]

bheadboy, have you ever looked at the pics of different primers being fired that was done by German Salazar? All the Remingtons, 7 1/2, 9 1/2 & 9 1/2M, look like a blowtorch compared to a candle ;D Point being that your standard 9 1/2 primers are probably hotter than most of the others mentioned. None of y'all have addressed the difference between ball & stick powders. Wouldn't you need a hotter primer for the ball powders, especially in a case as big as 300WM?

 

[Dgd6mm]

What primer does your Handloading Manual advise?

I know what my manuals say , but it was a more of a question of what others use. This is far from my first magnum... And yes I have used LR primers in my short mags for comp that hace shot winning scores. Oh by the way it is my first Belted mag, which shall not be an issue, also a little more powder then my short mag, but not near as much as my RUM's or Lapua. I've shot a lot of WC872 in my RUM's, never had hang fire, never ever loaded a Remington primer.