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6bra primer test, which load would you choose?

NC/Br Shooter

Silver $$ Contributor
So Iv got some cci 400s Iv been wanting to try for six months. Only got a box of 100 and it's that time of year I shoot a lil more I normally use 450s.
So my question is, which gun would you think the 400s might do better in. The 105s using 31g of TS15.5, Or the other gun that shoots 68s with vv133 at around 29.5 charge? Either gun isn't on the verge of pressure. I would think if I'm going from 450s to 400s it would be less pressure and speed.
Third choice would be, this is probably a stupid idea?
Come think of it, this is the third edit and I know this has been done before.
So I guess the question would be, in the 6bra , do you or anyone you know ever had any success running the 400s?
 
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So Iv got some cci 400s Iv been wanting to try for six months. Only got a box of 100 and it's that time of year I shoot a lil more I normally use 450s.
So my question is, which gun would you think the 400s might do better in. The 105s using 31g of TS15.5, Or the other gun that shoots 68s with vv133 at around 29.5 charge? Either gun isn't on the verge of pressure. I would think if I'm going from 450s to 400s it would be less pressure and speed.
Third choice would be, this is probably a stupid idea?
Come think of it, this is the third edit and I know this has been done before.
So I guess the question would be, in the 6bra , do you or anyone you know ever had any success running the 400s?
id use them in the lower pressure load. but i wouldnt use them in a 6br. the small additional risk of piercing a primer and etching a bolt wouldnt be worth it to me.
 
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I rarely see any velocity difference between various primers in a Dasher. 400, 450, BR4, 205, 205M. I’ve never had many Remington to test. The Federal seem the softest to me and always flatten before the CCI. I’ve ran speeds up on the Federals and the 400’s without any problems with piercing like people would have you believe. Keep in mind this is with a Bat action made to do these things not an off the shelf production rifle with loose tolerances as that might introduce problems that are not necessarily the primers fault.
The main difference I’ve found with the various primer is that some powders seem to have a favorite. For me, RL15.5 shot twice as small with Federals as it would CCI. May be different for you, never know.
 
400s should be less pressure than 450s , right?

Maybe maybe not. If it makes more pressure it will not be enough to matter unless your right on the ragged edge of too much pressure. They are thinner. They can't handle as mush pressure before something bad happens. Drop your load at least a grain or more. Load 2 of each reduced load and work up .2 grains at a time. What you want to watch is the primer edges. As long as they stay rounded you should be ok. Don't ignore the other pressure sighs though.

Frank
 
IMO the typical "primer test" is done incorrectly. I think what you want to know is what the best accuracy is that you can get from each primer. To my mind, in order to determine that you would need to do a mini load workup, since the charge that will shoot the best with one may differ slightly from the charge that works the best with the other. In any case, when you change a component I think that it is prudent to drop back on charge and at least do a one shot per charge pressure test, rather than hope or assume.
 
While not 6BRA input, in my 6Dasher's over the years when testing 400's -v- 450's, I have repeatedly seen 400's to produce slight velocity increases of 4 to 8-fps over 450's from 105-class bullets from 4895, Varget, RL15, N140, etc powders. But have on occasion pierced 400's, which is why I have used 450's and it's thicker cup almost exclusively.

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Updated 12-2-2023

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While not 6BRA input, in my 6Dasher's over the years when testing 400's -v- 450's, I have repeatedly seen 400's to produce slight velocity increases of 4 to 8-fps over 450's from 105-class bullets from 4895, Varget, RL15, N140, etc powders. But have on occasion pierced 400's, and why I have used 450's and it's thicker cup almost exclusively.

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This is some data you don't see every day.
This ,you can see the comparison easy,
Thanks for posting this
 
Wish that chart was a "sticky". It would help answer a lot of primer questions on here.
I use CCI450 in BRA loaded in Lapua brass but find the CCI400 is better with Alpha brass (large flash hole).
Just what I have seen.
In 223 testing CCI400, 450 and BR4 against Federal 205, 205GMM the CCI400 was a clear winner. Much lower SD and ES and, when shooting to 1000 yards, that made a big difference.
 
Wish that chart was a "sticky". It would help answer a lot of primer questions on here.
I use CCI450 in BRA loaded in Lapua brass but find the CCI400 is better with Alpha brass (large flash hole).
Just what I have seen.
In 223 testing CCI400, 450 and BR4 against Federal 205, 205GMM the CCI400 was a clear winner. Much lower SD and ES and, when shooting to 1000 yards, that made a big difference.
Really, ! That's pretty cool. I had no idea Ida ended up getting all this good advice. For some reason this time around this information seems to stick. Iv read here and there about primers making a difference, Iv seen it in other calibers just make a poi shift,
But that's helpful information for me. I'm using Alpha brass at the moment, and some time Sunday I hope to find out. I'm gonna try both loads in both guns no doubt.
I'm trying to get more rounds per session in the X dot. Less flyers. I get good groups. But I'm trying to just get less flyers and tighten up my , I guess If call it my aggregate.
I haven't gotten to use my Lab radar that much yet. Iv got some velocitys with it. But not for my true SD an ES data with it yet
 
A lot of guys weight sort their primers prior to testing.
I know I do.
Iv heard and read about that. I guess since you do it it actually helps. How do you sort primers. By weight? Do the light ones get tossed?' How much do they weigh about? What are the lots they get separated to? I'm interested in trying this
 
Iv heard and read about that. I guess since you do it it actually helps. How do you sort primers. By weight? Do the light ones get tossed?' How much do they weigh about? What are the lots they get separated to? I'm interested in trying this
Using the Gram mode on my FX120i, I sort them into 3 groups starting with the target mid weight of .239. I’ll shoot sorted primer ladders at mid to long range and judge the overall performance and how the load comes into and out of tune.
I’ll use the odd ball primers for foulers or sighters and note any difference.
 

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I shot the cci 400s today right beside the 450s.
The gun that shot the 68 grainers shot well on the low charges. Never saw this before.
The gun that shot the 105s did fair at first but the primers where bulging. Not gonna shoot those ever again.
Ther is something to testing primers.
That lil bit data today showed me which direction to go.
And the difference between 400s and 450s in weight is about .25. To .3 grains
450s on the heavier side
 
I shot the cci 400s today right beside the 450s.
The gun that shot the 68 grainers shot well on the low charges. Never saw this before.
The gun that shot the 105s did fair at first but the primers where bulging. Not gonna shoot those ever again.
Ther is something to testing primers.
That lil bit data today showed me which direction to go.
And the difference between 400s and 450s in weight is about .25. To .3 grains
450s on the heavier side
Did you shoot charge ladders with different primers or look at them using one charge weight ?
 
Did you shoot charge ladders with different primers or look at them using one charge weight ?
27, 27.5, 28 ,28.5, 29 , 29.5 with the 68s

27 was .2
27.5 was .09
The others just wer not good

The 105s where same charge , just looked at seating depth. First 5 shots where good. It just reaffirmed what I already had on seating depth.

Probably will shoot 27.5 with 400s and 450s
And compare that.

This is with my 12 twist Urban rifleman 6bra bbl
 

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