Number 41 Winchester primers

[urbanrifleman]

Has anyone tried the number 41 Winchester primers as a replacement for say CCI 450s? They have them on sale at Scheels for $59.95 Black Friday.

 

[Rocketvapor]

I sorted some out and they shot faster the CCI450.
Dropped charge a tiny bit but groups were still a little better with the CCI.
Didn't test enough to be sure.

85.5 Bergers, 28" 22N.

 

[RegionRat]

Not saying anything for certain... but over on AR15.com, there have been many reports of failed Winchester #41 with Winchester customer service running at a glacial pace to respond to anything.

So far, no technical response from Winchester and only a few instances where the customer service folks have had the users ship their evidence and unused primers back to them for analysis. So in essence, I would say Caveat Emptor and pass on them unless you are aware and desperate.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/Armory/...elves-/42-551137/?page=5&anc=6141170#i6141170

https://www.ar15.com/forums/Armory/...lures-/42-553670/?page=1&anc=6130799#i6130799

 

[Walt Krafft]

Winchester primers?? Just say NO. Long story why.

 

[jrh84]

I have not used any Winchester 41's, but I assumed they were the same exact thing as when ATK/Federal was running Lake City. Same people, same priming compound, same processes, same product, just going into a red and black Winchester #41 box vs a white CCI #41 box.

Am I mistaken on that?

 

[603Country]

I use them in my AR loads. Shot a bunch, and no problems so far.

 

[jelenko]

I bought 5K of them about a year ago. Out of 3K so far , 9 leaked around the edge of the primer. Each leaked primer left it's mark on the bolt face.
Instead of Win 41's, you could try White River small rifle primers at Republic Ammo.
There have been good reports on them and they are a bit less than $60/K.

 

[jpjulian]

I will admit to not having used any currently/recently manufactured Winchester primers. I have had them pierce on multiple occasions in 3 different rifles, both large and small primers. 3 bolts were damaged but not to the point of replacement. All 3 rifles were gas guns, not bolt rifles. I sold off my last brick for $5 and won't buy any more of them. It isn't worth it. That's me. You do you........

 

[William Vogel]

Has anyone tried the number 41 Winchester primers as a replacement for say CCI 450s? They have them on sale at Scheels for $59.95 Black Friday.

I’ve got almost 3000 of them and they leak when cci 400 don’t leak. They don’t fall out of the primer pockets when decapping them but I’m very disappointed and don’t want to shoot them fearing bolt face erosion. I didn’t buy them because they were cheap, I bought them for shooting in my AR’s and I’ve since replaced them with CCI 41 and Magtech 7 1/2.

 

[markm87]

The current runs of CCI #41s are equally as shitty. I've settled in on 62 gr FMJBT W/C and TAC just to burn them up for steel banging out to 500 yards.

The extreme velocity spreads are so wide (well over 100 every time I run them in front of the Garmin), I don't really have a solid velocity idea.

They do all ignite, and this saves my good primers for OTM/TMK loads. I think overall quality has taken a crap recently. "American Mediocrity" for the quick buck.

 

[urbanrifleman]

The current runs of CCI #41s are equally as shitty. I've settled in on 62 gr FMJBT W/C and TAC just to burn them up for steel banging out to 500 yards.

The extreme velocity spreads are so wide (well over 100 every time I run them in front of the Garmin), I don't really have a solid velocity idea.

They do all ignite, and this saves my good primers for OTM/TMK loads. I think overall quality has taken a crap recently. "American Mediocrity" for the quick buck.

Could be that the cup is so thick a bolt gun won't light them. Or they put misfires in an auto gun or piercing a primer over accuracy.

Just speculation.

 

[Walt Krafft]

Just thinking out loud, what are military primers needed to do? Go bang each and everytime, hot or cold, rain or shine. Accuracy is not a primary concern.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Just thinking out loud, what are military primers needed to do? Go bang each and everytime, hot or cold, rain or shine. Accuracy is not a primary concern.

Yup. That's what I was thinking.

 

[jelenko]

Just thinking out loud, what are military primers needed to do? Go bang each and everytime, hot or cold, rain or shine. Accuracy is not a primary concern.

Yeah. Great point. Leaking around the edge is a 'don't care'.

 

[Tommie]

Great information here. I’ve been tempted to try 41’s when “normal” primers couldn’t be found.
Temptation officially over.

 

[karrarararararar]

CCI 41's work great in my 223 match rifle, about 60fps faster than CCI 450's witht the same charge weight.

 

[markm87]

Could be that the cup is so thick a bolt gun won't light them. Or they put misfires in an auto gun or piercing a primer over accuracy.

Just speculation.

We've run them up, down, and sideways through ARs and Bolt gun. Ball & Extruded powders. They're just squirrelly as hell. Every so often I'll get an SD of like 12-15 or so. But that's the exception. 30s and 40s SDs don't even raise an eyebrow anymore.

 

[urbanrifleman]

We've run them up, down, and sideways through ARs and Bolt gun. Ball & Extruded powders. They're just squirrelly as hell. Every so often I'll get an SD of like 12-15 or so. But that's the exception. 30s and 40s SDs don't even raise an eyebrow anymore.

That's just sad.

Back in the 1990s my friend owned River Valley Ordinance. He processed LC brass. I had three five gallon buckets of primed LC that I shot over a decade. All Win primers. Perfect performance.

 

[L.Sherm]

I've tried Winchester primers they sit in my cabinet now with one exception thats in my 44 Mag.

 

[Cfshooter]

Friends don’t let friends buy Winchester primers.