Opinions on Winchester primers please

[NCFrank]

This may seem a little silly but I've never loaded with Winchester primers. Only knowledge I have is what I've read about others using in small rifle (223/5.56) for competition.

Would appreciate a little input from those of you who have or still use Winchester primers.

Large Rifle: varmint and large game hunting

Pistol - Small and Large - progressive press loading, punching paper and competition

 

[WyleWD]

I use the small rifle primers in my 6br and have not had any issues with them for over 5 years now. Also, I have a partner who uses the Winchester LR primers for (a lot of) varmint hunting. He's used them for at least 8-10 years and has no issues or intent to change. Guessing I'd say he goes through approx. 1000 per year in 22-250, 243, 6-250, and other cartidges he loads for other people.

Every now and then I'll try other brands of small rifle primers and the group sizes change or change shape. Thus if you are going to them from another brand, I'd suggest that you back your load off and try to work up to it again. Good luck and let us know how it works out for ya. WD

 

[fdshuster]

Been using them since 1960, trouble free.

 

[dansig]

I tried them in my 6mm BR, I got 2-4 fliers out of every 10 shots, they are really unreliable in competition shooting but ok for hunting.

my 6mm BR is shooting .2" groups with CCI BR4 and Federal Gold primers, but with Winchester primers I rarely got below .5" groups due to fliers.

 

[243winxb]

Seen online in the last year, Win. defective primers in WLP & WLRM . A pin hole opens on the rounded edge of the primer cups. I still use WLP with no problems. Varies from lot to lot i guess. Example , with photos > http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=463882 Can happen to all brands.

 

[chevytruck_83]

from my experience the carbon left from them in the primer pocket is a lot harder to clean then with just about any other primers I have used.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I bought 4000 WLRP's a couple of years ago when they were hard to get. In this lot I had about 6-8 do what 243winxb said. I am switching over to Tula and so far they treat me good.

 

[brxbrad]

Good info here............

http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2009/06/primers-small-rifle-primer-study.html

http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2009/06/primers-large-rifle-primer-study.html

Maybe these articles will shed a little light on the subject............