Tula primers for 7.62 NATO

[dbduff]

How do these compare to CCI34 primers for 308 in high power? Any comparison? Tula is available while CCI is not - at least where I'm looking. Thanks for any insight or experience.

 

[watercam]

For those Palma shooters who use large rifle primers (as opposed to Lapua small rifle .308 brass) the Tula/Wolf primers are all the rage. Low flash helps to lower ES and SD numbers according to many.

 

[Steve Blair]

Mike is right. Russian primers, both LR and SRM, work very well for me in several cartridges. Seat them firmly and they deliver.

 

[akajun]

They work fine in my m1a, garand, and o3. They are good primers all around. Never pierced one or popped one.

 

[dbduff]

Thank you all for the input-I'll give them a try. Exactly the info I was hoping to get.
David

 

[masterblaster1]

I understand they are a little larger in diameter than the CCI or Win LR primers in recent production, I have 5 k on the way to test this on some brass with loose-ish but not sloppy primer pockets using Win, Fed210, and CCI 7.62.

 

[dbduff]

Ok-the plot thickens.....can one substitute berdan large rifle primers in a 308 case originally loaded with boxer large rifle primers? Both Tula and Powder Valley refuse to provide an answer for liability reasons. Any body have first hand knowledge as to weather berdan can be used in place of boxer primers in a 308 case originally primed with a boxer primer?
Thanks for your patience if this is a no brainerDavid

 

[stool]

DIFFERENT SIZE AND NO ANVIL IN A BOXER CASE(308) FOR THE BERDAN TO IMPACT

 

[jlow]

Ok-the plot thickens.....can one substitute berdan large rifle primers in a 308 case originally loaded with boxer large rifle primers? Both Tula and Powder Valley refuse to provide an answer for liability reasons. Any body have first hand knowledge as to weather berdan can be used in place of boxer primers in a 308 case originally primed with a boxer primer?
Thanks for your patience if this is a no brainerDavid

They are boxer primers.... Just because they are Russian does not mean they are Berdan.

 

[dbduff]

I'm asking because Powder Valley is selling both boxer and berdan primers under the Tula brand.

 

[Steve Blair]

I'm asking because Powder Valley is selling both boxer and berdan primers under the Tula brand.

[br]
Unless you are willing to tolerate the incredible PITA that is reloading Berdan brass, buy the boxers. Ask me how I know about reloading Berdan cases.

 

[jlow]

I'm asking because Powder Valley is selling both boxer and berdan primers under the Tula brand.

OK, that helps to know where that came from… ;D But why even consider Berdan???

 

[watercam]

OK Steve, he asked!
Mike

 

[Steve Blair]

OK Steve, he asked!
Mike

[br]
Back in the eighties, I got a bunch of Swiss 7.5X55 GP11 ammo that was berdan primed. The ammo shot very well and Norma cases were very expensive. So, I got this goofy tool that gripped the case head, poked a pointy thing into the primer and allowed you to lever it out. After depriming 200 cases, I was convinced that arthritis had set in early. Once deprimed, however, they work just like any other primer.

 

[dbduff]

I think Stool nailed it. With no anvil in the case that came originally with a boxer primer the berdan primer may not work since it was intended for a different style primer (European) pocket. I think. And as to the why of it all-because I can't find any CCI 34 primers. sometimes time can be a dangerous commodity.
D

 

[jlow]

Might be fun thing to do if you have the cases as Steve, but as a to primer shortage, I personally have not seen primer shortage to the degree that requires that type of work around. I’ve seen primes for reasonable prices at least a couple of times in the last few months – not as cheap as they were last year but not unreasonable prices either.

 

[slamfire1]

I ran a test to compare velocities with my standard 30-06 match load of 168 SMK 47.0 grs IMR 4895. Only primers were changed, everything else was held constant.

I have lots of 174 FMJBT's, five gallon buckets of LC match brass, so I used those and all the primers I have rolling around the reloading room. Any load I have developed with 174’s is perfectly safe with 168 match bullets.

I do not recommend the use of Federals in Garands, Federals are the most slamfiring primers around, so I am not publishing any federal primer data in my Garand, because someone may think it might be an endorsement of use.

I used the great old WLR nickel plated primers. These were made prior to 1999. Winchester changed their primers in 1999 to make them "more" sensitive and changed the primer color to brass. These brass Winchester primers have thinner cups than the older version I do not recommend their use in Garands/M1a's. I also do not recommend the use of brass WSR as primer piercing in my AR's ate up a handfull of firing pins at loads that never bothered the great old nickel plated WSR.

Tula 7.62 primers were advertized by Graf as equivalent to CCI #34 primers. CCI #34 primers are advertized as being “mil spec” primers by CCI. Mil Spec primers are the only appropriate primers to use in Garands and M1a’s as they are less sensitive than commercial primers and greatly reduce the risk of an out of battery slamfire.

Tula 7.62 and Wolf primers shot very well and I used Tula 7.62 a couple of weeks later in a match.


30-06 Primer Test


Colombian Mauser Match 26" 1:10 Wilson Match barrel

174 FMJBT White Box 1968 NM M72, Headstamp LC67 match, box velocity 2640 fps

14 Nov 2011 T = 68 °F

Ave Vel = 2698
Std Dev = 51
ES = 117
High = 2771
Low = 2654
N = 5

174 FMJBT 47.0 IMR 4895 Lot L7889 thrown LC62NM CCI #34 OAL 3.30

14 Nov 2011 T = 74 °F

Ave Vel = 2645
Std Dev = 12
ES = 42
High = 2671
Low = 2629
N = 10
Very good group

174 FMJBT 47.0 IMR 4895 Lot L7889 thrown LC62NM Tula 7.62 lot 1-10 primers OAL 3.30

14 Nov 2011 T = 74 °F

Ave Vel = 2665
Std Dev = 9
ES = 28
High = 2677
Low = 2649
N = 10
Excellent Group

174 FMJBT 47.0 IMR 4895 Lot L7889 thrown LC62NM Wolf NCLR lot 18-09 OAL 3.30

14 Nov 2011 T = 74 °F

Ave Vel = 2656
Std Dev = 15
ES = 36
High = 2677
Low = 2641
N = 9


174 FMJBT 47.0 IMR 4895 Lot L7889 thrown LC62NM Fed 210S OAL 3.30

14 Nov 2011 T = 74 °F

Ave Vel = 2656
Std Dev = 13
ES = 34
High = 2674
Low = 2640
N = 10


174 FMJBT 47.0 IMR 4895 Lot L7889 thrown LC62NM WLR (Nickle) OAL 3.30

14 Nov 2011 T = 74 °F

Ave Vel = 2665
Std Dev = 18
ES = 60
High = 2696
Low = 2636
N = 10
Excellent group

174 FMJBT 47.0 IMR 4895 Lot L7889 thrown LC62NM CCI200 OAL 3.30

14 Nov 2011 T = 74 °F

Ave Vel = 2680
Std Dev = 14
ES = 56
High = 2712
Low = 2656
N = 10
V. Good group



M1 Garand BMR Receiver Douglas Barrel 1:10 twist

150 gr FMJBT 1966 Ball

14 Nov 2011 T= 74 ° F

Ave Vel = 2545
Std Dev = 20
ES = 68
Low = 2513
High = 2581
N= 8


174 FMJBT White Box 1968 NM M72, Headstamp LC67 match, box velocity 2640 fps

14 Nov 2011 T = 74 °F

Ave Vel = 2592
Std Dev = 28
ES = 103
High = 2647
Low = 2544
N = 10


174 FMJBT 47.0 IMR 4895 Lot L7889 thrown LC62NM CCI #34 OAL 3.30

14 Nov 2011 T = 74 °F

Ave Vel = 2632
Std Dev = 20
ES = 60
High = 2671
Low = 2611
N = 10

174 FMJBT 47.0 IMR 4895 Lot L7889 thrown LC62NM Tula 7.62 lot 1-10 primers OAL 3.30

14 Nov 2011 T = 74 °F

Ave Vel = 2582
Std Dev = 15
ES = 49
High = 2602
Low = 2553
N = 10
excellent group


174 FMJBT 47.0 IMR 4895 Lot L7889 thrown LC62NM Wolf NCLR lot 18-09 OAL 3.30

14 Nov 2011 T = 74 °F

Ave Vel = 2607
Std Dev = 17
ES = 57
High = 2642
Low = 2585
N = 10


174 FMJBT 47.0 IMR 4895 Lot L7889 thrown LC62NM WLR (Nickle) OAL 3.30

14 Nov 2011 T = 74 °F

Ave Vel = 2650
Std Dev = 19
ES = 68
High = 2688
Low = 2620
N = 10
Very good group


174 FMJBT 47.0 IMR 4895 Lot L7889 thrown LC62NM CCI200 OAL 3.30

14 Nov 2011 T = 74 °F

Ave Vel = 2599
Std Dev = 22
ES = 75
High = 2637
Low = 2562
N = 10
Very good group

Target shot in competition

 

[amlevin]

OK Steve, he asked!
Mike

[br]
Back in the eighties, I got a bunch of Swiss 7.5X55 GP11 ammo that was berdan primed. The ammo shot very well and Norma cases were very expensive. So, I got this goofy tool that gripped the case head, poked a pointy thing into the primer and allowed you to lever it out. After depriming 200 cases, I was convinced that arthritis had set in early. Once deprimed, however, they work just like any other primer.

Don't bother with the Ice Pick or Claw tool for Berdan Primers.

Get an old single stage press and install a full length sizing die with the de-priming rod/expander removed (Redding S-Types are good). Put your Berdan Primed case in the shell holder, insert it in the body die, and while the case is still fully up in the die, fill the case with water. Take a rod that has been ground to the ID of the case neck, put it in the case neck and give it a smack with a mallet. The water will "hydraulic" the primer out of the case.

This process is best done outside on a nice warm/hot day. You can wear your bathing suit and have fun with the splash 8) 8)