Which primer?

[Chick]

I used the CCI209M primer with the 209 powder. What are you using and why? Good - Bad?

 

[rangerod]

I started out using Winchesters but had issues with failure to fire and lost confidence in them. I know a lot of shooters use them. Currently using Federal 209A's with great results. They seem not to leak like the Winchesters did.

 

[ronlaughlin]

Winchester W209 primer. Reason for using the W209 primer for igniting Blackhorn powder are:

W209 primer is the longest primer, therefore makes the best seal without adjusting head space.
W209 primer reliably ignites Blackhorn powder.



Drawback to using W209 primer is they vary in length more than other primer.

 

[LarryBud]

I believe finding the primer that fits your breech plug the best will be the most effective. The goal would be to have no charge escape. I personally prefer Win 209s but have used many with good success. Just avoid the primers designed to alleviate the T7 crud ring.

 

[jims]

Generally the Fed 209A are indicated to have the most flame, CCIms a close second. The Wins less but I have found them more consistent in roundness if that is any issue for you on sealing.

 

[knightnut2000]

I have shot the reg. CCI 209 and the Feochi 209 and both have performed flawlessly NO misfire at all with saboted bullets and Conicals .

 

[MrTom]

I have tried both CCI mags and the Fed209a's during our winter at the range [below 10 degrees] and had cold weather ignition issues with them igniting the 209 powder. Winchester 209s in the blue box never handed me a misfire in the cold.

Not so much primer related, but I have found that the flame channel of the breech plug needs to be opened up with fewer shots during really cold weather shooting. Instead of 15-29 shots, about 12 shots in the bitter cold. And don't breathe on the scope.

 

[GM54-120]

If you have a Euro rifle like CVAs or Traditions you can try the Nobel/NSI 686 or 688 if you can find them. Both are as long as the Win209 but they are larger OD at the nose. Nobel 686 are easy to find usually but the 688s are "mags" and much harder to find. The Nobels wont fit a Knight Lehigh plug without a little work. I dont think they will fit the T/C plugs either but im not sure.

I use Win209s in my Lehigh/Knight plugs because they have worked 100% and seal the best
I use CCIs in my NULA for the same reason.
I do have a custom Bestill plug that will work fine with a Fed209A just in case i need a MAG primer.
My next Mountaineer plug im going to fit for a RemSTS primer just because they are more consistent in length and as hot as a Win209.

 

[Travis299]

Which ever primer you choose to use you want to seal the primer so that ALL of the ignited hot gas gets through the flame channel/flame hole and sets off the powder charge. I have found that using the rubber O-Ring, in the primer pocket, is the solution and that my fired primers are squeaky clean. I have NEVER had a misfire using the O-Ring and will not shoot my CVAs without it. Pic of a fired primer & these are the O-Rings. https://www.mcmaster.com/9262k611

 

[phenix78_99]

Fed 209A + Lehigh Breech Plug (with vent liner) + BH209

 

[WV Hunter]

I've had great luck with W209's in my Knights and Omegas. Perfect ignition, super clean.

 

[Chick]

Just wondering what others used and why. I gave up on Winchester 209 years ago, when I had issues with them and the 777 pellets. I found the hotter CCI 209M solved my ignition problems, and I have stuck with them. Being an old clay bird buster and reloader, I have tried a number of the 209 primers, that I use.

 

[lwh723]

The winchesters do seal well (nice and round). But I've had a lot of customers over the years have misfires with them--especially in cold weather. FED209A or CCI209M is what I would use if I still used 209's.

 

[CatamountRob]

When I first switched to BH209 I used Win 209 primers because I had them and I couldn’t find CCI 209M’s locally. They worked perfectly at the range in Oct but they didn’t work in the single digit cold of our Dec muzzleloader season. I switched to the CCI’s by the following year and I’ve never tried anything else since. I didn’t know about cleaning the breechplug with drill bits back then and I have a feeling that my problems with the Win 209’s have more to do with the carbon building up than the primers themselves.

 

[ronlaughlin]

........I have a feeling that my problems with the Win 209’s have more to do with the carbon building up than the primers themselves

That would explain why so many many shooters have had zero issues when using W209 primers. It seems most ignition issues could very well be a breech plug issue, rather than a primer issue...........

Speaking for myself.......Omega rifles/breech plugs never misfired with any primer; CVA rifles/breech plugs misfired on occasion.

Western Powders fixed the CVA rifle/breech plug issue by designing a breech plug that was near an exact copy of the Omega breech plug. Initially Western Powders responded to shooters with problems by instructing them to use the magnum primers. This didn't fix all ills, so they introduced a new breech plug which did fix all ills, iff the shooter did the proper maintenance.

If one does the proper maintenance, and has a well designed breech plug, it seems all shotgun primers will work, and do so in extreme cold temperatures i.e. -15° or thereabouts.

 

[dragonfly]

I agree with Ron on this one. Properly maintained breech plugs is the answer. Interestingly, I've noticed the Winchester primer build up was by far harder to remove than the build up the Federal 209A. The Winchester primers required a lot more effort with a drill bit to get that carbon out. Federals....a couple of twists...done. That Winchester carbon is hard!!

 

[WV Hunter]

Ditto. Never had a misfire or hangfire with W209's, ever. (with Blackhorn)

Ron has done more extreme testing of powders and primers and projectiles than most if not all the folks on this board.
Over the years out of all the guys I hunt with, if/when an issue arises (with any primer or powder), its almost always been user error.

Obviously other primers work fine too... not a bash on them. I personally like the W209 because of them being a smidge longer, they give zero blowback in my rifles, and are plenty hot to ignite all the time.

 

[snapbang]

Its not almost always user error its always user error. Ive been using a muzzle loader for 35 years. I know when I've tried to "cheat" in preparing my gun to shoot. Our guns are designed to shoot when properly used. Any part of being used improperly may result in failure. You may get away with it on occasion but it will eventually bite you in the a$$. Its cost me a few deer. Not cleaning the oil out of the barrel, not snapping of a few caps, not cleaning the barrel after snapping off some caps, poorly stored caps or powder. Ive done it all.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Its not almost always user error its always user error. Ive been using a muzzle loader for 35 years. I know when I've tried to "cheat" in preparing my gun to shoot. Our guns are designed to shoot when properly used. Any part of being used improperly may result in failure. You may get away with it on occasion but it will eventually bite you in the a$$. Its cost me a few deer. Not cleaning the oil out of the barrel, not snapping of a few caps, not cleaning the barrel after snapping off some caps, poorly stored caps or powder. Ive done it all.

Its one good way to learn a lesson.

 

[Far Sighted]

I used the CCI209M primer with the 209 powder. What are you using and why? Good - Bad?

I use CCI 209M primers because I get consistent clean ignition compared to others.