How bad can cheap primers cripple your practical accuracy?

[Ammon]

I've been reloading using primers from CCI. I haven't dug into my wolf primers, at least not for the grendel. I also see a deal right now for Ficcochi which is tempting.

If I stray away from CCI how much "loss" could I expect?

Part of my plan is to find a good recipe for some 123 BTHP's which I got for 16 cents each. With a 16 cent projectile, 2.5 cent primer, used brass, and a 12.5 cent powder charge I'd be looking at 31 cents. As long as I can stay in the 1.5-2 MOA range I'd be happy. Can I expect this from cheap primers or are they gonna drive down my capabilities?

[Klem]

If your current system is capable of 1.5-2MOA then you won't notice a change in primer brand.

[grayfox]

Honest feedback here, no offense intended...
The choice of a primer is not about cost. It is about which primer gives you the most consistent powder ignition. That is, if you want to strive for accuracy. If 1.5-2 moa is what you seek I would imagine that any primer, or any mix of primers, would probably do. In the final analysis it will be your barrel and your targets and your acceptance criteria that tell you how well your loads are performing. No one else can tell that. If 1.5 cts will break you, well, maybe think hard about which hobbies you should be doing or keep it cheap-cheap-cheap with Wolf ammo/blasting and be done with it.
If however you're looking for the most consistent primer, it could be the wolf, the Fed 205AR, the cci 450 or Br-4... or one I've not thought of. The only way to tell that is to test them in your barrel with your loads.
Most shooters on here have found the cci450 to be the optimal primer, but some for sure have found others to be as good for them or better.
For an AR of course there are primers that I don't recommend, such as the cci400, whose cup is too thin/soft for safe AR shooting. 'Course there are others who will swear they are just fine.......... that's up to them I guess. Just be sure to keep your muzzle pointed downrange.

[Ammon]

Thanks for the replies,

I didn't meant to give off the perception that 1.5 cents per round is a make it or break it thing.

I load rounds with top shelf accuracy in mind, rounds which I may only shoot 100-200 a month but for this threads purpose I'm looking to get a load that shoots "well enough" that I can stash away for the alien invasion or whatever fantasy you like. For this purpose if I can save a few dollars per thousand and stay in "minute of alien" range, all the better.

[grayfox]

Sure, no problem.
From what many here have written (I do not shoot them b/c my range doesn't allow steel bullets), the wolf 6.5 ammo would be a good bet for you. Stash, shoot whenever and retain the rest, while focusing on your better loads.
They're what, $6.00/20?
Couple of guys have even pulled the pill and reloaded a different 100 grain bullet. All the caveats about you're in wildcat country though!!
I do have a few of those rounds (named Barnaul but same-o stuff), and the pills are magnetic... so they are stashed here, maybe I'll shoot them out in the field some day...

[204 AR]

I've shot a pile of Wolf primers when Powder Valley had them for $15 per k. They shoot just fine, and speeds were right on par with a cci 400. They seem to be a harder cup, more similar to a 450.

However, the cci's are easier to work with as far as feeding from my little vibratory tool that loads my primer tubes, so I'm not going to bother with the Wolf again.

Rem 7.5's have worked well also, but they are slightly undersized compared to the cci's, so they get loose in primer pockets sooner. At least the carton I have does.

[Ammon]

Sure, no problem.
From what many here have written (I do not shoot them b/c my range doesn't allow steel bullets), the wolf 6.5 ammo would be a good bet for you. Stash, shoot whenever and retain the rest, while focusing on your better loads.
They're what, $6.00/20?
Couple of guys have even pulled the pill and reloaded a different 100 grain bullet. All the caveats about you're in wildcat country though!!
I do have a few of those rounds (named Barnaul but same-o stuff), and the pills are magnetic... so they are stashed here, maybe I'll shoot them out in the field some day...

I have followed at least 2 of the threads here about the push/pull with wolf/barnaul with interest, it really intrigues me and I'm sure someday I'll venture down that road.

I also have a healthy stash of (has not been messed with yet) wolf which I have accumulated (and continue to) for 25-27 cents per round.

So long as I can stay around 30 cents per hand load, the time would justify a 2 moa round versus wolf which seems to be 3 and 1/2+ moa from my 2 grendels. I was having trouble getting consistent hit on Sunday at 300 yards on a silhouette with wolf. By that range I was seeing at least a 9-10" spread just from the MOA capabilities/inconsistencies of wolf.

If my 30 cents hand loads can achieve 2 moa, I can certainly still expect consistent hits at 300 yards, and maybe even a little beyond which is on par with m193 out of my 5.56 AR's, but of course delivering much better energy, all for about the same price of m193 +/- 2 cents per round.

I guess that's overall a good synopsis of what I'm looking to achieve. All the accuracy metrics of m193 at no more than 2 cents more per round. If a primer which cost 1 penny more was the singular thing to make that happen, I'd gladly pay the extra penny.

[Ammon]

I've shot a pile of Wolf primers when Powder Valley had them for $15 per k. They shoot just fine, and speeds were right on par with a cci 400. They seem to be a harder cup, more similar to a 450.

However, the cci's are easier to work with as far as feeding from my little vibratory tool that loads my primer tubes, so I'm not going to bother with the Wolf again.

Rem 7.5's have worked well also, but they are slightly undersized compared to the cci's, so they get loose in primer pockets sooner. At least the carton I have does.

That's very good to know. A lot of people seem to like the harder cups of the CCI 450 in an AR (seems to be for a good reason too) so this isn't a bad quality to have.

Thanks for the input!

[grayfox]

OP, so looking at your goal and seemingly that you're not including any cost for the brass... I get 28.9 cts/round plus your primer. At 30 gr est/round powder, there are 233.33 rounds/lb of powder (est $30/lb), along with your 16 ct bullet...
Actual powder cost and powder charge will cause this number to vary a bit.
So you're looking for a primer at about 3 cts/ea.
Find a no-hazmat on ammoseek, avoid Rem 6 1/2 or even Fiocchi ... there are Win small rifle magnum, remmy 7 1/2, even cci 450's for about 3 cts/ea, plus shipping. Midsouth, Natchesz, Or try a local gun show...

[lazyengineer]

FWIW, Midsouth is selling Fiocchi Small Rifle Magnum primers for about 2-2.5 cents a pop delivered right now. I'm not aware of any problems with these, though greyfox seems to imply there's something he doesn't like about them?

As to reloading costs; if you buy in bulk and wait for deals and don't put any price on your time or the reuse of fired brass, etc: you can be reloading Grendel for about 25 cents a shot, for basic ammo. Buy premium bullets at retail pricing and buy powder by the single-pound at retail pricing, and that price goes up fast. Buy the brass too, and it really gets up there.

To greyfox' point: the benefit of saving a penny a primer really isn't that significant. Still, hey - no reason not to shop around.

[grayfox]

Nothing against fiocchi, simply I have not used any of them... bottom line is you'll need to test primers in your barrel with your loads to see what they do.
I've done primers side by side, all other things being equal, and settled on what's working for me...
If you do that you ought to just get 500 or 1000 each until you settle in on your choice.

[A5BLASTER]

I say just buy the vid 450's and the price per primer will just come out in the wash.