SmallCaliberCentral

Hi fellas, I always used Winchester small rifle primers in my 204 because that's all my local gunshop carried and they seem to work good. I don't know much about primers and when I ran low I went to the local gun shop and could'nt find my WSR's. All I could find were CCI BR-4's and CCI 450's. I did'nt know what to do, so I just got a few BR-4's. Are these alright to use. Are the magnum's too hot ? I am useing RE-10x powder, so did I get the right primer or should I get some magnum primers too before they are out again ? Could some one explain to me what is the difference between standard, bench rest and magnum primers and which is the right ones to be useing ?

cshooter,
Well I don't think anyone in this forum is going to tell you made a bad choice. Matter of fact in my opinion you made the best choice in the CCI BR-4 primers. But if you don't take my word for it just read on the favorite loads list and you will see what I am talking about.

Ride Up!!!
Shane Gould

I got to looking in my buddys Sierra reloading manual and they reccomend Fed 205M primers with a max load of RE-10x (of 25 gr.), which is the powder I'm useing. Should I try to find some of those ? I might not be able to get anymore BR-4's, but the place where I got them had alot of CCI 450's. Will they be O.K. ? I'll go back as soon as I get off work and see if I can get anymore BR-4's, but they only had 900 last night and I took about 400 of those. Probably should of got all the BR-4's, but I did'nt know. I have one more place to look,- if I can get the 205m's instead of the BR-4's, should I get them ? Would I be better off getting a few 1000 maganum 450's because they are more available ? I can't find any WSR's anywhere, and I've been told I will be hard pressed to get any for quite awhile and they may not be the best primer for this anyway, so maybe I need to make a switch ? What would be the best general reccomendation ? Thanks fellas.

First choice Federal 205M second choice Rem 7 1/2 third choice CCI BR-4 and forth choice would be CCI-450 and very last choice is WSR primers as they have thinner cups. If I were you I would run back tyhere and buy any of the above as much as you can afford because I was told from a friend in Missouri that his local gun shop is charging (SCALPING) $54.99 for a box of 1,000 Federal 205M primers and its going to get worse soon.

Are the magnum's too hot ?

If you're near max with the WSR's then I would like to see you back down about 1gr with the magnum primers & come back up. We all love a great range report but don't really care for a hospital report.

Hey guys, I was just wondering, I could'nt get anymore of those BR-4's last night, the guy was sold out, but he had quite a few CCI 450 magnums left. Just from checking out the site here this morning it looks like that if you use a harder to ignite powder like 748, or BLc-2 that you might get pretty good accuracy and be O.K. on the pressure side too with the magnums ? I've never used those powders in my 204, but maybe I should get some 450's and try ? I may have a 1/2 pound of 748 on the shelf at home. Problem is I don't have any reloading data on 748 for the 204. (Just thinking out loud here). What's your thoughts ?

cshooter wrote:Hey guys, I was just wondering, I could'nt get anymore of those BR-4's last night, the guy was sold out, but he had quite a few CCI 450 magnums left. Just from checking out the site here this morning it looks like that if you use a harder to ignite powder like 748, or BLc-2 that you might get pretty good accuracy and be O.K. on the pressure side too with the magnums ? I've never used those powders in my 204, but maybe I should get some 450's and try ? I may have a 1/2 pound of 748 on the shelf at home. Problem is I don't have any reloading data on 748 for the 204. (Just thinking out loud here). What's your thoughts ?

I tried WW748 and it did not work for me; I have seen other posts trying ball powders like 748 but IMHO the ball powders dont burn as clean as the stick powders and usually require a mag primer when you load in excess of 40 grains. So that wont apply to the .204 Ruger. I would try the CCI-450's as long as you are not loading max loads if your load is near the top back off on the powder charge and work up if you use the 450's. Just my two cents.