[Justsomeguy]

On a couple of occasions I have read comments here about concerns the use of various primers might pose when having to change from one type to another. Recently I tried to order more CCI Small Pistol primers but could not get them but was able to substitute Magtech Small Pistol instead. The following is the result of two range sessions using first the CCI and then the Magtech small pistol primers with 5.8grn of Silhouette and an S&S Casting LFN bullet. OAL was 1.130. The testing was conducted over a Pro Chrono Digital chronograph in a shaded area, and consisted of 20 shots at targets at 15 yards. The chrono is placed 10 feet from the muzzle of the gun. The temperatures for the two sessions are attached and may have had some small effect, though Silhouette is not particularly temperature sensitive in my experience... at least at the warm end of the spectrum. I will have to try it in winter conditions as well and report back my findings.

First the CCI...
Average Speed
951.6
Power Factor
171.3
High
976
Low
910
Extreme Spread
66
Standard Deviation
16.0
Gun = XDm 4.5"
Note: 97 degrees
July 2nd, 2009
-----------------------------------------
Now the Magtech...
Average Speed
947.8
Power Factor
170.6
High
966
Low
927
Extreme Spread
39
Standard Deviation
11.4
Gun = XDm40 4.5"
Note: 82 degrees
Sept 3rd, 2009

Note that the temperature was 15 degrees cooler, though still sort of warmish, on the day the Magtech's were tested. The Standard Deviation was somewhat better for the Magtech's, though the temperature could certainly have contributed to those results. The Power Factor was only .7 different on the two days.

The Magtech's like the CCI's all went "bang" and if anything they might have been a bit more dented by the gun's firing pin... meaning they might be slightly softer than the CCI's. At any rate they were not harder to light up. Both are nickle plated and side by side would be hard to tell apart from the outside. Internally the Magtech anvil insert might be a bit "stouter" then the CCI.

I have also been conducting tests with the PMC GREEN (non heavy metal) primers with some powders but they seemed weak with slower burning powders, but lit off nicely with TiteGroup. I will retest them with Silhouette again as well as more testing with the Magtechs with Titegroup, though I doubt there will be much difference to report.

This post has been edited by Justsomeguy: 05 September 2009 - 12:18 AM

[boz1911]

In light of the current primer availability, this is great info to pass along. Thanks.

[ChuckS]

Justsomeguy,

Are you using the same headstamp brass for these measurements?

Later,
Chuck

[Justsomeguy]

They were Winchester, but I have found little if any difference between Winchester, Speer, Federal, Fiocchi, or whatever else I have used as far as average fps or power factor. I have some new Starline brass which I haven't used yet, but I suspect there will be no difference there either. I might add that the only NEW ammo my guns have ever had problems with was Aguilla, which for some reason does not seem to want to feed under the extractor in most of XD type pistols... yet when reloaded they seem to do better. None of those brass were used in this test.

This post has been edited by Justsomeguy: 06 September 2009 - 11:34 PM

[CocoBolo]

Thanks for the post, just got 10K of the MagTech primers, I had 10K of CCI on back order and had them sub what they had, they certainly have to be better than none.

[Duane Thomas]

What sort of gun are you using? Any mods? Since it will reliably light off the hard CCIs, I assume it's not a Glock with a lightened striker spring.

[Justsomeguy]

Hi Duane... Sorry... you must have missed the entry for the XDm40 with 4.5" barrel as the gun used (third line from the bottom in the specs sections). And it does, to my knowledge, have the stock striker spring installed. The gun has a trigger job from the Springfield Custom Shop and the only time it did NOT fire off rounds on the first try was occasionally from the bench with the magazine firmly sitting on the base. It never did it when the gun was not in contact with a bench. I sent it back to Springfield and they corrected the problem and I have not had any failures to fire since. However, THOSE misfires were with CCI primers previously, but not since the redo. I did not get a report on what they did to correct the problem at that time so I cannot, regretably, add anything about that.

This post has been edited by Justsomeguy: 09 September 2009 - 12:32 AM