No# 41 Military primers

I'm new to reloading. Having a hard time finding primers. I found some CCI no. 41 military primers. My question to the group is do I have to lower the powder charge to allow for the Magnum primers adding any pressure? I'm loading .223 Remington 55 grain bullets, using IMR 4198. I'm targeting around 2900-3000 FPS. My mini 14 really likes PMC ammo, better groups than with faster ammo. They advertise 2900 FPS with fMJ-BT, I'm using these. My recipe calls for 19.3 grains of powder, does that sound safe?

Welcome to the Forum AND to handloading.

Questions pop up all the time. And I always ask; "What do your manuals say? Yes,, MANUALS as in plural. A good handloader has several, and can cross reference things.
Now,, you won't easily find military primers listed in commercial manuals. BUT,, you should always start low & work up ANY load with changes in components.
So, using your manuals,, starting with the one that shows the components you are using as closely as possible,, start at the beginning load, and work up. Let your gun tell you if it likes the ammo you make. And of course,, approach the maximum charges & such with caution.

I know this isn't exactly the type of answer you are seeking. But you are building ammo, and it should be approached with study, caution, and care to avoid any potential dangerous issues.

I've been doing my own study & handloading since the 1970's, and by following the manuals,, and careful building of ammo, I've never had an ammo related issue in my guns. And yes,, I always buy & update my manuals when new ones come out.

Thanks, sound advice. Start low and go from there

My .223 loads were chronographed and adjusted to meet a specific velocity range(within 50FPS +/-) so that all loads produced uniform performance levels. My experience using CCI#41 primers vs CCI #400 and H335/WCC844/AA Exterminator in .223 was: to reach the same velocity a powder reduction of 0.5 (1/2) grain was required to offset the increased brisance of the #41(magnum level) primer. This is my experience and in no way should be considered a loading suggestion. Be safe, spend the components required to work up the loads using the different primers.

Military primers are the same as magnum primers, but with a slightly thicker cup.

Start low and work up. Check for high pressure signs as you work up. The only issue you may find is your firing pin doesn't hit the thicker cup hard enough and not ignite the primer. Usually not an issue on most rifles.

Thank you Gentlemen, I sense years of knowledge in your words. I have the Lyman manual, and have referenced other guidelines. Using the recipe I wrote in my first post I'm going to start with 19 grains of IMR 4198 and go from there. What powder do you guys recommend when reloading for .223 Remington? I'm not shooting for competition, just targets and varmints.

Tailout said:

Thank you Gentlemen, I sense years of knowledge in your words. I have the Lyman manual, and have referenced other guidelines. Using the recipe I wrote in my first post I'm going to start with 19 grains of IMR 4198 and go from there. What powder do you guys recommend when reloading for .223 Remington? I'm not shooting for competition, just targets and varmints.

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My long time favorite .223 powder for AR's is W748. It's a ball powder so it meters easily and accurately. I've found that 25 grains under a 55 gr fmj is a sweet and reliable load FOR ME AND ONLY ME.

748 is a go to powder also for me. AR10 and AR15. But many others will work.

If you can find it - Accurate Arms 2230 for .223/5.56
I use 25.5 grs. of AA 2230 with 55gr FMJBT - Just my Load! - Work up your own load!
Rocko

I use BL-C2 in my .223 cal & .222 cal rifles with good success.

I've loaded thousands of rounds of .223 using WCC 844, AA 2230, X-terminator, H335, and a couple of others that escape me--most using #41 primers. Loading to a specific velocity (around 2850-2900 fps from a 16" barrel) with any of these powders resulted in accuracy in the 1-1.5 MOA category which is suitable for my intended purposes.

Thanks for your comments Gentlemen. I searched for all the powders mentioned and was only able to get IMR 4198 I'll use that as my baseline. What are your thoughts on bullets with a cannelure ? My plan is to factory crimp. Most of my brass is primer crimped got a Dillon super swage 600 today prepping brass. Ordered the powder from Brownell's arrives Monday. Plan is to load 10 rounds, step outside shoot at paper, and adjust from there. It's a privilege to have a good friend with a ranch and a decked out loading bench.

Not sure if it's kosher to give retailer suggestions but Midsouth Shooters Supply had an ad recently for bulk pack Hornady 55 grain SP w/c. I've loaded thousands of those with excellent results. I used to buy them in the 5-6K box and found no difference in performance vs the 100 count retail box.
The ammo I was loading was intended to match the trajectory of M-193 military FMJ but with an expanding bullet and function 100% in the AR platform. The Hornady 55 SP is not the quickest expanding bullet on the market but it does cover a wide range of use parameters.

I like IMR 4166 for 5.56/.223. There are several powders to give good results. Now only problem is finding any powder on shelves.