Federal primers?

[Currahee]

Why are Federals more sensitive, is it the metal cup or a manufacturing process?

PS.  Anybody know who makes these metal cups?

Thanks,

c.

[Sedalia Dave]

1 hour ago, Currahee said:

Why are Federals more sensitive, is it the metal cup or a manufacturing process?

PS.  Anybody know who makes these metal cups?

Thanks,

c.

 

Federals are more sensitive because of the priming compound they use. It has nothing to do with the thickness of the cup, the material it is made of or how hard the cup material is.

 

This increased sensitivity is why the packaging for Federal primers is over twice the size of the packaging used by other primer manufacturers. 

[Idaho Gunslinger]

41 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

 

Federals are more sensitive because of the priming compound they use. It has nothing to do with the thickness of the cup, the material it is made of or how hard the cup material is.

 

This increased sensitivity is why the packaging for Federal primers is over twice the size of the packaging used by other primer manufacturers. 

I always wondered why Federal's packaging is so much larger than the others. 

 

I also blindly assumed it had more to do with the thickness of the cup or the metal the cup was made of. 

 

Thanks for the information!

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Federal, like the other primer/ammo makers, punches their own cups out of sheet brass.   Videos published over the years show them doing that in house. 

 

Experience over many years comparing rifle loads with Federal or Winchester or (older production) CCI primers, I have ALWAYS seen more primer cup deformation (filling out of the primer pocket) with Federals than with the other primers, at exactly the same load in the same manufacturer's cases.   From this, I would say the brass that Federal uses is more easily deformed, either because of a different metal hardness produced by how Federal stamps the cups, the original temper of the sheet brass they purchase, or even thinner cups.  I mention rifle loads because those chamber pressures are higher and differences are more easily spotted by eyeballing them.  Some difference in handgun primer deformation on firing can usually be seen even down at the 17,000 PSI level in .45 auto handgun ammo, as well.

 

good luck, GJ