Small Pistol Primers CCI vs Winchester

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • Which small pistol primer would you buy?


    • Total voters
      0

    philagothon

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Jul 25, 2010
    498
    16
    On the 7th step
    My local reloading shop has stopped stocking CCI small pistol primers because the price has jumped on them. He says he can still order them, but they will be $35 per 1000. The Winchester primers are still $29/1000. I am brand new to reloading, so I don't have a favorite recipe yet that is dependent on primer. These will be primarily for 9mm & small primer 45ACP. I always hear of people raving on CCI and I never hear anything about Winchester primers. So, which would you go with and why?

    I know I can probably find a better deal elsewhere, but I prefer buying local and don't mind paying a little more to do so.

    ETA: I will either be hand priming or using the Lee Safety Prime on my Lee Classic Turret.
     
    Last edited:

    billybob44

    Master
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    383   0   0
    Sep 22, 2010
    3,426
    27
    In the Man Cave
    Primers??

    I have/do use both. It's kind of a Ford vs. Chevy thing??
    The silver-nickle plate of the CCI seems a little slicker than the Brass-bronze finish on the Winchester, and MAY?? slide a little easier in primer tubes??
    I have not had a quality issue with either of these brands, so go for the one you want..Bill.


    PS: My vote went to Winchester for the $6.00 savings..
     
    Last edited:

    wsenefeld

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    69   0   0
    Dec 2, 2011
    2,187
    48
    Boone Co.
    I have/do use both. It's kind of a Ford vs. Chevy thing??
    The silver-nickle plate of the CCI seems a little slicker than the Brass-bronze finish on the Winchester, and MAY?? slide a little easier in primer tubes??
    I have not had a quality issue with either of these brands, so go for the one you want..Bill.


    PS: My vote went to Winchester for the $6.00 savings..

    :+1: for your reasoning. I have a hard time with the winchester in my dillon pick up tubes and they don't like to seat in 9mm with crimped primers. With the nickel plating on the CCI they go right in without having to ream or swage the crimp. Takes a little extra force but they go in.

    CCI got my vote. I'll pay the extra $6/k for the convenience. Not to mention they are more stable... (look at the size of the packaging)
     

    wolfts01

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Dec 14, 2010
    302
    18
    New Haven
    I am a newer reloader of 9mm, and I have had 0 problems with Winchester primers. I use the Lee ram prime and have no trouble with seating them. When I bought mine the two brands cost the same.
     

    CowboyGreg

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Mar 30, 2012
    4
    1
    I have used a lot of Winchester small pistol and large pistol over the years in a Dillon with few problems. Some of my cowboy guns like the Wincesters better, go off easier. I had some older CCI primers that were a pain, they seemed to be off size, hard to seat.
    The last time I went to buy primers a bought the Russian primers. They all have went off and for cowboy shooting they work fine, and they were cheaper at the time :{)

    Greg
     

    Broom_jm

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 10, 2009
    3,691
    48
    If they were the same price I'd always pick the CCI primers, just because that's what I have used for most of my reloads, over the years. The only primers I've ever had problems with were WLR, so I'm a little leery of Winchester.
     

    longbarrel

    Expert
    Rating - 91.7%
    22   2   0
    Nov 1, 2008
    1,360
    38
    Central Indiana
    Have had some problems with spp seating in 40 cases, but still got them and for the savings I would use the Winchester. Better buy a bunch. Huge shortage coming in the following months.
     

    BE Mike

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    18   0   0
    Jul 23, 2008
    7,536
    113
    New Albany
    I have used a lot of Winchester small pistol primers over the years and literally tens of thousands of Winchester large pistol primers. They are a very good primer and have presented no problems over many years. I also have used CCI small pistol and large pistol. Before CCI changed the dimensions of their primers, they were hard to seat and feed in my Dillon presses. At the time Dillon recommended only Winchester primers in their presses. The new CCI primers don't present any problems. Wolf primers are a little harder to seat. I've used a lot of Remington primers in their small pistol and small rifle variety. They also seat very well. IMHO, any current American made primers are of top quality and can be used with confidence. Federal primers are a little easier to ignite than the other brands. This is good to know if you have a revolver that has a soft hammer drop, like a custom PPC gun, for example.
     

    Dr.Midnight

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Jul 24, 2011
    4,412
    113
    Monroe County
    Since I started reloading, I have used CCI primers. Because of the recent price increase and availability issues in my area, I've been forced to buy a few thousand Winchester Small Pistol Primers. I'm almost out of my CCI inventory, so in a week or so, I'll see how well the Winchesters work for me.

    I hate that I have to switch though. In the thousands of rounds I have loaded using CCI Primers, I've not had one primer issue. It's the old "if it ain't broke don't fix it" thing.
     

    spitfire51

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Nov 16, 2010
    453
    16
    The Winchesters are the only small pistol primers I've used, and I've used them for the same calibers you're reloading for. Never had an issue with them. I'd say go ahead and save the few bucks.
     

    BE Mike

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    18   0   0
    Jul 23, 2008
    7,536
    113
    New Albany
    Since I started reloading, I have used CCI primers. Because of the recent price increase and availability issues in my area, I've been forced to buy a few thousand Winchester Small Pistol Primers. I'm almost out of my CCI inventory, so in a week or so, I'll see how well the Winchesters work for me.

    I hate that I have to switch though. In the thousands of rounds I have loaded using CCI Primers, I've not had one primer issue. It's the old "if it ain't broke don't fix it" thing.
    You won't have any problem with the Winchester primers, but I know where you are coming from.
     

    dreamer56

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Jul 22, 2009
    78
    6
    Next door in Illinois
    I like CCI but can't find them in the shops here - Winchester is available - not much fun not having a choice - when they were in stock they were the same price but that was about 4 months ago.
     

    ckcollins2003

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Apr 29, 2011
    1,449
    48
    Muncie
    I use CCI in my small pistol reloads. I got them at the 1500 for $28/1000 out the door. I've only used Winchester primers in my .308 so I can't really comment on their pistol primers, but I've never had a problem with their large rifle primers.

    If Winchesters pistol primers are as good as their rifle primers (which I'm sure they are) I'd go with the savings and buy the Winchester. Not sure why the price on the CCI primers went up but I'm sure it will hurt their business when people don't buy them and drive the price back down.
     

    Broom_jm

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 10, 2009
    3,691
    48
    @ CK -- I think you'll find the CCI primers went up because loaded ammunition is FLYING off the shelves and most of it uses a CCI primer. IMHO, the CCI primers are a little better (consistent) than the Winchester and I remember a time when CCI was consistently the lowest-priced American-made primer on the market. It is/was a "gold standard", to most reloaders. I seriously doubt they're worried about losing market share, when they're doing everything they possibly can to meet the current demand. The price is higher, now, because a lot of folks prefer them and they're in short supply...the laws of economics at work?

    It's not their fault people are panicking and buying ammo/components at historically high rates. :)
     

    45fan

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Apr 20, 2011
    2,388
    48
    East central IN
    Price being equal, I would go with the CCI, its what I started reloading with. For most of my "goes bang and hits the target" ammo, I am not too finicky about primers. I have even used Remington 6 1/2s in my 9mm handloads before, only because I got a screaming deal on them. Winchester has been just as good in all of the handgun loads I have used them in, though the only experience I have has been with their pistol primers.
     

    U.S. Patriot

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 87.5%
    7   1   0
    Jan 30, 2009
    9,815
    38
    Columbus
    I get my CCI primers for $33 per 1K loacally. They are the only primers I have used. Out of roughly 3K rounds, I had two that did not fire on the first strike. Other than that, I have had 0 issues.
     
    Top Bottom