# 6.5 remington primer for .223 rem?



## Kyle1337

okay so im using my phone to do this post forgive me if it comes out all messed up, anyway i just bought 6 1/2 remington primers to reload 223 rem and have always used cci 400 i got home and read the box and it says not to use for 223 or 17hmr or 222 i spoke with the clerk at the gun store and he said it should be okay but i dont want to destroy my AR what are your thoughts and opinions on this?


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## SaltyDog

Kyle1337 said:


> okay so im using my phone to do this post forgive me if it comes out all messed up, anyway i just bought 6 1/2 remington primers to reload 223 rem and have always used cci 400 i got home and read the box and it says not to use for 223 or 17hmr or 222 i spoke with the clerk at the gun store and he said it should be okay but i dont want to destroy my AR what are your thoughts and opinions on this?


Well Kyle if it were up to me I'd do like the box said and not by what the clerk says - just me.

From the internet

http://www.6mmbr.com/223Rem.html


> Reloading for AR15s and other .223 Rem Gas Guns
> With their multiple bolt lugs and rapid locking/unlocking, AR15s are more sensitive to pressure and bolt thrust issues than stout, modern custom bolt actions. There is also a risk of slam-fires in AR15s. Therefore, some high-end loads that may work in a BAT, Barnard, Borden or Stiller bolt action will be too hot for an AR15. This is why Sierra issues a completely separate load map for AR15s chambered in .223 Rem and 5.56x45 (see notes above on 5.56x45 throat length concerns). We recommend the you initially reduce loads at least 0.7 grains for an AR15 compared to a bolt action, and never exceed the powder manufacturers' recommended loads. Click on the button at right to download Sierra's latest .223 Rem loads for the AR15


http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=49907


> The 6 1/2 has a softer cup and a lower brisance. It is very useful in small capcity cases of lower pressure like the 22H, 25-20, 32-20, etc. As mentioned it is not for use in the smaller higher pressure cartridges of the .222+ family. The 7 1/2 primer was developed especially for these smaller higher pressure cartridges. It has a stronger cup and more brisance conducive to the use of ball powders. The WSR primer is pretty much the same as is the Federal 205.
> 
> There are small rifle magnum primers such as CCI 450s.
> 
> Larry Gibson


:smt023


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## Kyle1337

thanks for all the advice, this place has always been a wealth of information not bs. thanks guys or girls...lol ill be returning those today.


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## Kyle1337

UPDATE: Okay, so I went back to the clerk, and he pulls out his sierra reloading bible and it recommends 6.5 remington primers to load .223 rem, why would remington shoot themselves in the foot with this warning? (no pun intended..lol) Furthermore, he pulls out a few other misc. gunsmith and reloading books that also recommend the 6.5 or 6 1/2 rem primers, so I said okay, I'd load a few and see what happens. So I loaded a few 55 Grain Sierra blitz king with 24 grains of Hodgdon H322 powder recommended minimum load in the manual. They worked flawlessly. So I loaded a few mid loads, worked flawlessly and loaded a few max loads...worked flawlessly..again. So I bought 2,000 more.


EDIT: The clerk mentioned that the warning was on the box to warn against use in bolt action rifles since the firing pin hole and firing pin itself is larger than an AR-15 which is what I load for. So be warned not to load for bolt actions since he was certain they wouldn't work in bolt action but surely felt they would in AR's and was right. I guess the firing pin is .062 in an AR and .75 in a bolt action remington such as a Remington 700, he explained it and showed me bolts from AR's and a rem 700 and you could see the difference.


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## SaltyDog

Well Kyle you got my interest up on this one so I wrote Remington



> I have Remington 6.5 primers available to me and want to reload .223 rounds for my AR-15. The box warns against using the 6.5 primers for the .223 but the Sierra reloading manual has them listed for use in their recipes. What is the reasoning behind your warning and why do I not want to use them for the .223?


Their reply



> Thank you for your question. Some handloading books call for the 61/2 Primer we recommend the 71/2 for the .223. Both primers are correct. Both primers are the same size but the primer cup on 71/2 is made of thicker metal. Remington feels with the higher pressure on the .223 it would be better to use the 71/2. I hope this information was helpful. Thank you for contacting Remington!


That explains what I have read on the internet about folks loading .223 rounds with 6 1/2 primers having the primers pierced by the pressure and destroying the bolt. That probably goes for a bolt action or AR.

Here's a good link to see what they are talking about http://www.jamescalhoon.com/primers_and_pressure.php


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