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Where to Buy 209 Primers: where to buy large rifle primers

A primer: what is it?
The four components of a loaded cartridge are primer, powder, brass, and bullet. Primers serve the same purpose of lighting the propellant, which produces the gases that push the bullet down the barrel and out of the muzzle. They are available in a variety of sizes and compositions for varied uses. where to buy large rifle primers

When the trigger is pulled, the firing pin or hammer impacts the primer, which is a self-contained cup that is placed into the brass base. where to buy large rifle primers which differ in their chemical composition (the biggest news on that front is Federal’s new lead-free Catalyst primer, which isn’t available as a component for reloaders yet), but their physical structure is the same. They are made up of the igniter compound, which is positioned between the anvil and the cup.

Different Types of Primers | where to buy large rifle primers

Primers for centerfire cartridges come in two physical sizes, large and small. Large primers have a diameter of .210 inches while small primers have a diameter of .175 inches. Primers can be further divided into those meant for rifles and those meant for pistols. So, broadly speaking, there are four types of primers: large rifle, large pistol, small rifle, and small pistol. As mentioned, 9mm handgun cartridges use small pistol primers. 

Various Flavors of Primers

Within each of the four broad categories of primers there exist variations for different types of cartridges. The most common variants are standard primers, magnum primers, and match/benchrest primers. 

Magnum primers have more oomph than standard primers to reliably ignite the greater amount of powder contained in a magnum cartridge. Benchrest and match primers are manufactured to more exacting tolerances than standard primers, which is why they cost more. 

How Much Do 9mm Primers for Reloading Cost?

You can expect to pay $.08 to $.11 per primer. Generally, off-brand, imported primers cost less. For instance, I’ve recently seen Aguila No. 1 1/2s offered for $80 per 1,000 ($.08 per primer). From the same retailer, Remington No. 1 1/2s were $89 per 1,000, CCI No. 500s were $95 per 1,000, Winchester WSPs were $100 per 1,000, and Federal No. 100s were $105 per 1,000. At the time of publication, all these primers were in stock.

This price spread is typical. Guys will argue concerning the merits of one brand versus another, but many reloaders are looking for one thing only—a button that will go bang when a striker or hammer whacks it.

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