Winchester large pistol primers- WLP

[mc89]

Winchester lists their WLP large pistol primers as good for standard or magnum loads.

Anybody have enough experience to verify that? Does a WLP work as good as using separate standard and magnum primers?

I have about 2,000 WLPs, and am getting ready to start loading some 45 Colt Ruger Only loads. Will the loads calling for a magnum primer perform as well with a WLP? Or should I use, for example, a CCI magnum primer?

[45MAN]

THIS IS A MIX OF A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE AND A WHOLE LOT OF OPINION: I AM FAIRLY NEW TO THE USE OF WLP PRIMERS, PLUS I HAVE PLENTY OF FEDERAL 155M (MAGNUM MATCH) PRIMERS, I USE WLP's WITH UNIQUE AND 2400 AND FEDERAL 155's AND 155M's WITH N110, WW 296 AND H4227, AND HAVE NOT HAD THE NEED TO TRY THE WLP's WITH THE SLOWER POWDERS. SOME GUYS SEEM TO USE WLP's FOR EVERYTHING AND "I THINK" THEY WOULD WORK FINE WITH THE SLOWER POWDERS.

[mike454]

I've heard that wlp primers can give poor ignition in very cold weather with 296 powder. They're my most used primer and I've never had a problem in anything from 45 acp softball loads to the 500 linebaugh, but really don't shoot the big boomers in below freezing temps. Linebaugh likes them as he feels they give the best velocity for the pressure.

[Fowler]

Jun 18, 2022 16:50:37 GMT -5 mike454 said:

I've heard that wlp primers can give poor ignition in very cold weather with 296 powder. They're my most used primer and I've never had a problem in anything from 45 acp softball loads to the 500 linebaugh, but really don't shoot the big boomers in below freezing temps. Linebaugh likes them as he feels they give the best velocity for the pressure.

I can verify this as a correct issue. The only time it has ever been an issue for me was heavy 335gr 45 colt loads WLP primer and 23.0gr H110 loads in sun zero temps. We chronoed a few and a load that typically goes over 1300fps wasn’t going 1000fps! Now for H110 I use CCI350 primers because by all accounts it is the hottest primer on the market.

Never had a misfire, or hangfire just slow velocities.

That said the WLP is my most used primers. Never had an issue with them and any other primer.

[contender]

I too use a lot of WLP primers. I've never had any issues using them. I use them in my Rugers.

[COR]

You will be fine. Winchester has done this for a while…They are made for the task of igniting slowest to fastest pistol powders and will work in a 45/70 too… but that was an accident.

[taffin]

I DON'T DO COLD WEATHER ANYMORE OS NO PROBLEM THERE . I USE BOTH WLP AND CCI #350s. THE WLPs ARE EASIER TO IGNITE. USE BOTH WITH BLACK POWDER SIXGUN CARTRIDGES AND ANYTHING FROM #4227 UP ON THE POWDER BURNING CHART. NO PROBLEMS. WINCHESTER HAS USED THEM FOR DECADES WITH THEIR FACTORY AMMO.

[magnumwheelman]

I always thought Winchester primers had a softer cup ( the go to primers on guns with light strikes ) none of you guys have had issues with magnum pressure loads??? Most of my info there was from the 70’s… maybe they are using harder cups now???

[45MAN]

IN A RECENT "HARD PRIMERS" THREAD IT WAS NOTED THAT SOME WINCHESTER HANDGUN PRIMERS WERE HARDER TO IGNITE WITH FINELY TUNED COMPETITION REVOLVERS THAN WERE FEDERAL PRIMERS

[jeffer]

I have used them for 20 plus years on everything from 45 Colt, 45 ACP on up to 454 casull and 500 JRH. No problem in any weather.

I have noticed they are more finicky in my hornady progressive press than CCI's for some reason.

[COR]

Jun 19, 2022 21:42:17 GMT -5 45MAN said:

IN A RECENT "HARD PRIMERS" THREAD IT WAS NOTED THAT SOME WINCHESTER HANDGUN PRIMERS WERE HARDER TO IGNITE WITH FINELY TUNED COMPETITION REVOLVERS THAN WERE FEDERAL PRIMERS

I’ve actually seen the opposite of this. While not a ton of data to offer other than issues with a tuned SBH in .44….The 155’s are the only primer I ever had to “hit twice”. They went off but at that time 15yrs ago Federals were “said” to be harder. Internet rumors maybe but in the FWIW and personal experiences dept.

I think WLP LP occupy 70% of my primer cache for handguns.

[jonjon]

If it gets "cold" ie below 30* I'm not going out.

[mc89]

Thanks for the replies. I'm just going to keep on using them for everything.

[reflex264]

I have never had a problem with them even in cold weather on magnum loads of H110 (296). Years ago I experimented with the chronograph. I was a couple of grains off of the maximum charge. Using 300gr bullets in the 45 Colt Ruger loads I found that the velocity in cold weather was just slightly slower. I also bumped the charge 2/10 of a grain and got the same velocity between WLP and Federal 155s. My velocities were the same between WLP and 150s.

[handloadingnotes]

I use WLP for all my 45 Colt loads, and am happy with that. I started using WLPs because it's what Hodgdon used for their H110 +P load data, and I felt safer about "hotrodding" when using their tested components with their data. I tried WLPs with standard pressure loads and was happy. It makes things simpler to always use the same primer in the same case. I have No complaints, no pierced primers, but no experience shooting it in the cold.

Since the WLP is brass-colored instead of silver-colored, I use it in my 500 Linebaugh loads to indicate a lower-velocity load with a faster powder. Full throttle loads get a silver-colored CCI350 primer in that cartridge, because that's what the load data indicated, and I've seen no reason to change it yet. But switching to a WLP for the milder stuff has been a nice way to prevent surprises.