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Rio Primers?

4K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  Paladin 
#1 ·
Right now any brand 209 primer is a great thing to have. I have used them in the past with no problems. I don't know what loading data is most appropriate, I used them as a WW substitute.
 
#2 ·
Do a little research on Rio primers and you'll find that:

- they are larger than other common 209 primers and will stretch a primer pocket so it won't hold anything else,

- they are generally hotter than Federal 209A primers... word from Alliant; call and ask

- they are inconsistent in pressure production. Rio uses them under big charges of slow, single-base powders where it isn't as much of an issue (e.g. there are 35 grains of propellent under the shot charge in a 1 1/8 oz., 1245 fps load of number 8 shot in a Rio target load)

- they don't like 1 1/8 oz loads over 1200 fps (excess pressure); they're happier under 1 oz loads (Alliant again)

Carol Lister
 
#3 ·
Lister: I have used the RIO primer exclusively for 5 years now in all my loads whether I use RED DOT, PROMO, 7625, 4756, Longshot, Green Dot, Winchester Super-Lite, they have a larger opening for good ignition, everything I have read they are equal to Winchester 209s, but once you use them in ahull you have to continue to use them as they are larger in diameter, and I have never had a bad primer with them, over 50,000 used.

And they feed nice in the primer tray.


Gary Bryant
Dr.longshot
 
#4 ·
Congratulations on not having split your chamber yet, Longshot. Obviously you haven't read everything that matters on the subject. Quote of a letter on the subject from Alliant:

<blockquote>"I am Dick Quesenberry, Product Manager for Alliant Canister Powder. Ben and I have discussed your e-mails and problems with Rio primers and our product. I apologize for the difficulty that you have encountered and appreciate you using our product.

We just completed work for the new revision of our Reloaders Guide, which was very badly needed. During this effort we tested all primers in a standard controlled load for both straight wall and tapered shells to correlate their brisance. The following conclusions were drawn from that effort:

· Primer brisance will vary from Lot to Lot within the same brand. Most vary within SAAMI safety limits but Rio was found to be extremely variable.

· We do not publish reloading recipes using Rio primers for the above reason

I have also talked to Kevin at Down Range (who happens to be a great guy) and he agrees with our findings.

If I was forced into recommending load data using the Rio 209, I would have to recommend loading like the Federal 209A and that may still give slightly higher velocities and pressures. ...</blockquote>

Call them an verify if you care to; I don't make this kind of stuff up just to annoy people like you. BTW, the original inquiries involved Promo, Red Dot and Clay Dot.

Lister
 
#5 ·
I have also used the Rio exclusively since they came out. Never a bad load, and who cares if the primer pockets enlarge? I will not go back to domestic primers than wholesale for over $150 a case! Also, hulls do not last forever.

For my HCP loads, I like Unique, Solo 1250, or Herco in a paper hull. This gets rid of the high pressure problem.

Solo 1250 MAY be the best Caps powder I have used.
 
#7 ·
As Carol Lister posted, there is a very good reason why powder manufacturers and some wad manufacturers do not provide reloading data for Rio primers. They are just too variable to develop suggested safe loads. I like to have an idea of the chamber pressure generated by my reloads. It is not possible to do that with Rio primers.

Rio manages to keep their shells safe by another method. The Rio shells I tested were marked 1 1/8 oz of 7.5 shot with a velocity of 1200 ft/sec. My measurements indicated they were slightly less than 1 1/16 oz of #7.5 to 8.5 shot with a velocity between 1120 and 1145 ft/sec.

Rio shells do break targets and that raises a question about the efforts we make to precisely put in given amounts of components.

Pat Ireland
 
#8 ·
I used about 20K of the RIOs and as long as I was loading Light loads (7-8k PSI)they worked OK. Per Alliant's comments I used FED209A data to load them. What I found when pushing 1oz at 1235 or above or 1 1/8 at 1200 and up was a lot of pierced primers in several different shotguns. During earlier makeshift testing I found that the primer cup on the RIO was the softest of any that I tried so coupled with the tendency to pierce with what should have been medium loads (~10k PSI)I decided to stop using them.

--- Chip King ---
 
#9 ·
I''ve also use over 15K of Rio primers without issues. researching the available information, I felt safe using the Fed209A data NOT the win/rem 209 data suggested. I've generally stayed in the 1145 for 1 1/8 and 1250 for 1 oz range using claydot.

JC..
 
#10 ·
What chipking said.

I've used almost 10,000, and they can't take much pressure along with certain firing pin hits. I really don't want 9000 PSI blowing powder gas at and around my firing pins. I've recently been using them only for the first shot of doubles at a very reduced pressure, and even then, some will pierce. For only $25.00 savings, I will buy other primers, and not Noble's either. They can take a hit, but sometimes don't ignite.
 
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