Thread: Comparison of Primers: Federal 210 vs White River Energetics LR

In another post referencing both these primers I said I would do a little test to compare them. I did that at a range today, shooting a couple of my usual loads in a Sako M591 .243W and Tikka T3 30.06 Both rifles are Left Hand bolt actions.
The .243W load I use quite frequently while the 30.06 load I have used several times and will probably discontinue when those particular bullets are used up. Knowing both loads I have an expectation of how they should shoot. The only component difference was half of each batch had either the Federal 210 or White River Energetics LR primer. Each shot was Chronographed through my new Garmin unit and the velocities noted. I alternated shots of each load so a Federal was followed by a WRE each time. If you follow the hole numbers on each target that shows the exact shooting sequence. After two shots the rifle was rested for 5 to 10 minutes allowing barrel cooling until shooting again.
It was a humid day with little breeze and while there temps went from 20 to 28 degrees.

And just for @grandpamac , yes, I did shoot one fouler shot first in each rifle before commencing the test









I didn't shoot terribly but I know the .243W particularly is capable of better. But the result is what it is - good enough.
For the 30.06 I think shots 1 and 2 are likely flyers with the barrel settling as fouling returns. It wasn't spotless before I commenced shooting but probably needed to be more fouled than it was. Disregarding shots 1 and 2 the group is more typical of how this load shoots.

My observations and conclusions:
No great POI difference. In fact, remarkably similar.
Almost no average velocity difference associated with either primer.
Suggests to me either primer is likely interchangeable for numerous loads.
From this test and one earlier test with the same 30.06 a slight possibility that WRE Primers may ( sometimes ? ) produce slightly tighter groups. Would need a lot more shooting to verify.
White River Energetics LR Primers are every bit as good, possibly a smidgen better even, as Federal 210 Primers.
Hereafter I have no reason to not continue using WRE Primers in any LR primed load.

Just a comment on the Garmin Chronograph Xero C1, a really compact unit. This has now replaced my Caldwell solar unit and as I trust the newer technology more I take the Garmin readings as the more accurate. I found today Av. Velocity of 3098 fps for the .243W load whereas I had this noted as 3234 fps as recorded from many shots through the Caldwell. Likewise with the 30.06 load I had an Av. Velocity of 2834 fps via the Caldwell against 2767 fps with the Garmin. It's no biggie as these loads shoot well but just thought the comparison might be interesting.

I hope this is helpful to anyone wondering about the White River Energetics Primers. Please come in with any thoughts and comments you have.
Cheers

Thanks for taking the time to test. I for one will try these now because of your review.

Any visual difference in the primers, flattening, pressure diffence etc?

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

Any visual difference in the primers, flattening, pressure diffence etc?

@7mmwsm
Not that I could see. The WRE Primers do sit a bit higher in the case pockets but post firing look very much like the Federals.
Pic shows Federals on the left, WRE on the right. From today's comparison.

Good test and great methodology used.

Very helpful to give others a method to swap out primers with an existing load and follow this process to get meaningful results

I have also done a comparison test with WRE vs FED210m. 6.5 Creedmoor & 7mm-08. Loaded up some of my go to loads in both rifles that i usually use FED210m in and found no measurable difference in speed or accuracy.

Iv tested them across one rifle that’s shoots 5 different loads and they produced very low sd outstanding groups and were about 20fps faster for each projectile very good results for loads that were worked up on fed 210s

The WR primers work pretty well for me too.



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Greetings again @30.06king,
Nice test. The closeness of the velocities between the two primers indicates that pressures are close as well. I was interested in your choice of 4 shot groups. A long time back there was an article about the minimum number of rounds needed for a meaningful indication of its precision. At the time many were starting to test with 3 shots while 5 shots remained the standard. The answer turned out to be 4 shots. This was thought to weed out some of the fluke 3 shot groups while easing the round count from 5 shot groups a little. Anyhow that .30-06 load is obviously a favourite. The low ES with either primer is what I have come to expect from my .308 rifles.
Congratulations on getting the little Garmin chrono. Tests I have read indicate this is a cracker, every handloader should have one.
Regards Grandpamac.