Large Rifle (LR)Primers


Below you find a table with some common calibers / cartridges which use Large Rifle (LR) primers. Also find further below some common products in this primer size:

Common Cartridges using this Primer Size



CartridgeBullet DiameterPrimer Size
219 Donaldson Wasp224LR
219 Zipper224LR
22 BR (Bench Rest)224LR
22 CHeetah224LR
220 Jaybird224LR
220 Swift224LR
220 Weatherby Rocket224LR
220 Wilson Arrow224LR
22-250 Remington224LR
223 Win Short Mag224LR
223 Win Super Short Mag (WSSM)224LR
224 Clark224LR
224 Weatherby Magnum224LR
225 Winchester224LR
240 Gibbs243LR
240 Page Souper Pooper243LR
240 Weatherby Magnum243LR
243 Catbird243LR
243 Win Short Mag243LR
243 Win Super Short Mag (WSSM)243LR
243 Winchester243LR
25 Gibbs257LR
25 Remington257LR
25 Souper (25-308 Winchester)257LR
25 Win Super Short Mag (WSSM)257LR
250 Savage257LR
25-06 Remington257LR
25-20 WCF257LR
25-284 Winchester257LR
25-300 Win Short Mag (WSM)257LR
25-35 WCF257LR
25-36 Marlin257LR
257 Roberts257LR
257 STW257LR
260 Remington264LR
270 Gibbs277LR
270 Winchester277LR
270-284 Winchester277LR
270-308 Winchester277LR
276 Pedersen284LR
280 Remington and 7mm Express284LR
284 Winchester284LR
30 Gibbs308LR
30 Herrett308LR
30 Remington308LR
300 Savage308LR
30-06 Springfield308LR
30-284 Winchester308LR
303 Savage308LR
30-30 Winchester308LR
30-40 Krag308LR
307 Winchester308LR
308 Winchester308LR
308x1.5”308LR
308x1.75”308LR
303 British312LR
32 Remington320LR
32-40 WCF320LR
32 Winchester Special321LR
33 WCF338LR
338 Marlin Express338LR
338-06 A-Square338LR
338-284 Winchester338LR
348 Winchester348LR
356 Winchester357LR
357 Herrett357LR
35 Remington358LR
35 Whelen358LR
35 Winchester358LR
35-284 Winchester358LR
358 Winchester358LR
375 Ruger375LR
375 Whelen375LR
375 Winchester375LR
375-284 Winchester375LR
376 Steyr375LR
38-55 WCF376LR
38-72 WCF378LR
40-50 Sharps Bottle Neck403LR
40-50 Sharps Straight403LR
40-70 Sharps Bottle Neck403LR
40-70 Sharps Straight403LR
40-90 Sharps Bottle Neck403LR
40-90 Sharps Straight403LR
40-60 WCF404LR
450-400 Nitro Express 3”405LR
401 Winchester Self-Loading406LR
40-65 WCF406LR
40-82 WCF406LR
405 Winchester411LR
10.3x60mm Rimmed Swiss415LR
44-40 WCF427LR
444 Marlin429LR
425 Westley Richards435LR
43 Spanish439LR
11x59mm Rimmed French Gras 43 Mauser445LR
45-100 Sharps Straight451LR
45-110 Sharps Straight451LR
45-120 Sharps Straight451LR
45-60 WCF454LR
45-75 WCF454LR
45-90 WCF (45-85 WCF)457LR
450 Marlin458LR
450 Nitro Express458LR
450 Number 2 Nitro Express 3-1/2”458LR
45-70 Government458LR
458x2” American458LR
Large rifle primers are designed specifically for larger cartridges such as .30-06 and .308 calibers. They have an increased power output requirements and are slightly larger than standard handgun and shotgun primers. This type of primer must contain more pressure when struck by a firing pin as well as generate more heat for it to ignite the propellant in cartridges when fired.

The components inside large rifle primers consist of a metal cup, typically made from brass or nylon, filled with a combustible powder made up lead styphnate, antimony sulfide, barium nitrate and other chemicals depending on the manufacturer, and held in place at the bottom of the cup by an anvil which is hit by the firing pin to spark off the primer mix.

Manufacturing large rifle primers involves several steps just like any other type of ammunition component. First, cups are made out of sheet brass or nylon then pressed into shape with metal tooling dies and punches before they are filled with a measured amount of primer mix either manually or using automated machines such as progressive presses. Each cup's anvil or steel plug closure stem is soldered closed before crimping onto each cup end either an aluminum disk foil sealer (for rimfire) or epoxy resin sealer (for centerfire).

It’s important always to use quality primers specifically designed for your gauge size since moisture can cause unreliable ignition timing which can lead to misfires. Improperly functioning primers can be dangerous so make sure you choose them wisely if you want your firearm to perform reliably every time you pull the trigger!