CCI Small Rifle Primers No. 400

CCI Small Rifle Primers No. 400 – Complete Guide

---

Manufacturer

• CCI (Cascade Cartridge Inc.)

  • A respected American manufacturer of primers, ammunition, and reloading supplies.

  • Known for producing consistent, high-quality primers since 1951.

---

Product Purpose

• Priming Small Rifle Cartridges

  • The No. 400 Small Rifle Primer is designed for use in cartridges that require a standard small rifle primer, such as:

    • .223 Remington / 5.56 NATO

    • .222 Remington

    • .17 Remington

    • 6x45mm

    • Many wildcat and varmint cartridges

---

Key Features

1. Reliable Ignition

   • Engineered for uniform ignition under a wide range of conditions.

   • Built with non-corrosive, non-mercuric compounds for long shelf life and safe use.

2. Primer Cup Strength

   • CCI No. 400 uses a standard cup thickness, not reinforced for high-pressure loads.

   • NOT designed for cartridges with very high pressure or for semi-automatic firearms that may have a free-floating firing pin (risk of slamfires).

3. Use Case

   • Best suited for:

     • Bolt-action rifles

     • Moderate pressure loads

     • Target shooting and varmint hunting

4. Consistency

   • Built with tight tolerances for consistent flame characteristics.

   • Primer mixture is optimized to ensure clean, full ignition with minimal standard deviation in velocity.

5. Dimensions

   • Standard Small Rifle Primer Size: ~0.175″ diameter.

   • Fits all cases requiring small rifle primers (SRP).

6. Packaging

   • Usually sold in trays of 100 primers per box, and cartons of 1,000 primers (10 boxes of 100).

   • Available in bulk (5,000+) through distributors.

---

Technical Considerations

---

Warnings and Best Practices

• Not for High Pressure Loads:

  • If loading hot .223/5.56 NATO rounds or using in AR-style rifles, use CCI 450 or military-grade primers(like CCI #41).

• Avoid Slamfires:

  • Free-floating firing pins (common in AR-15s) can cause slamfires with soft primers. No. 400 is not designed for this use.

• Storage:

  • Store in cool, dry conditions. Avoid heat, moisture, or static electricity.

• Priming Tools:

  • Compatible with most hand, bench, and progressive priming tools.

---

Comparison with Other CCI Primers

---

Common Applications

Cartridges commonly using CCI 400:

• .223 Rem (in bolt-action rifles)

• .222 Remington

• 6mm ARC (light loads)

• .204 Ruger

• .17 Hornet (depending on load pressure)

• Wildcat rounds requiring SRP with modest pressures

---

Final Thoughts

CCI No. 400 Small Rifle Primers are:

• Reliable and consistent for small rifle loads.

• Not ideal for military-style semi-autos or magnum loads.

• An excellent choice for casual shooters, varminters, and handloaders building loads within standard pressure specs.