Lead-Free Pistol Primers

Note the distinctive black color of the Fiocchi Lead-Free primers.

Shooters are exposed to airborne lead particles for multiple reasons. Bullets with exposed lead bases experience melting from the hot gasses of burning gunpowder. Lead styphnate in the primer mixture also contributes to airborne lead particles.

Vaporized airborne lead particles are easily absorbed through respiration. Lead is toxic, and elevated blood levels can lead to a host of health-related concerns. Shooting indoors poses the greatest health hazard from airborne lead, but blood lead levels can increase even shooting outdoors.

Brad’s complete test results.

Primers Matter

Airborne lead levels are significantly reduced by the use of copper-jacketed, copper-plated, lead-free, and nylon- and polymer-coated bullets, but there’s still lead from the primers. Several companies offer ammunition that is totally lead-free, with lead-free bullets and lead-free primers — so-called “green” ammo.

Most of the primers available to handloaders use a lead-based component in the explosive mixture. Lead-free primers are rarely available to handloaders, but some have been. The only lead-free primers available as a loading component I’ve found are from Fiocchi, available for small pistol and small rifle. You won’t confuse Fiocchi’s lead-free pistol primers with anyone else’s, because the primer cups are black.

I asked Fiocchi if their lead-free primers required special cases with enlarged flash holes (as seen with some factory ammo with lead-free primers), or if they required adjustments in the load data. Fiocchi replied there was no special requirement for flash hole size. They suggested checking with the powder manufacturer’s ballistician when using data with lead-free primers. So, I did.

Alliant had no tested load data with lead-free primers in its recommendations, though they said factory ammo is different for lead-free primers due to differences in the flash and fire. Western Powders said no adjustments were needed. Hodgdon said as far as they knew, there would not be any difference in data using these primers. Vihtavuori said there might be a difference and to begin with the starting load and work up. None waved a red flag or screamed, “Danger, danger, Will Robinson!”

Hands-On Testing

I selected seven powders and four bullets for testing in the 9mm Luger. I paired Fiocchi lead-free primers with CCI 500, Fiocchi standard, Winchester standard and magnum, and Federal match magnum small pistol primers. I loaded samples of 20 rounds using new Lapua brass and recorded velocity from a Para Ordnance frame with a Caspian slide and a 5″ Kart barrel. I used a Ransom Rest and assessed accuracy at 25 yards.

There were minor differences in velocity between the lead-free and standard primers, as little as seven to as much as 21 fps. The lead-free primers tended to produce less velocity than standard primers, but occasionally it was more. It’s fair to say these slight differences are probably not meaningful.

Accuracy results were also about equal with the lead-free primers. One possible exception was the 115-grain HAP bullet powered by Accurate #7. The group was 50% (0.8″) larger with the lead-free primer. I don’t know if that’s meaningful or not, but looking at the other comparisons suggests there’s no obvious advantage or disadvantage of the lead-free primers. That’s good news and what we would hope to see — there’s no apparent penalty for using these lead-free primers.

Another benefit of lead-free primers is cleaner fired cases. They should clean faster and eliminate particulate lead in the cleaning media, wet or dry. Dry cleaning media produces dust, and lead residue here could be another source of airborne lead exposure.

The only real difference is the cost. The lead-free primers are sold in boxes of 1,500 for $57 at Powder Valley. That comes to $38 per 1,000. This compares to $28 per 1,000 for CCI or Winchester. You pay more for the lead-free primers, but reap the benefit of reduced, or eliminated, airborne lead.

The results of my comparison found Fiocchi’s lead-free primers are essentially indistinguishable from the primers we handloaders already use — there were no glaring differences in velocity or accuracy in the 9mm Luger loads tested.

If you want a lead-free lifestyle, the Fiocchi lead-free primers will help you achieve this.

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