RWS vs. Geco Small Rifle primers

[Steff]

I am about to replenish my small rifle primer stock and was planning on buying RWS 4033 Small Rifle.
Then I stumbled onto Geco 4157 Small Rifle primers.

Both come from the RUAG factory in the exact same packages. Only the number code is different. It doesn't even say 'RWS' or 'Geco' on the box, just RUAG.
The primes as such seem to differ by that the Gecos are brass coloured while the RWS are silver.
There's a considerable price difference with the Geco primers being substantially less expensive.

Does anybody out there have any first hand experience with the Geco primers?

 

[scotch_egg]

There is one person who I bet my bottom $ would be the one who know and that’s the oracle that is @Laurie

 

[Heym SR20]

My only experience is Geco ammo and it works as well as RWS but much less cost.

Suspect the only fundamental difference is the nickel coating on the brass cup that gives RWS their silvery appearance. May stop the primers getting discoloured if ammo is stored in a damp conditions - in the same way that nickel cases don’t discolour.

In the UK we don’t see much in the way of RWS or Geco components.

 

[Milk no sugar please]

I can only comment on rws sr primers as I’ve no experience with geco but I can say they are worth the cost over cci and fiocchi for me (ymmv), if you can get them. They are rare in the uk and I’m down to less than 500 now sadly and my rfd says he is unlikely to be able to get any more soon. They are my preferred choice for both 223 rifles I’ve owned in combination with viht n133

 

[Steff]

Thank you, folks, so far. I wasn‘t really expecting that anyone using them. Even in Germany there is zero info on them except for the fact that they are on the shelves.

I suspect that they will be a little softer than the RWS. I will see if I can find a contact with RUAG who might answer my question.

I still have 4k left which is why I said I was running low. Bit it‘s not really urgent.

 

[25 Sharps]

If not urgent surely the answer is to try some of the geco ?

 

[Bowland blades]

if you can buy any small rifle primers buy them

 

[Steff]

if you can buy any small rifle primers buy them

Clearly not. We have a wide choice on the continent.

 

[German Saffer]

Clearly not. We have a wide choice on the continent.

For the time being. Small rifle primers and large rifle magnum primers seem to be available. What happens once the current stock is depleted?

It's already a struggle to get large rifle primers. I bought a 1000 RWS primers the other day at an eye watering price of €130. I should probably buy another 2000 as a precaution.

My local contact for reloading components said that the German CCI importer is only expecting the next shipment in 2025.

 

[User00040]

My local contact for reloading components said that the German CCI importer is only expecting the next shipment in 2025.

Hopefully the Vihtavuori primer factory is up and running by then!

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Go fund me to begin a UK small primer production company? As its all hand work with wet primer mix after the pressing out of the brass cups, more or less.

 

[User00040]

Go fund me to begin a UK small primer production company? As its all hand work with wet primer mix after the pressing out of the brass cups, more or less.

Doubt the UK Gov would allow that

 

[Steff]

For the time being. Small rifle primers and large rifle magnum primers seem to be available. What happens once the current stock is depleted?

It's already a struggle to get large rifle primers. I bought a 1000 RWS primers the other day at an eye watering price of €130. I should probably buy another 2000 as a precaution.

My local contact for reloading components said that the German CCI importer is only expecting the next shipment in 2025.

I bought 5k of the same (RWS LR) for EUR 109 per 1k yesterday.

 

[German Saffer]

I bought 5k of the same (RWS LR) for EUR 109 per 1k yesterday.

Online or local dealer?

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Where where?

 

[jthyttin]

What happens once the current stock is depleted?

To the best of my knowledge, there's no distributor level stock in Europe (by and large). All the stock is held by dealers and when it's gone it's gone (the situation is already this in Finland). Some primers are presumably trickling to the shelves by local manufacturers.

And what the information is based on? Most primers come to Finland through large German distributors. Many Finnish RFDs (and other actors) have been trying to get hold of primers since beginning of last year. There's just none to be had (once again, in a big picture).

 

[Steff]

Online or local dealer?

Local dealer. Rifle Ranch in Borgholzhausen.

 

[German Saffer]

Local dealer. Rifle Ranch in Borgholzhausen.

Thanks for the info.

The 166km is just that bit too far to drive for the savings involved, and they don't sell primers via their website it seems.

 

[Laurie]

Hopefully the Vihtavuori primer factory is up and running by then!

Finland has just joined NATO. That means this country, which (taking reserve forces into account) has a vastly larger military sector than we do in the UK on a population basis, has to change its entire arms and ammunition inventory to NATO standards. That is, drop 7.62X39mm weapons and ammunition and move to 5.56X45mm NATO, likewise 7.62X54Rmm to 7.62 NATO, etc, etc. SAKO is building additional weapons manufacturing facilities to handle that side; Nammo has to provide the brass, bullets and powder bits from existing resources. No doubt, a reliance on others for primers is a severe constraint right now, hence the move back into primer manufacture which the company used to do.

Given that all the Scandi countries are upping their military standing and increasing ammunition inventories, the region's manufacturing capabilities are going to be severely stretched for some years. I doubt if we'll see many, if any, Viht primers even once production starts. The good news of course is that Viht products will substitute for those of other manufacturers which the Finns currently have to buy in, and overall supply will improve.

Word from the States is that most Alliant powders are unavailable these days. As all of its extruded (tubular) powders are made either by Eurenco Bofors in Sweden or Nitrochemie Wimmis in Switzerland (the Reload Swiss people), the scale of the European manufacturing diversion of production resources towards military consumption that is currently taking place becomes obvious, and by no means all of it to Ukraine. Putin's mad invasion has been a wake-up call to those European countries who care to open their eyes to the changing regional security situation that affects us all. Just be thankful Nammo rescued Vihtavuori Oy which very nearly closed some years ago. (After the West downgraded its Iraq and Afghanistan involvements, Eurenco which owned the company at the time decided there was excess European propellant manufacturing capacity and tried to sell Viht. With no takers, plant closure had already started, but luckily Nammo acted as a white knight at the last minute.)

 

[webley701]

Hopefully the Vihtavuori primer factory is up and running by then!

I’ve still got a few Vihtavuori branded primers from the 1980’s. I wonder if they used to make primers & then stopped for whatever reason - or just bought them in from another maker.