Do benchrest primers make much difference over regular primers?

Well, that's a yes and a no.

Yes they do - provided you already have a target-quality rifle with top-notch highly consistent handloads.

No they don't - if you have a stock-grade rifle with average accuracy handloads. (To be more exact in my language, they still make a difference, but with mediocre equipment and loads, you'll never detect the improvement.)

Use 'em if ya got 'em - or if that's all you can find on the shelf - but don't expect magic.

You would probably notice more difference in finicky cartrages such as the 22 hornet.

I use them as a matter of course, but don't think they are substantially better than standard primers. The biggest difference is between standard and magnum primers.

Benchrest primers are supposedly from lots of primers that demonstrate the most consistency. Only way I notice the difference is that CCI's have a little "B" stamped on the primer! :p

I was gifted a carton of 1,000 Federal BR primers and was not able to detect any difference in my mediocre rifles/handloads/shooting.

I was gifted a carton of 1,000 Federal BR primers and was not able to detect any difference in my mediocre rifles/handloads/shooting.

Ken K has my vote.

If you have a .223/.243 M700 Varmit, with 12 to 16X scope, and you select your loads carefully. And, you measure groups to average the performance, you will see a difference.

But for most of us loading for max performance in our hunting rifles, including chuck rifles you shoot from a sit, with a tight sling, you may never see a difference, ever.

For a serious bench guy, they are an advantage.

They made a difference for me with my 221 Fireball. Groups tightened up a noticable amount. We had this discussion a while back and the concensus was it will make a difference on the small capacity cartridges like the Fireball, the Hornet, and the Bee.

I've had good results with them in the 204 Ruger, but that's the only cartridge I load them in. From the 243 on up CCI magnum primers are used. All loads have been worked up. I really don't know if they make a difference because I havn't tried any other primers. I know that I can't tell any difference in any of the big cases I load between CCI standard primers and CCI Magnum primers.