Most Reliable Large Pistol Primers?

[minnfinn]

I've begun hand-loading for my Redhawk .44 mag DA revolver with H110 powder. I've used WLP primers so far. I'm wondering if there are certain manufacturer's LP primers you've found to be more or less reliable with DA revolvers and a slower burning powder?

[res45]

I have use Remington,Winchester & CCI and never had a misfire with either one in my 357 and H110. Usually improper storage and contaminations is the problem.

[Sarge]

I long ago lost count of the cans of W296 or H110 that I have loaded ahead of WLP primers, and I have yet to experience my first 'ignition problem' while using them. I don't hunt when the thermometer plunges below 5 degrees or so, but I have been out shooting with these loads on days that were 5 below.

Accuracy of handloads using WLP's has been all you could ask for.

[minnfinn]

"Usually improper storage and contaminations is the problem."

Do you have specific things that you recommend to avoid these types of problems?
I store them in a cool (not cold) dry area of my reloading bench in my basement in orginal packaging. I try not to handle the primers themselves with my hand, rather lay the 100 primer flat on the hand priming plater and carefully slide sleeve off to let them right side up for priming.
I'm just asking, as I want to load the best rounds I know how to.
Thanks.

[WESHOOT2]

I found that Federal LP and LPM (150 and 155) worked with the best reliability.
I also use WLP and CCI300 and CCI350 primers in my Redhawks.
I use WSP, WSPM, CCI500, CCI550, and Federal 200 in my 357 Redhawks.

It's a firing pin protrusion / sufficient firing pin striking force thing.
Not storage.

I have data.

[Pathfinder45]

GUN: Ruger Vaquero .45 Colt. POWDER: Winchester 296. PRIMER: WLP. BULLET: 250 cast. RESULTS: Hangfires half the time. Switched to CCI-350; problem disappeared. I still like and use WLP primers, just not with all powders. I like that they are brass colored which clearly differentiates them from the CCI magnum primers.

[rwilson452]

The only thing I load that takes a large pistol primer is 45ACP. I use WLP

[minnfinn]

It's a firing pin protrusion / sufficient firing pin striking force thing.

It's interesting that you say that. I've noticed that with this Redhawk .44 mag. it fires even some ammunition 100% (e.g. Hornady custome, Corbon), but the price is pretty high to be shooting it a lot. Other less expensive Winchester USA and Magtech I run into non-fires at least several times per box shooting it DA. Shooting it SA is better, but not 100% with the later factory ammo.
So, I've been handloading for a little while now with WLP, H110 and still I get more non-fires in DA shooting with this Redhawk. So, I was thinking that if I could load with the same primers that say Hornady custom ammo uses, I'd get better consistency with this revolver.
I've also just started handloading for my .45 ACP with WLP and HS6 powder. I haven't shot them yet to compare.
I appreciate getting different experience and perspective especially with what works for you with the Ruger Redhawk .44.
Thanks.

[Sport45]

Other less expensive Winchester USA and Magtech I run into non-fires at least several times per box shooting it DA.

Sounds like the problem is with the gun rather than the primers. I'd send it to Ruger and tell them it's not reliably igniting factory ammo. They'll check it out and fix it. Probably firing pin length as mentioned by Weshoot2, but it could be endshake or something else. It will only cost shipping to them to make this problem go away. I think using a more sensitive primer is a band-aid fix.

Once the redhawk is taken care of you should be able to use any primer you want. WLP or other magnum primers should light off WW296/H110 just fine as long as it isn't undercharged and you have a good crimp.

[wncchester]

Over 40+ years of reloading I've used several bands of caps, never saw any difference between any of them so far as reliability is concerned.

[Tim R]

Are the rounds which didn't fire the first go around firing after a 2nd try?

[Sevens]

As for ways to help do your part in handling/storage of primers? Here's a few things I've found.

--Primed cases, sitting open, and assaulted by mice urine and crap for a long period of time can kill primers.

--Some brands of sizing lube can compromise primers if it gets in contact with them.

I keep primers on the main level of the house, away from the basement. My basement is dry and I even have a dehumidifier down there, but this works for me. I also tend not to prime cases until I'm ready to load them, and if it happens that I have a box of primed cases, I just store them in the ammo chest with all the ammo, also on the main level of the house.

[wingman]

Any type of penetrating oil like Kroil, wd40, etc will cause problems with
primers. I've had two squibs in last thirty years both with a revolver
that was loaded for at least 6 months, have no proof but believe the oil
damaged primer. Recycle your ammo often if you have a firearm you carry
or remains loaded.

[minnfinn]

Are the rounds which didn't fire the first go around firing after a 2nd try?

Well, normally when this happens, I hold the revolver in firing position for 30-45 seconds to be sure it's not a hang fire or slow ignition. Then I swing the cylinder out and rotate it 1/6 the way back and close. Then I shoot it in SA mode. It almost always fire in SA. I do notice on those rounds that are non-fires it looks a little less of a strick in the primer, but very little difference from a visual inspection from other firing primers.
About 6 weeks after I bought this Redhawk I did send it back to Ruger factory service dept. They went through it and did replace several parts. I don't recall that the firing pin was one of them.
If this DA revolver does have a tendency for intermittent light strke on ammuntion where the primer is a) a slightly tougher skin (by design as I'm told WLP are) or b) the primer may be a few 1/1000ths of in. deeper setted in the casing, it could account for this problem.
It's interesting that I've never had a single misfire with factory loads of Hornady, Speer Gold Dot or Corbon. So, I'm wondering if either they mfg. their ammunition to closer tolerances and/or more sensitive primers that work well with this revolver.
I load 100 rounds with the primers (Remingtion #2 1/2) that Hodgdon makers of the powder H110 I'm using recommend for the .44 Rem. mag. If I still have this problem, then I'm going to have to send the handgun back to Ruger and get them to resolve it.
All good feedback. I do really appreciate and consider all that you each have said, even if I don't respond directly to your comments. Thanks

[amamnn]

I have never had any problem with any brand of large pistol primer and I've used them all except Wolf, if they make a LP. I load all types rifle, pistol, large, small, magnum, standard, match. I don't shoot IPSC anymore, but I still use Federal Gold Medals for my .45acp loads. All other pistol loads use Federal standard or mag, as required. Federals have always been very consistent for me.

[BigJimP]

I've used CCI primers for over 35 years now on all of my metallic reloads.

With the problems you're experiencing with the gun its hard to know if its a primer seating problem or a gun problem / but I'm leaning towards it being a gun problem. I don't think you have a powder ignition issue or it wouldn't fire in SA either - but for .44 mag I do like Hodgdon TiteGroup ( and I use it on all of my pistol reloads for 9mm, .40 , .45 acp, .38 spl, .357 mag and .44 mag ).

In general, CCI, Winchester and Remington are about the same in terms of hardness - Federal is very soft ( but so soft, that reloading them can be an issue with an unintentional detonation in the press ... which would cause a heavy flow of urine into one of my shoes ... so I would stay away from Federal primers personally. I have had a few misfires with Winchester primers - but mostly in shotgun shells / not one in a center fire pistol round that I recall.

[minnfinn]

I shot about 45 rounds that I loaded with Rem. #2 1/2 primers, as Hodgdon's loading guide indicated for .44 Rem. mag an H110 powder. For this revolver at least, it seems this fires consistently, so far.

I agree, I think there is likely some additional work I need Ruger service dept. do on this pistol. In my mind, there should be a difference in consistent firing between makers of primers or other component, as long as they are matched to the type of gun.

I'm also shot 50+ of the newly loaded .45 ACP with the WLP primers through my S/A XD. They fire well through it.. So, that does also point to the misfires in the Redhawk with the WLP as more of an intermittent hard strike in DA mode than primer issue. The Remington #2 1/2 must be slightly more sensitive in my revolver. I don't make any broader judgements about these components than what I've experienced in this Redhawk alone.

[minnfinn]

Tonight I checked these most recently fired casing/primers and found something interesting. I looks like about 8 of 50 casings from the ammunition I fired successfully this week with Remington #2 1/2 had the firing pin dimple markedly off-center. That would lead me to think that one cylinder of 6 is not lining up dead center with the firing pin.
Could it then be that this brand of primer (Remington) seems to fire consistently in this revolver, because it has a slightly wider "sweet spot" for the firing pin to strike and still ignite than some other primers (e.g. WLP).
Anyway, I'm going to call Sturm Ruger on Monday to discuss this and see what they will do to correct this apparent slight mis-allignment one cylinder with the firing pin and presumably the barrel.

[Sevens]

That is quite interesting. If I were in your shoes, I'd load up 18 or 24 rounds with primer only and start popping caps to see if you can replicate the problem.

If your theory is correct than a simple cylinder swap is in order... if you can convince Ruger as well. If your theory is correct, I'd hate to think what might be happening on that one offending cylinder when it does discharge--and that bullet starts forward through the cylinder, off-center and all.

[TNFrank]

+1 on Winchester Large Pistol. I've been using Winchester primers for years and never had a problem.

[minnfinn]

That is quite interesting. If I were in your shoes, I'd load up 18 or 24 rounds with primer only and start popping caps to see if you can replicate the problem.

I thought of doing the same thing. Planning to use the marking pencil like is used by metalworkers to mark the cylinder that's off center for each load of 6. Then I can see if it's consistently the same cylinder.

I realize the title of this thread is causing a few to feel they have to defend their favorite brand / type of primer. It's not what I'm trying to get at. I think I'm just trying to get to why there is intermittent results with some primers with this specific revolver serial #xxxxxxx, while it seems to fire fine with this latest batch and also with selected manufacturer's factor loads. I have read that some mfgr's primers are more forgiving on off center strikes, which this seems to fit that description.
At this point, I need to focus on why this Redhawk has the offset firing pin strike and recognize it's not the primers that are the real problem. Thanks

[WESHOOT2]

Because it happens with more than one brand of factory ammo I suggest it's the gun.

Ruger service is very good; tell them which brands of ammo failed to ignite, as handloads aren't warrantied.

[Sport45]

Don't try firing primed brass in the thing unless you drill the flash holes out quite bit. If you don't the primers will back out and lock up the revolver after each shot. At least that's what happened to the revolver I used to discharge a primer.

[The Lovemaster]

Lately I use WSPs in my 38 and 9mm loads. I use CCI in my rifle loads. In my younger days, the last time I did some serious reloading, all I ever used was CCI. I've never had a problem with either brand.