How common are bad primers? - Page 2

Gray Ghost · March 3, 2014, 09:48 AM

This has only happened once and with 357 Mag brass but I had the same thing with a Ruger BH that before and since has functioned just fine. Primer was seated ok but dimple by the firing pin was light. Upon furthur inspection and comparing it to other cartridges loaded from the same reloaded batch (mixed headstamp range pickup) I noticed the rim was thinner. It measures .048" where my other brass usually measures at least .010" thicker. My Hornaday manual says the rim should be .060".

Another thing to look at, hope this helps.
James

James - thanks I'll check that too.

GG

WESHOOT2 · March 3, 2014, 01:37 PM

Ensure primers are seated properly.

I once had one bad CCI 500, missing its anvil. It was bought in 1976.

pete2 · March 3, 2014, 05:33 PM

High primers will cause misfires, weak hammer springs will cause misfires. I have a couple guns that have been tuned, use federal primers in them or I will get misfires. Try some Fed. primers if you can get them. Make sure the primers are seated slightly below flush.

rodfac · March 3, 2014, 09:20 PM

I've loaded my own for over 50 yrs now, and have had exactly two primer failure/manufacturing defects in that time....both in the last six months. One Winchester Lg Primer with the anvil and cup separated in the box. The other was a Federal 150 which had no anvil nor priming mix in the cup.

I'd check your firing pin and it's race within the gun for debris. Another source of failure might be insufficient seating, ie. not fully seating the primer...in effect, cushioning the firing pin blow. One other thought is that if you had grease or oil on your fingers as you handled the primers, this may have deadened them....very unlikely but possible.

Best regards, Rod

ColColt · March 3, 2014, 09:27 PM

I started reloading in 1969 and have over the years mostly used CCI primers in about all configurations from small pistol to large rifle magnum and knock on wood, I've never had one misfire.

I also have the SP101 and it's never given any trouble either. There's always a possibility of a misfire with any primer but I suppose I've just been lucky to date.

kerreckt · March 5, 2014, 09:24 AM

How rare? My experience has been almost non-existent. I have had 2 in 35 years of reloading and am not sure they weren't my fault. I have had instances where it took a second strike. I have picked up many rounds left behind on the range because of a "bad primer" and almost all the time the fired when I tried them. All my pistols springs are good/strong so that I get a hard strike.

WESHOOT2 · March 5, 2014, 10:43 AM

They use a look-down optical reader to determine a proper primer in each case (but nothing is perfect).

mikld · March 5, 2014, 12:38 PM

In nearly 30 years of reloading, I can only remember 3 or mebbe 4 actual "bad" primers. 90% + of misfires are due to improper bullet seating with mebbe 8% more gun related...

rlc323 · March 5, 2014, 06:09 PM

I have been shooting and reloading sine 1971, mostly shotgun loads with 209's

Over 130,000 registered clay trap targets, probably 100,000 more practice, games, derbys.

Some metallic, but nothing like shotgun. In that time I have had 1 FTF primer. A Winchester 209 about 10 years back. Breaking down the hull and removing the primer revealed no priming mix. Winchester sent me 1000 primers when I presented the defective primer (and the box lot number) to one of their industry reps.

WIL TERRY · March 5, 2014, 08:27 PM

I had a primer engineer for one of the largest manufacturers of primers and ammunition in the world tell me " one in one million primers does not work and we have NO idea why." Roll that around in your intercranial applesauce for a while.
And so it goes...

243winxb · March 5, 2014, 09:27 PM

If the primer goes off on the 4th strike, is it a bad primer?

Idaho Spud · March 5, 2014, 10:22 PM

I may find out tomorrow. Just ordered 5000 Tula small pistol.

Pathfinder45 · March 5, 2014, 11:23 PM

I've been reloading since the early 70's. I have only used CCI, Federal, And Winchester primers. I had one Winchester WLP fail to fire even with repeated tries. I was a bad primer. Does that mean the Winchester aren't as good as CCI or Federal? Not really. I've probably used a few thousand of CCI's and almost as many Federal. But I've probably used at least two or three times as many WLP's as all other brands and sizes combined. I've never used Remington primers nor any foreign made, so I can't speak about them. I trust my reloads more than factory ammo.

March 3, 2014, 01:37 PM	#27
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	Ensure primers are seated properly. I once had one bad CCI 500, missing its anvil. It was bought in 1976. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

March 3, 2014, 09:20 PM	#29
rodfac Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,623	I've loaded my own for over 50 yrs now, and have had exactly two primer failure/manufacturing defects in that time....both in the last six months. One Winchester Lg Primer with the anvil and cup separated in the box. The other was a Federal 150 which had no anvil nor priming mix in the cup. I'd check your firing pin and it's race within the gun for debris. Another source of failure might be insufficient seating, ie. not fully seating the primer...in effect, cushioning the firing pin blow. One other thought is that if you had grease or oil on your fingers as you handled the primers, this may have deadened them....very unlikely but possible. Best regards, Rod __________________ Cherish our flag, honor it, defend it in word and deed, or get the hell out. Our Bill of Rights has been paid for by heros in uniform and shall not be diluted by misguided governmental social experiments. We owe this to our children, anything less is cowardice. USAF FAC, 5th Spl Forces, Vietnam Vet '69-'73.

March 3, 2014, 09:27 PM	#30
ColColt Senior Member Join Date: August 24, 2010 Posts: 354	I started reloading in 1969 and have over the years mostly used CCI primers in about all configurations from small pistol to large rifle magnum and knock on wood, I've never had one misfire. I also have the SP101 and it's never given any trouble either. There's always a possibility of a misfire with any primer but I suppose I've just been lucky to date. __________________ Kids are for people that can't have dogs

March 5, 2014, 10:43 AM	#32
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	bad Federals are super-rare! They use a look-down optical reader to determine a proper primer in each case (but nothing is perfect). __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

March 5, 2014, 12:38 PM	#33
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	In nearly 30 years of reloading, I can only remember 3 or mebbe 4 actual "bad" primers. 90% + of misfires are due to improper bullet seating with mebbe 8% more gun related... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

March 3, 2014, 09:48 AM	#26
Gray Ghost Member Join Date: March 6, 2013 Posts: 30	This has only happened once and with 357 Mag brass but I had the same thing with a Ruger BH that before and since has functioned just fine. Primer was seated ok but dimple by the firing pin was light. Upon furthur inspection and comparing it to other cartridges loaded from the same reloaded batch (mixed headstamp range pickup) I noticed the rim was thinner. It measures .048" where my other brass usually measures at least .010" thicker. My Hornaday manual says the rim should be .060". Another thing to look at, hope this helps. James James - thanks I'll check that too. GG

March 3, 2014, 05:33 PM	#28
pete2 Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 2,566	High primers will cause misfires, weak hammer springs will cause misfires. I have a couple guns that have been tuned, use federal primers in them or I will get misfires. Try some Fed. primers if you can get them. Make sure the primers are seated slightly below flush.

March 5, 2014, 09:24 AM	#31
kerreckt Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2011 Location: SE VA. Posts: 216	How rare? My experience has been almost non-existent. I have had 2 in 35 years of reloading and am not sure they weren't my fault. I have had instances where it took a second strike. I have picked up many rounds left behind on the range because of a "bad primer" and almost all the time the fired when I tried them. All my pistols springs are good/strong so that I get a hard strike.

March 5, 2014, 06:09 PM	#34
rlc323 Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2013 Location: Forgottonia, Il Posts: 217	I have been shooting and reloading sine 1971, mostly shotgun loads with 209's Over 130,000 registered clay trap targets, probably 100,000 more practice, games, derbys. Some metallic, but nothing like shotgun. In that time I have had 1 FTF primer. A Winchester 209 about 10 years back. Breaking down the hull and removing the primer revealed no priming mix. Winchester sent me 1000 primers when I presented the defective primer (and the box lot number) to one of their industry reps.

March 5, 2014, 08:27 PM	#35
WIL TERRY Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2000 Location: BLACK HILLS Posts: 1,322	I had a primer engineer for one of the largest manufacturers of primers and ammunition in the world tell me " one in one million primers does not work and we have NO idea why." Roll that around in your intercranial applesauce for a while. And so it goes...

March 5, 2014, 09:27 PM	#36
243winxb Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2011 Location: USA Posts: 1,730	If the primer goes off on the 4th strike, is it a bad primer?

March 5, 2014, 10:22 PM	#37
Idaho Spud Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2010 Posts: 330	How common are bad primers? I may find out tomorrow. Just ordered 5000 Tula small pistol. __________________ "I should have picked alcohol, drugs, or beating my wife..." Pete Rose

March 5, 2014, 11:23 PM	#38
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	Once in my lifetime..... I've been reloading since the early 70's. I have only used CCI, Federal, And Winchester primers. I had one Winchester WLP fail to fire even with repeated tries. I was a bad primer. Does that mean the Winchester aren't as good as CCI or Federal? Not really. I've probably used a few thousand of CCI's and almost as many Federal. But I've probably used at least two or three times as many WLP's as all other brands and sizes combined. I've never used Remington primers nor any foreign made, so I can't speak about them. I trust my reloads more than factory ammo.