OK. I'm crying "Wolf!"

Yoosta B. Blue · January 30, 2010, 08:36 AM

Indeed, we live and we learn, don't we? A few months ago I did some digging around on the Internet and found that lots of folks are pleased with Wolf primers. In fact, I saw one fellow say something about how his group had used many thousands of them without a single failure to fire.

I went ahead and bought a few thousand of Wolf Large Pistol primers, and I've since reached the conclusion that those are the last that I will buy. Within the past couple of years of using other brands of primers, I could count on one hand the number of light strikes and failures to fire that I've encountered in shooting right at 17K rounds that I've loaded. With these Wolf Large Pistol, I'm getting at least two or three that fail to fire in a session of shooting only 50 rounds or so. I will pay a little more and get those that I have confidence in the next time I buy primers.

I used to be blue when I saw that I was rapidly running out of primers. Now that I've acquired some, and have loaded some of them, I'm still blue.

Yoosta B. Blue
"YMMV"

hodaka · January 30, 2010, 09:24 AM

Bummer!

If I had the same experience that you have had I would do the same thing.

My experience has only been with Wolf SR. I am into my third brick of 1000 and have not had a single failure. Using them in .223, 30 carbine, .38 and .357 and even a box of 9mm just to see what would happen. I will certainly buy more.

I have a very accurate (sub MOA) AR and I can't tell any difference between the Wolf and the CCI BR loads that I have worked up for it. I haven't tried any in my Remington 700 in .223 yet though.

Sevens · January 30, 2010, 09:55 AM

You might consider that your aren't necessarily poorly built primers that are "DOA", but perhaps have a harder cup and when mated up with a firearm that gives average or light primer strikes, the result is FTF's?

Maybe try the same handloads in other firearms and see if the rate of success increases?

Nate1778 · January 30, 2010, 10:55 AM

Yeah my Glock has the same issue, use the same primers in my GP100 and only about 2 FTF in 3000 rounds. I don't trust them enough to be a carry primer but a plinking primer they are alright.

mtnbkr · January 30, 2010, 11:34 AM

Quote:

You might consider that your aren't necessarily poorly built primers that are "DOA", but perhaps have a harder cup and when mated up with a firearm that gives average or light primer strikes, the result is FTF's?

Maybe try the same handloads in other firearms and see if the rate of success increases?

This.

I can't use CCI primers in my GP100 (slicked up and with light springs) because CCI primers are too hard. Others work fine though, so I save the CCI primers for other guns.

Chris

orionengnr · January 30, 2010, 11:53 AM

I have had trouble with Wolf LP primers as well. I'm going to use up the last few hundred, but I won't buy more, unless there is nothing else available.

abber · January 30, 2010, 01:40 PM

I have never used Wolf. I have used CCI, Remington, and Federal. I would not even try to guess how many thousands. I have never had a primer related failure (knock on wood).

FrankenMauser · January 30, 2010, 03:29 PM

This same story plays out with every brand of primer. Methinks this one will get more attention, since Wolf is involved.

I'm with the others. Try the loads in another firearm. Light primer strikes are more likely to blame, than dozens of bad primers in the same brick (unless they aren't being stored properly).

It's also possible that the extra cup thickness is causing you to leave the primers partially seated. A change in seating pressure can go unseen, and cause the exact problem you describe.

I have the same problem as MtnBkr: I can't use CCI primers in my .380 Auto. It's striker doesn't have enough juice. I have to hit the primer 2-3 times to achieve detonation. Switching to a Remington or Winchester primer solves the problem. I blamed the powder. I blamed the gun. I blamed a lot of things, until I had enough data to see it was the harder CCI primer cup. (And a terribly light primer strike.)

So.... if your pistols can't handle the Wolf primer cup, that's fine. But, don't go calling them bad primers, if your firearms suffer from light strikes.

It's not the primer engaging in an active rebellion against 'the man', it's the firing pin not putting up enough of a fight to do its own job.

Dodge DeBoulet · January 30, 2010, 04:19 PM

I too have had a significant number of duds with Wolf primers purchased just last month. Unfortunately, I purchased 10K of them to save on the hazmat, after doing some research and learning that they were good, albeit inexpensive, primers.

I've subsequently discovered a very extensive thread over on brianenos.com that discusses the problematic Wolf primers. The issues are not specific to certain guns, and recent batches have contained many failures.

Fortunately, Wolf offers a 100% performance guarantee on their products. Email them with a description of your issues, and they will refund your entire purchase price including any shipping and hazmat fees. They will ask for the lot number, the original receipt, and one empty box to be shipped to them as proof of purchase. The primers remain yours to dispose of as you see fit.

Jim243 · January 30, 2010, 04:34 PM

Sound like it's time for new hammer springs in your guns!!

Jim

**Unclenick** · January 30, 2010, 04:43 PM

You fellows having problems with the Wolf primers: please try the experiment of seating them extra hard with a hand tool. See if that affects the result? I am curious if this is a failure to set the bridge thickness? Have you measured to see that they are about 0.003" to 0.005" below flush with the bottom of the case?

Dodge DeBoulet · January 30, 2010, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim243

Sound like it's time for new hammer springs in your guns!!

My two S&W M&Ps have no problem with factory ammo. My FS is less than 3 months old, and my Compact, while about 16 months old, has been fired less than the FS. I've recently removed and cleaned the striker assembly on both, too.

Same problem with both . . .

ir3e971 · January 30, 2010, 05:29 PM

I have some new wolf SP primers. I have been getting a lot of light strikes with my revolvers.

At first I thought it was a new pistol I had, but I cross checked with other guns, and had the same issues.

These were all seated well with an RCBS universal hand primer.

So I am not very happy with the situation.

Bronco4me · January 31, 2010, 01:39 AM

Sometimes Wolf is the only game in town. Fortunately I've have great luck having shot thousands of Wolf Lg and Sm pistol primers over the last few months. The only real issue I had was with a "worked" pistol that had a 12lb hammer spring installed. New pistol with factory springs sets them off every time.

January 30, 2010, 08:36 AM	#1
Yoosta B. Blue Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2008 Location: Just a tad NE of the Alamo... Posts: 252	OK. I'm crying "Wolf!" Indeed, we live and we learn, don't we? A few months ago I did some digging around on the Internet and found that lots of folks are pleased with Wolf primers. In fact, I saw one fellow say something about how his group had used *many thousands* of them without a single failure to fire. I went ahead and bought a few thousand of Wolf Large Pistol primers, and I've since reached the conclusion that those are the last that I will buy. Within the past couple of years of using other brands of primers, I could count on one hand the number of light strikes and failures to fire that I've encountered in shooting right at 17K rounds that I've loaded. With these Wolf Large Pistol, I'm getting at least two or three that fail to fire in a session of shooting only 50 rounds or so. I will pay a little more and get those that I have confidence in the next time I buy primers. I used to be blue when I saw that I was rapidly running out of primers. Now that I've acquired some, and have loaded some of them, I'm still blue. Yoosta B. Blue "YMMV"

January 30, 2010, 09:55 AM	#3
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	You might consider that your aren't necessarily poorly built primers that are "DOA", but perhaps have a harder cup and when mated up with a firearm that gives average or light primer strikes, the result is FTF's? Maybe try the same handloads in other firearms and see if the rate of success increases? __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

January 30, 2010, 10:55 AM	#4
Nate1778 Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2009 Location: Louisville Ky Posts: 312	Yeah my Glock has the same issue, use the same primers in my GP100 and only about 2 FTF in 3000 rounds. I don't trust them enough to be a carry primer but a plinking primer they are alright. __________________ "And finally, the Baby Bear looked and he said, "Somebody's sleeping in my bed, and the bastard's still there!" But Goldylocks had a Remington semi-automatic, with a scope and a hair-trigger!"

January 30, 2010, 01:40 PM	#7
abber Senior Member Join Date: January 15, 2008 Location: PRK Posts: 735	I have never used Wolf. I have used CCI, Remington, and Federal. I would not even try to guess how many thousands. I have never had a primer related failure (knock on wood). __________________ I ain't got no safe queens. I shoots em all...

January 30, 2010, 03:29 PM	#8
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	This same story plays out with every brand of primer. Methinks this one will get more attention, since Wolf is involved. I'm with the others. Try the loads in another firearm. Light primer strikes are more likely to blame, than dozens of bad primers in the same brick (unless they aren't being stored properly). It's also possible that the extra cup thickness is causing you to leave the primers partially seated. A change in seating pressure can go unseen, and cause the exact problem you describe. I have the same problem as MtnBkr: I can't use CCI primers in my .380 Auto. It's striker doesn't have enough juice. I have to hit the primer 2-3 times to achieve detonation. Switching to a Remington or Winchester primer solves the problem. I blamed the powder. I blamed the gun. I blamed a lot of things, until I had enough data to see it was the harder CCI primer cup. (And a terribly light primer strike.) So.... if your pistols can't handle the Wolf primer cup, that's fine. But, don't go calling them bad primers, if your firearms suffer from light strikes. It's not the primer engaging in an active rebellion against 'the man', it's the firing pin not putting up enough of a fight to do its own job. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

January 30, 2010, 09:24 AM	#2
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	Bummer! If I had the same experience that you have had I would do the same thing. My experience has only been with Wolf SR. I am into my third brick of 1000 and have not had a single failure. Using them in .223, 30 carbine, .38 and .357 and even a box of 9mm just to see what would happen. I will certainly buy more. I have a very accurate (sub MOA) AR and I can't tell any difference between the Wolf and the CCI BR loads that I have worked up for it. I haven't tried any in my Remington 700 in .223 yet though.

January 30, 2010, 11:53 AM	#6
orionengnr Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2004 Posts: 5,177	I have had trouble with Wolf LP primers as well. I'm going to use up the last few hundred, but I won't buy more, unless there is nothing else available.

January 30, 2010, 04:19 PM	#9
Dodge DeBoulet Senior Member Join Date: December 8, 2009 Posts: 181	I too have had a significant number of duds with Wolf primers purchased just last month. Unfortunately, I purchased 10K of them to save on the hazmat, after doing some research and learning that they were good, albeit inexpensive, primers. I've subsequently discovered a very extensive thread over on brianenos.com that discusses the problematic Wolf primers. The issues are not specific to certain guns, and recent batches have contained many failures. Fortunately, Wolf offers a 100% performance guarantee on their products. Email them with a description of your issues, and they will refund your entire purchase price including any shipping and hazmat fees. They will ask for the lot number, the original receipt, and one empty box to be shipped to them as proof of purchase. The primers remain yours to dispose of as you see fit.

January 30, 2010, 04:34 PM	#10
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	Sound like it's time for new hammer springs in your guns!! Jim

January 30, 2010, 04:43 PM	#11
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	You fellows having problems with the Wolf primers: please try the experiment of seating them extra hard with a hand tool. See if that affects the result? I am curious if this is a failure to set the bridge thickness? Have you measured to see that they are about 0.003" to 0.005" below flush with the bottom of the case? __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

January 30, 2010, 05:29 PM	#13
ir3e971 Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 2006 Posts: 145	I have some new wolf SP primers. I have been getting a lot of light strikes with my revolvers. At first I thought it was a new pistol I had, but I cross checked with other guns, and had the same issues. These were all seated well with an RCBS universal hand primer. So I am not very happy with the situation.

January 31, 2010, 01:39 AM	#14
Bronco4me Member Join Date: November 6, 2006 Posts: 94	Sometimes Wolf is the only game in town. Fortunately I've have great luck having shot thousands of Wolf Lg and Sm pistol primers over the last few months. The only real issue I had was with a "worked" pistol that had a 12lb hammer spring installed. New pistol with factory springs sets them off every time. __________________ <Insert really cool saying, or list everything you own here>