45 Colt Primer

[Blou32]

Hi folks!!!

I receive today my Pietta 1873 SAA in 45LC from Martsar, the gun is A1!!! So, I was ''playing'' with it when i got an idea... let's put a primer in an EMPTY case and fire it!!! Everything went good, a nice little firecracker!!! Problem is, the primer backed out in the case so I was not able to recocke it, the primer jammed all!!! I had to remove the cylinder to remove the case, so my question is:

WTF???

My case are brand new Starline and the primer are Winchester WLP.

Could someone tell me what's the f**k is going on???

Thanks

 

[Bojangles]

Perhaps because there was no powder in the case and therefore no ignition pressure.... the firing pin went sightly deeper into the primer....

enough to "stick".....

When the hammer is pulled back, the primer backs out of the case and jams.....???

Just a thought.......

B

 

[Blou32]

make sens.

thanks

 

[NorthCoastBigBore]

Yup if you are real keen to shoot primers without loads (??), you have to drill out the flash hole a bit...have to do the same with wax bullet loads.

Real light gallery loads sometimes do the same thing.

 

[GrantR]

This type of locking up from backed-out primers is also a perennial problem shooting blanks (i.e. powder charge and wad) in revolvers, such as I do in various re-enactment events. It happens because a significant amount of pressure is always generated in the primer pocket when the primer goes off .... which has the effect of forcing the primer back out of the pocket.

Of course, the same thing happens (to an even greater degree, in fact) when a live cartridge is fired, but there is a significant difference: pushing a tight, heavy bullet down the bore exerts even greater recoil pressure on the cartridge case, forcing it sharply back on the recoil shield and re-seating the primer in the pocket - all of which happens instantaneously, of course. (The "physics" involved here is precisely why noticeably flattened primers are viewed as a sign of excessive pressure in a load, if you think about it.)

However, shooting a primer in an empty case (or firing a blank) produces little or no such recoil, so the backed-out primer doesn't get re-seated in the primer pocket. This effect is most pronounced in revolvers, because of the relatively "loose fit" of the cartridges. It is not nearly so problematic in rifles and semi-auto pistols, in which the base of the cartridge is normally in firm contact with the bolt-face or breechblock.

(The "solution" for this problem commonly adopted by re-enactors who shoot revolvers with blanks is to have a dedicated set of cartridge casings to use for loading their blanks, with the flash-holes significantly enlarged. This reduces the back-pressure generated when the primer goes off and thus minimizes the extent to which the primer is forced back. However, even doing this is not always entirely successful, I can attest from personal experience!)

 

[Blou32]

thanks guy!!!
it's always good to learn somethings in the firearms world!!!

 

[NorthCoastBigBore]

Glad to hear it

How are you liking that Pietta? I haven't heard too much about them, they look like nicely finished pistols, from what I do hear they are on par with the Ubertis.

 

[Blou32]

it's my first revolver ever, i own a beretta 92fs since 1 year.

the pietta i got is great, nice finish (case hardening) everything is not to tight not to loose, it rotate flawlessly and the 4 click are awesome!!! can't wait to put real ammo at the range!!!

 

[Ganderite]

". It happens because a significant amount of pressure is always generated in the primer pocket when the primer goes off .... which has the effect of forcing the primer back out of the pocket.

Of course, the same thing happens (to an even greater degree, in fact) when a live cartridge is fired, but there is a significant difference: pushing a tight, heavy bullet down the bore exerts even greater recoil pressure on the cartridge case, forcing it sharply back on the recoil shield and re-seating the primer in the pocket - all of which happens instantaneously, of course. (The "physics" involved here is precisely why noticeably flattened primers are viewed as a sign of excessive pressure in a load, if you think about it.)

However, shooting a primer in an empty case (or firing a blank) produces little or no such recoil, so the backed-out primer doesn't get re-seated in the primer pocket. This effect is most pronounced in revolvers, because of the relatively "loose fit" of the cartridges. It is not nearly so problematic in rifles and semi-auto pistols, in which the base of the cartridge is normally in firm contact with the bolt-face or breechblock. "


Perfectly explained.

 

[hawkentom]

I drilled out my 45LC primer pockets to 9/64 , these blanks are loaded with 30gr of B.P. with a 1/2in.florist foam wad on top to keep the powder in.I use these for mounted shooting,no problems.