Another Defective Primer

Ive had one WLR primer fail...not sure why but Im still using them, I cant say for sure that I didnt' contaminate it myself.....I figured if it was my handling technique I would be contaminating a whole bunch.

I guess one every few thousand aint that bad....I just hope it never happens when Im read to drop the hammer on 4 legged dinner.
 
My opinion is that the firing pin/striker is hitting light (especially if it's an older gun). My wifes .222 works flawlessly with Winchester and Federal primers but is hit and miss with CCI or Remington. The same Remington and CCI primers work flawlessly in my AR.

Modern primers are somewhat oil/water 'resistant'. Some guys have done tests where a primer sat in WD40 (I know, not oil) and water for 2 weeks and they still lit.
 
I started reloading in 1963. I had a couple of FTF loads early on, using the old Alcan Large Rifle primers. I found out [by consulting with a very experienced reloader friend] that I was probably contaminating the primers with some case lube from my fingers. I adjusted my reloading routine to avoid touching any primer with my hands. Since that time [early 1964] I have never had a primer of any brand fail to fire, and at one time, I was loading up to 5000 rounds per year of centerfire ammo. I have even re-used primers that I pushed out of previously loaded ammo that I broke down due to unsuitability, and never had one of them fail. [ FWIW, I only use these in practice, just in case!!] I believe the failure rate of primers is so low that it is a non-issue. Firing pin fall, spring condition, and pin protrusion all have a bearing on this, so I would be looking at something else than blaming a specific manufacturer for a problem like this. Regards, Eagleye.
 
I've reloaded using every primer under the sun over many years. I've had exactly one primer not go off. After investigation, the primer had no priming compound in it. Just the cup and anvil. This was a Federal small rifle.

As with anything made by the millions, you are bound to encounter the odd dud from time to time.
 
Pops had ww large mag fail on a hunt and missed an elk because of it. I thought it was his gun and cold weather(-40) but after having the gun in heat over night and using a different gun and his gun too next morning it would still not go off. That was 8 out of hundred that that would not go off.
 
stubblejumper- what do you use to flip the upside down primers over when you put them in your hand primer? i find that i usually get a few wrongside up, and use alcohal wiped forceps to flip them back.
 
MK77 said:
stubblejumper- what do you use to flip the upside down primers over when you put them in your hand primer? i find that i usually get a few wrongside up, and use alcohal wiped forceps to flip them back.
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Any guesses as to what the tiny little grooves on the bottom of the tray in stubblejumper's autoprime are for?;)
 
easyrider604 said:
I don't recall any failure to fire in tens of thousands of reloads of CCI, Winchester and Federal combined.
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Well, I spoke too soon. Had one Failure-to-Fire by a Federal Small Primer day after my post above. Pistol was Ruger P89 9mm. Primer was seated normally, strike was deep and centered. It was definitely a faulty primer, don't know if I somehow caused it or not.

Always a first time and Murphy is right.
 
stubblejumper- what do you use to flip the upside down primers over when you put them in your hand primer? i find that i usually get a few wrongside up, and use alcohal wiped forceps to flip them back.
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I just tap the pan until they are all right side up.The new RCBS unit does this even better than the Auto Prime.In fact,I am replacing the Auto Prime with the new RCBS unit,since no shellholders are required.I have one set up for small rifle primers,and am purchasing a second one that will stay set up for large rifle primers.
 
what do you use to flip the upside down primers over when you put them in your hand primer? i find that i usually get a few wrongside up, and use alcohal wiped forceps to flip them back.
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f:P: This isn't surgery you know.

I just use my finger to flip the odd primer in the tray. Have been reloading for 25 years and never felt the need to use surgically sterile tools in order to touch a primer.
 
I only shoot about 400 rounds a year or so and the only hang fires/ fail to fires i've had are with CCI primers. Lots of my friends use them without fail. Only happened a couple of times but I switched to federal now.
 
I had a WLR primer fail last weekend. I fired, and felt gas come through the bolt and hit my face. Then a bit of smoke came out of the pressure relieve port on the side of the receiver. I thought I must have gotten a leak around the primer. However, when I ejected the case, I saw that the gas hadn't come out around the primer at all; there was a 1mm hole in the edge of the primer... and the edge was still round.
 
Would any of the CCI fans here be interested in swapping a few cases of CCI small rifle primers for Federal anything? How about my CCI magnums or BR2s? I'll go 3 for 2.

I bet nobody takes me up on it.:p
 
Only problems I have had are with CCI aswell.
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That was my point in starting this thread.I have only had a few primers fail,but all were CCI primers,in spite of the fact that I have likely used 8 or 10 times as many Federal primers.Anyways,I sold the only full brick of CCI BR4 primers that I had,and I will use the rest up in my .223 plinking at the range.The Hornet is now being fed Remington 6-1/2 primers,which are more suitable for such a small case anyways.
 
I have to join the anti CCI group. I can't ever remember having a fail to fire primer. Then I started loading for the Hornet and got CCI small rifle primes. I've had three duds in using up less than one box of bullets. Two of them fired on the second try, but the last one won't go off.
Maybe it is just the small rifle primers, because over the years i must have used CCI large rifle primers. Also, we have used lots of 38 and 357 CCI small pistol primers, without a single failure.
In my case the failures have been in the Hornet, but the Brno hits them hard.
 
I have gone though many thousands of CCI, and Winchester and Federal LR, and LP primers. I think I've had about two maybe three failures, and that would be one each.
Considering the number of rounds I fire, I have to say that's acceptable.
Perfection isn't an easy think in a mass produced world. Would be nice, but I don't think it's out there.
 
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