Federal Small Pistol Primers Shortage?

[Northaways]

Anyone have any leads on reasonably priced bulk Federal Small Pistol Primers? Seems to be a real run on SPP, especially Federal SPP. Most retailers seem to have been sold out of them for about 6 months. Why the shortage?

Heard Tenda recently had some in for about a day, but they were sold out by the time I heard about it. Lucky I stocked up on about 10,000 CCI SPP when they were on sale in the spring. Have just loaded about 6,000 rounds with the CCI but am a bit concerned how they are going to run in my match Shadow 2 with the lighter springs. Previously used mostly Federal and some S & B with zero issues, but understand CCI cups are a bit thicker and harder to ignite with lighter springs.

 

[Ganderite]

Federal are much more sensitive. I have guns that run fine on them and get 50% misfires with CCI.

It is my understanding that Federal uses a more sensitive priming compound than the other makers.

I just used my last brick of them.

 

[Scotty454]

I signed up for a few email notification lists for when things come back in stock. Tenda was one of them. They ended up getting the gold medal match primers in, so a little more expensive (For arguably the same product?), but at least they were available. I ordered a bunch of them the same day.

So far they're the only ones that gave gotten the federal SP primers in. Do you have your email on any notification lists?

 

[Northaways]

Federal are much more sensitive. I have guns that run fine on them and get 50% misfires with CCI.

It is my understanding that Federal uses a more sensitive priming compound than the other makers.

I just used my last brick of them.

50% misfires with CCI is alarming. Assuming you are using light springs as well. Shoot mostly IPSC and 3 Gun. If I get even one FTF in a stage it will pooch that stage. Will have to get out to the range when this cold snap moves on and test and Chrono my CCI loads.

 

[Northaways]

I signed up for a few email notification lists for when things come back in stock. Tenda was one of them. They ended up getting the gold medal match primers in, so a little more expensive (For arguably the same product?), but at least they were available. I ordered a bunch of them the same day.

So far they're the only ones that gave gotten the federal SP primers in. Do you have your email on any notification lists?

Great idea, thx. Didn’t realize it was an option. Will sign up for notifications with couple of my favourite retailers.

Anyone have an idea whats driving this shortage? It’s at least 6 months now. Started as a Federal shortage but now most other SPP seem to be sold out.

 

[4n2t0]

Try Fiocchi primers, I find them almost as soft as Federal.

 

[rosconow]

Winchester sp primers are good. A bit softer than cci I've been told. Always go bang in my lightened gp100 with non magnum loads.

 

[Wolverine Guy]

Question for the expert's here. How do Remington compare?

 

[Redblack]

Try Fiocchi primers, I find them almost as soft as Federal.

And they are priced right too.
https://www.westernmetal.ca/shooting/standard-small-pistol-primers-fiocchi-1500-box-fio-445smp

 

[4n2t0]

And they are priced right too.
https://www.westernmetal.ca/shooting/standard-small-pistol-primers-fiocchi-1500-box-fio-445smp

They're all I load now and I've gone through 15K+ without any issues.

 

[4n2t0]

Question for the expert's here. How do Remington compare?

I don't have a ton of experience with Remington primers but the No. 1 1/2's I've used in the past were super soft. I'm not sure if this is still the case but they're dimensionally weird, taller than most other primers. Also, they're so soft that they come with the following warning "These primers are NOT recommended for loading high pressure loads such as 357 Mag, 357 Sig or 40 S&W."

 

[Jeff Mather]

I've got a brick of them because the LGS employee put the wrong brick in my bag. Have kept them on the shelp incase in ever decide to load any of the 12000+ 9mm brass in have. Haha. Probably never will unless it find a good deal on a progressive.

 

[Lead hammer]

I have lighter springs in my Shadow, run CCI primers and have never had a light strike. My dad's Alpha Project 9mm will have trouble with CCI if you lighten up the spring. I prefer the CCI since they take up half the space to store, and it's easier to place them on my RCBS hand primer tray. I save the 2 bricks of Federals for that revolver.

 

[Dfbshaw]

And they are priced right too.
https://www.westernmetal.ca/shooting/standard-small-pistol-primers-fiocchi-1500-box-fio-445smp

Thanks for the heads up. 3000 primers for 120 bucks delivered.

 

[VinnyQC]

I have lighter springs in my Shadow, run CCI primers and have never had a light strike. My dad's Alpha Project 9mm will have trouble with CCI if you lighten up the spring. I prefer the CCI since they take up half the space to store, and it's easier to place them on my RCBS hand primer tray. I save the 2 bricks of Federals for that revolver.

Same for me. About 5k CCI SPP in shadow/shadow2 and never a light strike. I run lighter springs in both.

 

[bsand]

You can also run small rifle in pistols fine. I used them in a competition tuned shadow.

So I just get small rifle primers

 

[Northaways]

I have lighter springs in my Shadow, run CCI primers and have never had a light strike. My dad's Alpha Project 9mm will have trouble with CCI if you lighten up the spring. I prefer the CCI since they take up half the space to store, and it's easier to place them on my RCBS hand primer tray. I save the 2 bricks of Federals for that revolver.

That’s good news, thx.

Saw a pdf study yesterday that tested cci, federal and several other popular SPP for cup hardness, width, depth, primer strike diameter and primer strike reliability using a gun with significantly lowered hammer spring weight. No surprise, the Federal SPP Primers were the most reliable with 100 strikes for 100 detonations. CCI however were the worst performing SPP with 23 out of 100 failure to detonates. Hence my concern with the whack of CCI primer rounds i’ve Just loaded over the holidays.

Will however obviously test and Chrono them at the range before using in a match.

 

[Northaways]

You can also run small rifle in pistols fine. I used them in a competition tuned shadow.

So I just get small rifle primers

I’d heard this as well. Do have about 7-8,000 S & B SMall Rifle Primers, but had heard the cups on them are often harder than SPPs? In which case guessing they would likely not be much different than the CCI SPP?

Also have a couple thousand Small Pistol magnum Primers that understand in a pinch I could use. But same again here. Heard the cups on them are also suppose to be harder, so likely would be no better off using them in a match.

 

[bsand]

I’d heard this as well. Do have about 7-8,000 S & B SMall Rifle Primers, but had heard the cups on them are often harder than SPPs? In which case guessing they would likely not be much different than the CCI SPP?

Also have a couple thousand Small Pistol magnum Primers that understand in a pinch I could use. But same again here. Heard the cups on them are also suppose to be harder, so likely would be no better off using them in a match.

Federal small rifle work just fine in my shadow custom from cz custom.

 

[Ontariooutdoorsman]

Anyone have any leads on reasonably priced bulk Federal Small Pistol Primers? Seems to be a real run on SPP, especially Federal SPP. Most retailers seem to have been sold out of them for about 6 months. Why the shortage?

Heard Tenda recently had some in for about a day, but they were sold out by the time I heard about it. Lucky I stocked up on about 10,000 CCI SPP when they were on sale in the spring. Have just loaded about 6,000 rounds with the CCI but am a bit concerned how they are going to run in my match Shadow 2 with the lighter springs. Previously used mostly Federal and some S & B with zero issues, but understand CCI cups are a bit thicker and harder to ignite with lighter springs.

Sent you a PM