High rate of primer failures

[barbarossa]

Last weekend I reloaded a batch of 9mm using CCI small pistol primers. I hadn't used them in a while because for the last couple of years everything I loaded used large primers.

This was a brand new, never opened 1000 pack that I've had for maybe 3 years, stored dry in a 24/7 AC controlled room in a steel filing cabinet.

Out of 100 rounds I used, six did not ignite. These weren't light strikes, it happened with three different guns, and the primers were hit hard and deep.

Naturally, this has me worried. I have quite a bit of reloading stock, enough to last me years when the next shortage comes along.

What could be going on here? Just a fluke batch of bad primers? Something in the environment where I keep the primers?

Any ideas?

 

[TheBigRServices]

I would double check for high primers, I've had high primers do that to me before.

 

[gwpercle]

Did you try a second strike ? If a primer is not set fully into the pocket , so that it bottoms out , the first hit will drive it into the pocket but not fire the primer. The anvil has to be resting on the bottom of the pocket. If tried a second time and it fires on second strike....usually a sign of a not fully seated primer.
Just seating a primer flush will not guarantee it is seated fully , seat the primer until it bottoms out and stops , a hand held priming tool is best for this as you can feel the primer hit bottom.
Gary

 

[barbarossa]

I spoke to a CCI technician today, and he suggested the same thing you guys are saying. Primers not fully seated. The strike is deeper than it should be and breaks the priming compound without igniting it. Once it is broken, a second strike won't do anything. He said to remove the primers and light them on fire. If they go "poof", the were not chemically compromised, but mechanically broken due to not being seated all the way.

He may be right. I loaded these on my Dillon 550B and repeatedly had problems with the spent primers not being removed despite the ram being ran all the way up. It would just lift the spring loaded de-capping pin, but not push out the primer. This never happened with .45, but repeatedly with 9mm.

Apparently that is the issue, tight primer pockets.

The tech suggested loading a batch of ammo from the same primer lot with a hand priming tool where you can feel the primer seating, and see if I have any more issues. He also said this was a very common problem he deals with multiple times a day when answering customer phone calls.

There you have it. Learn something new every day.

 

[gwpercle]

This is the exact reason I started hand priming all my ammo. Those pesky misfires at the range are annoying and a pain .
Gary

 

[The_Shadow]

Have a look at this link to see if you can grasp what could be your issue...
http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammo/ammunition_st_mamotaip_200909/

 

[mickey]

Over seating primers can cause a click no bang as well.

 

[barbarossa]

Well, now I'm no longer sure what's going on. I switched the S&B primers and left everything else the same. Same batch of brass, same press.

I shot about 400 rounds of the S&B primed ammo and had zero failures.

 

[PECEMKR]

wd40 ?

 

[Magdump]

Hand priming tool FTW. I've never loaded bulk pistol ammo like 9mm or .40 S&W, but in all the rifle and big pistol loads I always hand primed. Clean up the pocket good and seat it well. Only time I had primer problems was a bad batch of large rifle primers that I bought when you could hardly find powder and primers. I think wolf or Sellier&Bellot or another import but can't swear to it. And there's always the occasional primer exposed to oil or sweat, or left out on the bench overnight even.

 

[TheBigRServices]

wd40 ?

Yup, once you shake your primers around on your flip tray, give 'em a good coat of wd40.. that'll do the trick.

 

[Magdump]

Yup, once you shake your primers around on your flip tray, give 'em a good coat of wd40.. that'll do the trick.

...they'll be consistent, I grant you that!