Primer hardness?

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  • guzma393

    Active Member
    Jan 15, 2020
    732
    Severn, MD
    I was at the range today plinking around with 38 spl reloads with an el cheapo Taurus model 80. I noticed that it would suddenly light primer strike FTF on double action, but would work flawlessly on single action. Could it be from the primers? The primers are seated flush and are not depressed too deep.

    I didn't really pay much attention to it, but I recently started using CCI small pistol primers and I heard these primers have hard/thick primer cups.

    Before, I reloaded with federal small pistol primers, which are supposedly the softest of the small pistol primers vs. other brands. From what i recall, these worked flawlessly on both double action/single action on the same gun.

    I got a bunch of previous reloads stored up loaded with federal small pistol primers instead of CCI, so i'll report back with an update if it's actually the primers.

    Best case scenerio, it's not the gun as I can live with reserving federal/similar soft pistol primers for revolvers. Anyone else have this issue before?
     

    GuitarmanNick

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 9, 2017
    2,221
    Laurel
    I use CCI primers in all of my pistol loads with no failures to fire even on those with lighter hammer springs. In my S&W .38, they always go bang in either single or double action firing.

    If you must use a soft primer in the Taurus, there is a problem with the gun. Even inexpensive guns should be reliable. Likely you have a weak hammer spring.
     

    E.Shell

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 5, 2007
    10,226
    Mid-Merlind
    "Seated flush" is not the design intent and is probably your problem.

    Primers are designed to be seated to the bottom of the primer pocket, which is slightly below flush. Further, the primer is 'sensitized' by seating fully to the bottom with slight compression, as to seat the anvil legs and put the anvil in contact with the priming compound.

    Try shooting your misfires again - they'll probably work. By not seating firmly to the bottom of the primer pocket, your first hammer strike will be wasted, the energy being used to actually seat the primer, and now that the primer is properly bottomed out, the next strike will likely fire it.
     

    guzma393

    Active Member
    Jan 15, 2020
    732
    Severn, MD
    Alright, so I did a side by side comparison of just firing a primed case. Double action, cci primers did not go off with a light primer strike and the federal one went off with a normal dimple.

    mRbkwfk.jpg
     

    guzma393

    Active Member
    Jan 15, 2020
    732
    Severn, MD
    "Seated flush" is not the design intent and is probably your problem.

    Primers are designed to be seated to the bottom of the primer pocket, which is slightly below flush. Further, the primer is 'sensitized' by seating fully to the bottom with slight compression, as to seat the anvil legs and put the anvil in contact with the priming compound.

    Try shooting your misfires again - they'll probably work. By not seating firmly to the bottom of the primer pocket, your first hammer strike will be wasted, the energy being used to actually seat the primer, and now that the primer is properly bottomed out, the next strike will likely fire it.

    Upon inspection, the primers are seated below flush. I just did a test and the CCI primers are leaving a noticeably smaller dimple than the federal primers. I might have to just upgrade to a stronger hammer spring or just use federal primers with this thing.
     

    guzma393

    Active Member
    Jan 15, 2020
    732
    Severn, MD
    I use CCI primers in all of my pistol loads with no failures to fire even on those with lighter hammer springs. In my S&W .38, they always go bang in either single or double action firing.

    If you must use a soft primer in the Taurus, there is a problem with the gun. Even inexpensive guns should be reliable. Likely you have a weak hammer spring.

    I'm leaning on the weak hammer spring on this one. It performs great with federal primers, so i think i'll just stick with those on my Taurus until I find a stronger hammer spring.
     

    E.Shell

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 5, 2007
    10,226
    Mid-Merlind
    Alright, so I did a side by side comparison of just firing a primed case. Double action, cci primers did not go off with a light primer strike and the federal one went off with a normal dimple.

    mRbkwfk.jpg

    After reloading and handling primers since 1971, I do not believe that there is THAT much difference in cup hardness...something else is afoot.
     

    guzma393

    Active Member
    Jan 15, 2020
    732
    Severn, MD
    After reloading and handling primers since 1971, I do not believe that there is THAT much difference in cup hardness...something else is afoot.

    I tried a winchester small pistol primer and it went off too. Dimple is slightly bigger than the cci one, but the federal primer definitely is the biggest out of the other 2 tested.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,642
    Socialist State of Maryland
    Upon inspection, the primers are seated below flush. I just did a test and the CCI primers are leaving a noticeably smaller dimple than the federal primers. I might have to just upgrade to a stronger hammer spring or just use federal primers with this thing.

    Federal primers have the softest cups and competitive revolver shooters use them for that reason. I have the same problem from time to time with my S&W Model 25 if I use hard primers.
     

    ihriec

    Active Member
    Aug 10, 2013
    492
    I recently had 2 DA misfires (light strikes) in my SP101 and they were both reloads with CCI primers. I was able to re-fire them. This has never happened before and hasn't happened since. My SP101 has ~5,000 round through it but seems sturdy as ever. I'm not sure but I do think it was the reloads.
     

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