John@redmt
Well-Known Member
Yes to uniform no to flash hole. I'm pretty meticulous about inspection. Still possible for human error but I'VE been through all the ordinary. No looking at the un -ordinary.
Do Primers Go Bad
- Thread starter John@redmt
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Primers don't go bad. Powder and ammo might. Depends on how it has been stored. Highly unlikely a military trained guy would not store stuff right though.
Be kind of surprised if you don't have everything you need. Mind you, it's possible something might have been stored in a 'safe spot' too.
That amount of stuff needs to be sorted according to size and purpose first. Size would be large and small rifle and pistol, large and small magnum rifle and pistol and shotgun. Save you a lot of headaches in the long run.
And stuff you don't need/want are trading goods.
Be kind of surprised if you don't have everything you need. Mind you, it's possible something might have been stored in a 'safe spot' too.
That amount of stuff needs to be sorted according to size and purpose first. Size would be large and small rifle and pistol, large and small magnum rifle and pistol and shotgun. Save you a lot of headaches in the long run.
And stuff you don't need/want are trading goods.
The primers were probably bad from the day they were built. Primer compound is mixed in big lots then "wiped" into the primer cups, you just hope all ingredients mixed perfect and the guy supervising it new what he was doing.
I have had a brick of brand new primers that were 50%+ fizzing duds. I chucked them out so I was never tempted to use them again, more fun to burn them in an outside bonfire for some sparkles
I have had a brick of brand new primers that were 50%+ fizzing duds. I chucked them out so I was never tempted to use them again, more fun to burn them in an outside bonfire for some sparkles
How do you handle your primers? If you use your fingers, your own body oil can ruin the primer. Otherwise, I've used 20 year old primers with complete reliability.
Who knew that a primer thread could go on for 8 pages. A little common sense will go a long way to when it comes to handling primers. Handling primers with your hands will not normally cause them to fail unless they are dripping in oil. If they were that sensitive or had a short shelf life think where we would be. I have some WWII surplus 30-06 ammo here that I would certainly expect to fire if I were to shoot it and I have no idea where it has been for the first 50 years of its life. I have been reloading and shooting for 50 years and I have had two failures to fire that I think were caused by bad primers. They were two 7MM RM that I loaded in the early 70s. The rest of that box shot fine. I have loaded millions since without failure. When I was match director at a gun club and was hosting IDPA matches we did see some failures of Remington UMC ammo to fire.
Of course there are FTF but most times there are reloading or gun related. Most reloading FTF were caused by the primer not being seated completely. Over sizing brass and causing excessive headspace is the second cause of FTF.
Primers must be seated in the primer pocket to arm them. If this is not done correctly then the firing pin energy is used in seating the primer. Since the anvil is not pressed into the primer far enough then the firing pin strike is insufficient to cause ignition.
I use a RCBS bench auto primer seater. I can feel every primer seat in the bottom of the primer pocket this arms the anvil and it is now ready to fire when a firing pin strike hits close to the center of the primer. Some like and use hand primers, I don't because once my hand gets tired or I have a stubborn primer I find I am not confident that the primer is seated properly. It does not matter which method you use as long as the primer is seated firmly in the primer pocket. I think some people are afraid of the primer will detonate if they push hard on them. Another reason I use the RCBS bench primer is if a primer should detonate only the one being pressed in the case can detonate the rest are in a tube back away from the shell holder.
The third cause of primer failure is WD-40 it is a penetrating oil and as such can not be left in or on a gun. It is only doing its job when it creeps into the primer causing a FTF. If I have suspect primers I soak them in WD-40 before disposing of them. I do use WD-40 a lot but be sure to wipe your gun clean of it before loading it. Primers are for the most part are very reliable, think of the millions of them that perform as expected everyday.
Of course there are FTF but most times there are reloading or gun related. Most reloading FTF were caused by the primer not being seated completely. Over sizing brass and causing excessive headspace is the second cause of FTF.
Primers must be seated in the primer pocket to arm them. If this is not done correctly then the firing pin energy is used in seating the primer. Since the anvil is not pressed into the primer far enough then the firing pin strike is insufficient to cause ignition.
I use a RCBS bench auto primer seater. I can feel every primer seat in the bottom of the primer pocket this arms the anvil and it is now ready to fire when a firing pin strike hits close to the center of the primer. Some like and use hand primers, I don't because once my hand gets tired or I have a stubborn primer I find I am not confident that the primer is seated properly. It does not matter which method you use as long as the primer is seated firmly in the primer pocket. I think some people are afraid of the primer will detonate if they push hard on them. Another reason I use the RCBS bench primer is if a primer should detonate only the one being pressed in the case can detonate the rest are in a tube back away from the shell holder.
The third cause of primer failure is WD-40 it is a penetrating oil and as such can not be left in or on a gun. It is only doing its job when it creeps into the primer causing a FTF. If I have suspect primers I soak them in WD-40 before disposing of them. I do use WD-40 a lot but be sure to wipe your gun clean of it before loading it. Primers are for the most part are very reliable, think of the millions of them that perform as expected everyday.
John@redmt
Well-Known Member
I know it's not funky hands or wd40. I don't have either one! I'm starting to think the primers may not have been seated well based on the large firing pin dent. My spent shells have a much smaller indentation. The hang fires are still a mystery.
crkckr
Well-Known Member
Hang fires suck, period. I don't know anything about Benchmark, so can't comment on how hard or easy it is to ignite. Did you check the primer color & make sure a pistol primer didn't sneak in? If it's the right primer, it's possible you did get some bad primers, no matter how unlikely. The only hang fires I've ever experienced were with my .22 CheetaH using (usually) ball powders, which can be more difficult to ignite, with the .308 small pocket brass. They weren't long enough to throw a group (good follow thru!) but were still a little disconcerting.
Cheers,
crkckr
Cheers,
crkckr
I bought several bricks of Federal 215 many years ago, and they still fired last weekend in some fresh reloads. I can't remember what year it was they were purchased, but the price on the box is $7.34. I purchased them at Long's drug store in Anchorage, Ak. I moved to WY in 1995, so it was before that.
Reloader222
Well-Known Member
I am still shooting Hirtenberg SP, SR and LR primers that was manifactured in the 1980's. No misfires. Key is to keep them cool and dry!
Same here with CCI primers from early eighties.
Oxobrianne 272
Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2012
- Messages
- 41
Oxobrianne 272
Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2012
- Messages
- 41
I'm using Federal primers that are part of some 10,000 lots I bought at least 24 years ago. I live in an old farmhouse in a very damp part of the U.K. No problems at all.
Medicine Show Kid
New Member
Brother, don't worry bout these "know it all's." Low self esteem folk are easily recognized on forums as they always gotta criticize you to feel better bout themselves!
