Jess Money Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Although I prefer Federal primers, in today's market sometimes you have to take what you can get. I've used Winchester primers off and on for many years and have never had problems with them or any other brand primers until this past Monday. While needing to replenish ammo for practice and the next couple monthly matches, I broke open a new brick of Winchester primers and proceeded to prime my brass. I have a small number of military issued .38 pieces for practice purposes and began with them. The pockets on this brass seems to be tighter than commercial brass so I really didn't think too much about the heavy pull I needed on the single stage press to seat the primer. But as I went along I thought ...sumptin' ain't right! I placed a once fired Remington case in the shell holder, sized the brass and when I went to seat the primer, the same thing happened, Hard to seat. The next primer I set in the holder cocked sideways and then I finally took a look at the primers. Wow! Under an illuminated magnifying glass the anvils were a couple thousand's above the rim of the cup and the cup looked out of round. I did try several more primers but they cocked in the primer holder or rode above it without going in. I put the remaining primers back in their plastic tray and put that tray in with the other nine packs in the master box. I bought these primers from my favorite supplier so I'll take them back along with the receipt for an exchange. I was wondering, since this was a first for me, if anyone else had experienced this problem recently with Winchester small pistol primers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 The anvils are supposed to be above the cup. What kind of press do you have? Military brass has crimped in primers. Unless you removed the crimps the new primers either won't go in or go in very hard. You might have bent something trying to seat primers in the military brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rance - SASS # 54090 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I've used Winchester small pistol primers for about 12 years.. Was able ta get my hands on some Federals last year sooo.. Now I load my Big Ol' Match ammo with the Federals.. and my monthly match ammo with the Winchesters.. I've never had the problems your havin'.. Rance Thinkin' I'd take 'em back too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mean Matt McCord, SASS #24683 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 That is a new one on me. In all the years I used Winchester primers exclusively, never had a single problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Money Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 The anvils are supposed to be above the cup. What kind of press do you have? Military brass has crimped in primers. Unless you removed the crimps the new primers either won't go in or go in very hard. You might have bent something trying to seat primers in the military brass. Never noticed that before, Larsen but you're absolutely right. Thanks for the heads-up. But the cocking of the primer in the primer holder plus my eye ball indication of an out of round primer cup leads me to believe I have a bad batch of primers. Here's an interesting discussion on the anvil leg height from another forum. http://www.reloadersnest.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10532 I've been using a Lee single stage for the last several years and it still works fine. As far as removing the cup ring in the military brass, no, I haven't but I have reloaded that same brass at least five times. It is harder to seat the primer in the military brass, as I said. But, the primers will seat flush and do go bang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Money Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 That is a new one on me. In all the years I used Winchester primers exclusively, never had a single problem. Same here, Matt, even though they're not my main go to primers. Just wondering if anyone else had this problem lately. Could be mine is an isolated case. I sure hope so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 That is a new one on me. In all the years I used Winchester primers exclusively, never had a single problem. Same here. Been run' WSP for decades, with no issues. LG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Same here, Matt, even though they're not my main go to primers. Just wondering if anyone else had this problem lately. Could be mine is an isolated case. I sure hope so. See if the priming system is dirty/worn/damaged. LG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt Dan Blodgett, SASS #75655 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Could take a caliper to themvs other known good primers and also measure depth of primer pockets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Though not military 38's - have several hundred empty Federal 308 MATCH brass. They have the SS ring in the primer pocket and when seating the LR primers ... 'easy does it' is the way to load them and if not careful, the primers will not seat because they are bent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpaw Gringo, SASS # 74217 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I believe all primers look out of round under magnification. I just checked some Tula, CCI and older Winchester white box primers and they look just like what you discribed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palo Verde, SASS # 56522 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Did Not see the article myself! But, I was telling a pretty informed guy about current problems some people are having with Winchester primers and he told me that he had just read an "article" that unfavorably discussed Winchester's new primer anvil. The guy gave a number of technical particulars from the "article" but I did not ask where the article was.. If this is so, it may be disappointing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.