New Federal Small Pistol Primers

[Lead Monger]

Loaded 500 rounds of 38 special using new Federal sp primers. Wife and I had 5 fail to fires out of the first 40 rounds we attempted to fire. This occurred in 3 different firearms. Non of them fired on a second strike. I knocked the dud rounds apart and didn’t see anything wrong. All had powder. Anybody else encountered this recently?

[Sedalia Dave]

Did you deprime the cases?  If so was the anvil installed? Did they have priming compound?

[John Barleycorn, SASS #76982]

Lot number please.

[Silver Creek Jack]

You might contact Federal and give them the lot # on the box, they will tell you if they have had other complaints .

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Did you try them in a stock/factory gun? 

 

[Lead Monger]

The primers appeared normal when loaded into the transfer tubes. I only looked at two of the failed ones. Both had pale green material in them and the anvil was there. Each had been hit twice so the strike was deep. 
Two failures were in Taylor’s C Masons with factory Jeep springs. Another was from a Nichole plated C Mason with Wolff springs. The other were from a 73 and a 66 with reduced power springs. All have been reliable with Federal and Remington primers in the past. 
The Lot # is M442P03.

[The Rainmaker, SASS #11631]

I have some Remingtons I'm having exactly the same problem with. Good hits, primer intact, powder in the cartridge... no bang.

Probably 3-4 per 100.

[Sedalia Dave]

5 hours ago, Lead Monger said:

The primers appeared normal when loaded into the transfer tubes. I only looked at two of the failed ones. Both had pale green material in them and the anvil was there. Each had been hit twice so the strike was deep. 
Two failures were in Taylor’s C Masons with factory Jeep springs. Another was from a Nichole plated C Mason with Wolff springs. The other were from a 73 and a 66 with reduced power springs. All have been reliable with Federal and Remington primers in the past. 
The Lot # is M442P03.

 

Time to call Federal and tell them what you found.

 

BTW the pale green material is what keeps the priming compound and anvil in place.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

5 hours ago, Lead Monger said:

The primers appeared normal when loaded into the transfer tubes. I only looked at two of the failed ones. Both had pale green material in them and the anvil was there. Each had been hit twice so the strike was deep. 
Two failures were in Taylor’s C Masons with factory Jeep springs. Another was from a Nichole plated C Mason with Wolff springs. The other were from a 73 and a 66 with reduced power springs. All have been reliable with Federal and Remington primers in the past. 
The Lot # is M442P03.

Call Federal, there's an issue for sure!

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

keep us posted on your outcome

[Scarlett]

On 8/15/2024 at 3:52 PM, Silver Creek Jack said:

You might contact Federal and give them the lot # on the box, they will tell you if they have had other complaints .

 

Federal didn't respond to my concerns.  I haven't had issues but I have a lot of the old primers and use them for the big matches. 

 

I have personal knowledge of others who have had these same issues.  I will inspect the primers before I fill the pick up tubes...any that look suspicious I will cull and put in the practice primer bag.

 

Hugs!

Scarlett

 

 

[Silver Creek Jack]

It’s been probably 11-12 years ago and they did answer the phone and connected me to a very nice gentleman who’s name I can’t recall unfortunately, he asked for the lot # we talked for a while, he had 2 complaints of primers of the same lot # and advised that I not use them in important situations such as self defense or competition, only practice. Said he would send me a couple of complaint forms for me to fill out which he did, I put them in my desk and promptly forgot them we moved since that time and have no idea where they went, have not had any more problems like that with Federal primers since.

[Lead Monger]

I have sent Federal an email so I’ll see if they respond.

[Lead Monger]

Some follow up to the fail to fire enigma. A Federal representative responded to my email the next day. He requested photos of the dented primers and required they only be hit once. Reasonable! He also requested photos of the extracted primers after breaking the failed rounds down. Of coarse I had smacked the failed primers at least twice and didn’t save any of them after tare down so no pictures from that group. I will capture pictures when it happens again. The kicker! I have fired 300 rounds of 38 with these primers and have not had one fail to fire since the first episode. I have been playing with four different revolvers and all have gone bang every time. until it happens again I’m stumped.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

I had a similar thing happen.  Both pair of revolvers I have been using started misfiring.  I tried cleaning the guns, stronger mainsprings, voodoo, etc.  Could not figure out how four pistols would all start misfiring at the same time.  Finally I cleaned my press and checked the priming rod.  I don't know what kind of press you have but on mine the rod is adjustable.  I raised the rod so it seated the primers about .003" deeper and the problem went away.

[Captain Bill Burt]

I was thinking (I know, dangerous habit) along the same lines as Larsen. If the primer isn’t seated deep enough or the pocket is loose you can get ftf as the first hit ends up reseating the primer rather than setting it off.

[Idaho Gunslinger]

7 hours ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

I had a similar thing happen.  Both pair of revolvers I have been using started misfiring.  I tried cleaning the guns, stronger mainsprings, voodoo, etc.  Could not figure out how four pistols would all start misfiring at the same time.  Finally I cleaned my press and checked the priming rod.  I don't know what kind of press you have but on mine the rod is adjustable.  I raised the rod so it seated the primers about .003" deeper and the problem went away.

Typically that results in them going off the 2nd time though doesn't it? The first hit finishes seating the primer and the 2nd hit detonates it. 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

1 hour ago, Idaho Gunslinger said:

Typically that results in them going off the 2nd time though doesn't it? The first hit finishes seating the primer and the 2nd hit detonates it. 

 

Sometimes is a better word than typically.  Sometimes they do sometimes they do not.  Sometimes the priming pellet cracks on the first strike and it will never go off after that.

[Marauder SASS #13056]

On 8/16/2024 at 4:59 PM, Silver Creek Jack said:

 have not had any more problems like that with Federal primers since.

Ahh, it was obviously where you lived!  I know, my name is Kammie!

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

You always seat primers to the bottom of the primer cup 

[watab kid]

ive not had a primer issue recently but ive not used federals in years now - mostly CCI , 

[Rye Miles #13621]

I’ve had a few not go off last match from my short stroked rifle. I adjusted the screw under the lever to make the hammer hit a little harder and no problems now. 
They went off in my Colts after failing in the rifle, so in my case it was the rifle. Just sayin’…….