Discolored Win SP primers

[TheBrick]

Has anyone been having problems with discolored or tarnished Winchester small pistol primers?

I have a brick of 5,000 and there are always some that appear tarnished but then there are one or two that are really stained.

I am wondering if these primers have "leaked" because I have been getting an occasional squib load with the bullet impacting the target but of a lower power.

These have been in matches and I have been unable to isolate the squib round to look at the primer.

I have tested shooting a round with just the primer and no powder which always results in a round stuck in the barrel. This makes me pretty confident that it is a primer problem and not powder.

Any ideas or experiences?

I can't find e-mail contact for Win and with my hearing, the phone does not work well.

Edited July 28, 2010 by TheBrick

[BritinUSA]

Winchester is part of the Olin group --> Contact Page

[gng4life]

About the test with the bullet and primer, no powder - as far as I remember, that always results in a round stuck in the barrel. So far this year, I've seen three squibs and all have been lodged in the barrel. They all sound as if they did not have any powder also. BTW, these were not my loads, I was at a match each time. I've had two squibs in the last 19 years of reloading and both of those also were lodged in the barrel.

I checked my supply of WSP/WLP and did not see any tarnishing on them.

I hope Winchester can answer that question...Good luck

[Hi-Power Jack]

I've used thousands of WW primers, small and large pistol,

and have never seen a tarnished primer.

Jack

[GrumpyOne]

Send them to me for proper disposal. The discoloration is nothing more than tarnish. Leave copper or brass anywhere where there is even the slightest bit of moisture and they will tarnish. It isn't the primer causing your so called "squibs", more than likely a low powder charge. I've loaded Win primers that were so old that they were almost black with tarnish and they worked fine.

[pstew]

I've have seen them like that, probably 1 in 500. I loaded them up and never knew the difference.

[Pezco]

I've seen the tarnish many times as I use WSP exclusively. No issues, just oxidation of the metal. I tend to notice the tarnish on my loaded rounds that have sat around for a while.

[foilhat]

I bought some primers at a gun show this past year during the primer scare. They were the only ones I could find and I was about out. When I got them home I noticed the dull tarnished look. I figured the guy had them sitting around for a while. I loaded them up and they shot just fine.

[ak47traxx]

I've also noticed several discolored or tarnished primers in the last flat of WSP I bought. They have all fired for me.

[ak47traxx]

I've also noticed several discolored or tarnished primers in the last flat of WSP I bought. They have all fired for me.

[SLM]

Guy had an article on primers in Front Site a while back saying it's darn near impossible to render a primer useless. You can get them soaking wet, let them dry and they'll be darn near as good as brand new. Tarnish shouldn't hurt the priming compound.

[GmanCdp]

I 'VE had 30 or 40 in the last 1000 i've loaded but they are WLP..and i've had got 4 right now on the bench at are out of round or lumped to one side..

Edited July 30, 2010 by GmanCdp

[TheBrick]

Thanks for all the input.

SLM - I located that article in Front Sight and was very much informed by what was written.

I feel better about using these primers and guess I have to look at my Dillon 550b for throwing an occasional light load.

Grumpy - The primers are in the mail!