Open glock primer question

[BlueOvalBruin]

This question could have gone in the reloading section too but I won’t get the glock-specific answers I’m looking for. Anyway, I’m building an open g17 and had a few questions about what types of primers people are using. My plan was to start with a 124/125gr zero or MG and use HS6. I also like using low power striker spring with a lightened striker and don’t want to give that up. The only primer I’ve used that worked 100% with that striker setup was federal SPPs (less than 100% with win and wolf SPPs). Are the federals too soft for an HS6 9major load? If so, any recommendations for a primer that is strong enough for 9 major but still easy to set off? Would federal SP Magnum or SRPs fit that bill?

Thanks.

[TruStreet]

I 've had good luck with CCI SP & Win SP.

[Mat Price]

I am using federal 100's in my open 34 with hs-6 I am loading 7.2 Grains with a 124 dp jhp @ 1.150 thats my steel and falling plate load. start @ 7.2 and work up to major. YOU MUST HAVE A CHRONY and look for signs of pressure.

[eric nielsen]

I pierced a few primers when shooting HS6 and Federal 100's in the Glock. Pierced a lot more Fed primers shooting HS7 and Vectan SP2, which flow thru the flash-hole and sit on the primer even more than HS6 does.

Never pierced any primers shooting 3n38 powders in the Glock; also no pierced primers shooting any ammo in a 2011 including 10s of 1000s of SP2 and HS6 rounds. So the design of the breechface and striker tip has something to do with it too.

Edited February 7, 2011 by eric nielsen

[BlueOvalBruin]

I pierced a few primers when shooting HS6 and Federal 100's in the Glock. Pierced a lot more Fed primers shooting HS7 and Vectan SP2, which flow thru the flash-hole and sit on the primer even more than HS6 does.

Never pierced any primers shooting 3n38 powders in the Glock; also no pierced primers shooting any ammo in a 2011 including 10s of 1000s of SP2 and HS6 rounds. So the design of the breechface and striker tip has something to do with it too.

Did you switch to a different primer or just dealt with the occasional pierced primer?

[eric nielsen]

I stayed with 3n38, 115gr JHPs, and the Fed 100 primers. They are a pain to make ammo at the right OAL but shoot beautifully.

2nd-best is HS6, 115s, and CCI primers. Easier to make ammo, harder to pull the trigger. Used a std striker spring minus 2 coils. Also shoots pretty nice. 3 of my open guns have shot HS6 flatter AND softer with 115s [vs 125s] - kind of unique to HS6 powder.

Still saw pierced primers using Federal Small Rifle primers, and they left visibly more primer shavings in the back of the gun, bad deal.

My gun set off just about any CCI better than just about any Winchester primer. Maybe because of off-center strikes, best guess.

Edited February 8, 2011 by eric nielsen

[BlueOvalBruin]

I stayed with 3n38, 115gr JHPs, and the Fed 100 primers. They are a pain to make ammo at the right OAL but shoot beautifully.

2nd-best is HS6, 115s, and CCI primers. Easier to make ammo, harder to pull the trigger. Used a std striker spring minus 2 coils. Also shoots pretty nice. 3 of my open guns have shot HS6 flatter AND softer with 115s [vs 125s] - kind of unique to HS6 powder.

Still saw pierced primers using Federal Small Rifle primers, and they left visibly more primer shavings in the back of the gun, bad deal.

My gun set off just about any CCI better than just about any Winchester primer. Maybe because of off-center strikes, best guess.

What kinds of problems did you have loading 3N38? Did the 3n38 loads shoot softer? Flatter?

Regarding the striker spring, I did the same exact thing and cut off 2 coils when using win primers. It set off primers no problem but made the trigger pull heavier than I wanted. I like the combo of federal primer/GW striker spring and and very interested now in 3n38.

Edit: Whatw as your load BTW if you don't mind me asking.

Thanks.

Edited February 8, 2011 by BlueOvalBruin

[triplesinglestack]

I did a search, and found a lot of INFO on blue dot, for open glocks, maybe something to consider......

[Jman]

Fed 100's no problems at all.

[eric nielsen]

For 3n38 you have to almost fill the 9x19 case and then crush a bullet down on top of that. You're seating to a few .001's shorter than your final OAL and then the bullet walks out a little bit. And you need to crimp it, about .002", fast. Then check your OAL, often. Set the long ones aside for practice.

You need more powder for 115's but the bullet takes up less of the case, so it's almost a tie. Somewhere between 8.4 and 9.0 gr of 3n38 should make Major with a 115. About 1/2-grain less to make Major with a 124 bullet [which is true for several powders].

You might look HERE and work your way back in time. Luckily back in the early posts it was guys who know how to responsibly work up a load. If you're not willing to make 3-5 versions of a load and chrono them all, repeat as necessary, then Major9 is probably not the game to play.

[BlueOvalBruin]

There might be a way to prevent the OAL variance. If the bullet creeps between seating and crimping stations I wonder if it would work to switch the crimp die with another seating die with a taper crimp feature. It’s normally not good to have the brass crimped when the bullet is initially being seated but if it’s already seated then the seating plug can just bump the round back down a few thou if necessary and the die body perform the crimp. Has anyone tried this?

Also, what sizing die are you using? Maybe a u-size die would reduce the case capacity too much?

[Jman]

FWIW. I use the U die on a separate SS press. Wont load without it. The cost, availability and performance is why I have stuck with HS-6 in my Open G17. No pressure signs in the 1.158 to 1.160 OAL at major velocities. YMMV.

Jim

[Mad Scientist]

I've had good luck with federal primers ,win, rem, and cci small pistol the wolf SP are way to hard and you get a light strike @10% of the time running wolf 4 pnd springs

Piereced primmers in the glock can be from a rough striker hole in the slide. The flow that is common with glocks actualy tears as the case moves down the breach.very common problem with caspian slides .Radiusing and polishing the striker hole and breach face can really help.

Edited February 11, 2011 by Mad Scientist

[ede]

I've used HS-6 and Power Pistol with Federal SPP with no problems. Need to add not fired all that many 9 major loads in my G17.

[Whitefish]

I've used both Winchester small pistol primers and Federal small pistol magnum primers in my two open G 17's. I'm currently using Silhouette powder, but have used WSF and VV 3N37 successfully for 9 major with both Zero 125 gr JHP and Montana Gold 121 gr IFP bullets. My guns both have Vanek triggers and a 4 lb Wolff striker spring. One has a Jaeger striker and the other has a lightened steel Lightning Strike striker. I've never had pressure issues with either WSP or FSPM primers and no problems with light strikes. Regular Federal small pistol primers will work depending on the temperature and powder, but pressure issues like primer flow and flattening are much more likely to occur based on what I am hearing from other 9 major shooters - sometimes a major problem and sometimes just a minor annoyance.