Winchester Large Pistol Primers Failing

[Fuelie777]

Last May (2020), I picked up 5000 Winchester large pistol primers.  Loaded a 1000 cartridges for my single stack.  Over the last 4 matches or so, I have been having a 4% to 5% failure to ignite.   The primers all appear to be properly seated.  The indentation in the primer also is the same as the fired brass.   I have been running a 22 pound main spring.   I tried shooting the again (single round at a time) and they would not fire on all of them.

 

My question, has anyone else seen this issue in the past with Winchester primers?  thanks

 

 

[jcc7x7]

If they are "OLD" they will look darker red almost a maroon color and some of those colored ones have caused me problems in the past.

But the box was several years old and I don't know how it was stored! Prior to me getting them from a fellow shooter. (i.e. last primer shortage 8-10 years ago)

[Joe4d]

I bought some from midway summer 2019...  getting 1 or 2 bad primers in every box of 100. Have caught them before loading though.. Havent noticed any misfires in loaded ammo.

Problems I have had,,

No priming compound

small pistol primer in the box

out of round or over sized or something causing them to jam in the Dillon pick up tubes.
All in all bad QC,,, winchester used to be the go to,,,, not anymore

[ExStreetWalker]

I've used thousands of Winchester primers.  Never had a problem.  Between my shooting partner and I we loaded almost 50K last year with Winchester primers.  No problems at all.

 

I'd suspect some kind of contamination on your end.  

[Farmer]

I have some new, med (blue box)and old ones,(white box). So far no problems. Have noticed the new match ones seat a bit harder but that’s probably because of the finish. 
Now that I said that I probably cursed myself. 

Edited January 2, 2021 by Farmer

[Ben53]

Winchester is my preferred primer when I can get them.  Have reloaded quite a few with no problems whatsoever; every one went bang as far as I can remember.  I agree that there might be some contamination somewhere along the line on the primers that you have.

 

[Jim Watson]

I have loaded a lot of old white box and blue box WW primers with no failures.

I do not have any of the current primers in red boxes and can't say if there were a change in the product.  Or if the Covid Rush has led them to reduce QC.

[Squirrel45]

I have loaded thousands, both of the blue and new red box not really had any issues to speak of. These are set off with either single action revolvers or 18# 1911s. Double action revolvers get federals. 

 

[Fuelie777]

Thank you for your responses. 

 

 I looked at the failed primers as compared to the same primers that were fired and there was a major difference in look.   So far, I looked at the failed primers after pulling the bullets.  It appears, as compared to new ones, there was minimal if any primer compound.  I have used Winchester primers for years also, and never had an issue.   I asked around during our last match last Friday, and one person indicated he had a major issue year or so ago.  Another person indicated intermittent this current year and it is the only large pistol primers he has (just like myself) and he bought the primers at the same time as myself from the same source.

 

I had also loaded some of these in 44 special loads and used in my revolvers.   Had an issue with them also.   

 

I checked the firing pin length on both of my 45ACP 1911's, and the firing pin is .005" shorter than specification.  But never had an issue until this latest batch. 

 

Again thanks for responding.

 

 

[Joe4d]

can you check the lot number on them and post it ? curious if I have the same lot... As mentioned,, same same here, seem to get at least 1 bad out of 100 and have noticed some without priming compound, or a completely different color.  
I noticed a few in the flip try.
Hoping its just that 1 box of 1000,,   not sure if I bought just that, or I pulled it out of my 5000 box. 

[Farmer]

Yes, some lot numbers and possibly where you bought them from would help. So far I haven’t broken into my new std primers, have just tried some of the match ones so far. 

[RePete]

I quit using WW primers after I purchased 5000 just after they change from the nickel cups to the brass/plated cups.  More misfires than I had had previously.

 

I use Federal, Remington and CCI.

 

All of my revolvers are set up to ignite CCI.

[Joe4d]

I needed a 3lb maul to light off remington large pistol...   

[Jsjac]

When you clean your brass do yo wet tumble them with the used primers in. 

 If you do there could be a little bit of water in the primer pockets contaminating the new primers. The brass can sit for a while and the water will not evaporate. 

[WillM]

3 hours ago, Jsjac said:

The brass can sit for a while and the water will not evaporate. 

I’m in AZ so after I wet tumble, I spread the brass out on a towel laying on a chair in the sun so it has air flow below it. After an afternoon out, I’ve never had any residual moisture.  And in the case of a cloudy or cold day, our clothes dryer has an insert which fits into the drum and I place the towel and brass on that.  Set to high, it’s dry in no more than 45 minutes (and there’s no evidence that there was ever any brass in there)

[Fuelie777]

I wet tumble, after the primers are removed.  I use a food dehydrator to drive out all moisture.  It has all worked to date.  I will go look at the lot numbers.

[pcschwenke]

I also prefer Winchester primers in my semi autos.   Never had a primer failure in the past 30 years with my 1911s, with lightening springs.   Following.

[Joe4d]

wet tumbling or contamination on my end, or bad reloading practices doesnt create VISUALLY BAD PRIMERS,,, before you even load them. Recent Winchester QC,,,( 2019-2020) sucks.  

[pskys2]

FWIW back in one of the last Primer Shortages I caught half a dozen Federal SPP's , Match Grade no less, that had the anvil's flipped or damaged.  

It seemed they were being less stringent on their QC.  As soon as the shortages cleared up their QC returned.

 

I always look over both sides of the primers for damage before loading into the primer storage tubes.  A good reason to not use a Primer Machine?

[RudyVey]

Never had an issue with large primers failing, but the other day, I had a small primer mixed in the large primers. No idea how this happened, other than in the packaging of the primers. This was truly odd. Just had loaded some 10 primer tubes with LP and had no SP around - PAL filler, in which I dump the primers directly from the tray. I also use separate presses for large and small primers. So when this primer showed up, I looked what is going on as i did not feel anything when setting the primer, and yes, there it was a small primer. Odd

 

[Farmer]

On 4/25/2021 at 3:43 AM, RudyVey said:

Never had an issue with large primers failing, but the other day, I had a small primer mixed in the large primers. No idea how this happened, other than in the packaging of the primers. This was truly odd. Just had loaded some 10 primer tubes with LP and had no SP around - PAL filler, in which I dump the primers directly from the tray. I also use separate presses for large and small primers. So when this primer showed up, I looked what is going on as i did not feel anything when setting the primer, and yes, there it was a small primer. Odd

 

That Really is an odd one. Recent batch or some you’ve had for awhile?

 

[RudyVey]

1 hour ago, Farmer said:

That Really is an odd one. Recent batch or some you’ve had for awhile?

 

This was from either 2017 or 2018.

[RudyVey]

22 hours ago, RudyVey said:

This was from either 2017 or 2018.

To be exact, I got them in March 2017. I always put month and year on the primer boxes when I get them in. Good old times when you could get 5k delivered for some $150.

[Farmer]

19 hours ago, RudyVey said:

To be exact, I got them in March 2017. I always put month and year on the primer boxes when I get them in. Good old times when you could get 5k delivered for some $150.

[GBertolet]

I have had problems with Win LP primers flame cutting the breachface, where as Federals do not. Might have something to do with their hardness, in relation to chamber pressure. Not enough obturation to seal the primer pocket. Never had an ignition issues though. They all go bang.

Edited May 18, 2021 by GBertolet