Soft Pistol Primers

[kiyshooter]

I have used Fed. Pistol primers for better ignition in my custom revolvers that have lighter hammer hits. Fed primers are hard to obtain at times from my dealer. What other brand would be comparable to Fed. Primers?

[Matt Griffin]

I have used Fed. Pistol primers for better ignition in my custom revolvers that have lighter hammer hits. Fed primers are hard to obtain at times from my dealer. What other brand would be comparable to Fed. Primers?

General consensus is that Winchester is the next-softest, but not as soft as Federals.

H.

[Carlos]

Wichester had some mis-fire & QC issues last year. I would not use those. Plus they cost too much.

A more reliable choice for soft primer would be the PMC brand, which is now sold under the name "Wolf" - but don't let the name mis-lead you - these are the same great primers we all know as the PMC brand and they come off the same assembly line. Top quality. And almost as relaible as Federal.

[Scoterbeast]

I am told the new Winchester pistol primers are softer. Have not tried them myself - any info on them out there???

[safarihunter]

I have been having good luck with Winchester primers, no misfires. I have always used CCI in past without ignition issues so was leery of switching to Winchester. With shortages nowdays sometimes you have to shoot what you can find

[epj]

There are a couple of guns I have issues with if I use CCI primers. Both work just fine if I use Winchester. Typically around here, CCI and WW are about the only brands commonly available.

[Jman]

All I have ever used is Winchester. Not because of any particular preference. Seemingly always around when I need them.

Never fail to go bang even in my beater G35. Prices are up. So is milk. Payed, I think $95.00 for 5000 WSP last month. Just

under .02 cents per pop. Don't know if that's good or bad. Come to think of it I have never bought a reloading component

from a store. A couple shooters at Rio keep us in components. So, here's to Gary and Roger.

Jim

[D.Hayden]

I have 2 pistols that federals work and Winchesters don't.

For me, and others, it's federal or nothing..

[ChuckS]

I have used WLP and WSP with no issues for 8 years or so. Last year I was shooting production with a Cz. I experimented with different strength mainsprings to get the DA trigger pull lower. I found that I could lighten to a point where I would get light strikes in 50-100 shots using WSP. That same spring worked flawlessly with ammo made with federal primers. I found a spring strength that worked reliably with WSP and stuck with it since I had 20K primers in stock. I gave a similar spring to a friend with a Cz and he had multiple CCI primer light strikes. So, from soft to hard I see: Federal - Winchester - CCI. I have no experience with PMC/Wolf.

Later,

Chuck

[Carlos]

I have used WLP and WSP with no issues for 8 years or so. Last year I was shooting production with a Cz. I experimented with different strength mainsprings to get the DA trigger pull lower. I found that I could lighten to a point where I would get light strikes in 50-100 shots using WSP. That same spring worked flawlessly with ammo made with federal primers. I found a spring strength that worked reliably with WSP and stuck with it since I had 20K primers in stock. I gave a similar spring to a friend with a Cz and he had multiple CCI primer light strikes. So, from soft to hard I see: Federal - Winchester - CCI. I have no experience with PMC/Wolf.

Later,

Chuck

Pretty much same here. Stay away from CCI - they are the LEAST reliable. Lots of duds / multiple strikes.

Took the plunge yesterday & ordered 5,000 of the PMCs. Now labled as wolf brand, but come outta the same plant as PMC. Will report back once they arrive.

[North]

Took the plunge yesterday & ordered 5,000 of the PMCs. Now labled as wolf brand, but come outta the same plant as PMC. Will report back once they arrive.

Carlos any updates yet?

Edited August 11, 2007 by North

[Carlos]

Delivery is slated for tomorrow - will report back upon receipt. D.

[DaG]

I have used WLP and WSP with no issues for 8 years or so. Last year I was shooting production with a Cz. I experimented with different strength mainsprings to get the DA trigger pull lower. I found that I could lighten to a point where I would get light strikes in 50-100 shots using WSP. That same spring worked flawlessly with ammo made with federal primers. I found a spring strength that worked reliably with WSP and stuck with it since I had 20K primers in stock. I gave a similar spring to a friend with a Cz and he had multiple CCI primer light strikes. So, from soft to hard I see: Federal - Winchester - CCI. I have no experience with PMC/Wolf.

Later,

Chuck

How many coils have you clipped if you don't mind my asking? TIA

DaG

[ChuckS]

I have used WLP and WSP with no issues for 8 years or so. Last year I was shooting production with a Cz. I experimented with different strength mainsprings to get the DA trigger pull lower. I found that I could lighten to a point where I would get light strikes in 50-100 shots using WSP. That same spring worked flawlessly with ammo made with federal primers. I found a spring strength that worked reliably with WSP and stuck with it since I had 20K primers in stock. I gave a similar spring to a friend with a Cz and he had multiple CCI primer light strikes. So, from soft to hard I see: Federal - Winchester - CCI. I have no experience with PMC/Wolf.

Later,

Chuck

How many coils have you clipped if you don't mind my asking? TIA

DaG

DaG,

I am using the Wolff 29015. That is a #15 spring. I wound up cutting ~3/4 of a turn and still got the WSP primers to light off.

BTW, I may on not been real clear above: I gave an UNCUT spring to the guy who had the bad luck with the CCI primers.

Later,

Chuck

[Chris Keen]

I have been having good luck with Winchester primers, no misfires. I have always used CCI in past without ignition issues so was leery of switching to Winchester. With shortages nowdays sometimes you have to shoot what you can find

+1

I have been shooting WSP out of my Edge, and WSR out of my open STI gun without any problems.

[Carlos]

5000 Wolf Primers arrived - these are NICE!

1) Inside the 5K sleeve, the 5 boxes come taped inside of a heavy plastic bag. Packed this way these primers could sit in 90% humidity for WEEKS and the primers inside would stay bone dry. +1 for Wolf over the US brands.

2) Unpacked 1000 and discovered all the individual trays of 100 are taped shut - on both sides. No more spilled primers. +2 for Wolf.

3) Cut the tape & looked - all the primers are packed face up - no special flip tray shaking needed, just flip over & start filling the primer tubes.

4) Loaded a Wolf primer into an empty case & loaded it in my SP-01 that is set up for Federals; went off fine 1st try. They load great through a Dillon, so I loaded up 150 in my usual load & will test them in a match tomorrow.

There is supposed to be some rifle guy named David Tubb who is supposedly the Rob Leatham of long range rifle accuracy. He is said to prefer the Wolf over all other primers & bought an entire single lot of them (one million primers) for consistency sake. Friend of mine has been using them for 300 yard accuracy with outstanding results.

[Tokarev]

I've been using them in .45ACP and have been pleased with the results. Chrono'ed velocities are a little higher than the same load with Federal primers but standard deviation, etc., remains about the same.

I've got together with some of the guys I shoot with and we've ordered about a dozen flats so we can split the shipping and HAZMAT. It ain't close to a million but we're doing what we can...

[SA Friday]

5000 Wolf Primers arrived - these are NICE!

1) Inside the 5K sleeve, the 5 boxes come taped inside of a heavy plastic bag. Packed this way these primers could sit in 90% humidity for WEEKS and the primers inside would stay bone dry. +1 for Wolf over the US brands.

2) Unpacked 1000 and discovered all the individual trays of 100 are taped shut - on both sides. No more spilled primers. +2 for Wolf.

3) Cut the tape & looked - all the primers are packed face up - no special flip tray shaking needed, just flip over & start filling the primer tubes.

4) Loaded a Wolf primer into an empty case & loaded it in my SP-01 that is set up for Federals; went off fine 1st try. They load great through a Dillon, so I loaded up 150 in my usual load & will test them in a match tomorrow.

There is supposed to be some rifle guy named David Tubb who is supposedly the Rob Leatham of long range rifle accuracy. He is said to prefer the Wolf over all other primers & bought an entire single lot of them (one million primers) for consistency sake. Friend of mine has been using them for 300 yard accuracy with outstanding results.

Pretty sure I was Carlos shooting these experimental rounds yesterday. No light fires, very consistant. The Wolf primers seem to be a touch harder than the Fed primers, but not into the CCI hardness area. I would say they are very similar to Winchester primers as to their hardness. As how they will work with the various powders? Who knows... Only the lack of primers and willingness of people to test them and report on BE will really tell.

I believe I might try out a box of these primers with my production minor load and see how they work. If I can light them off with a light glock striker spring, then they very well might be added to the "acceptible" list. I'm not sure I would be recommending them to any revolver shooters just yet. You know how those revolver guys get a little light in their springs.

[RH45]

I have run Winchester in all of my guns for the last 14 years and didn't have any issues until I sent my Glock 35 to Custom Glock Racing and they brought the trigger down to 3#. After I had the trigger work done, I would get an occasional misfire--during a match of course.

I also have a Glock 34 that I put one of Ralf's wonderful "Trigger Kits" in and it brought the trigger pull down to about 2#, but, it will NOT fire Winchester primers most of the time.

I've swithched to Federal primers for those two Glocks, and so far, they have run 100%, but, like said, Federal primers are almost impossible to come by at this time and it would sure be nice to know that there is an alternate that will work as well.