A word of caution about primers, YMMV UPDATED 11/17/23
bpost
Member Posts: 32,664 ✭✭✭✭
I purchased 5,000 imported small pistol primers in the green boxes from a large supplier last year. Much to my dismay most of them will not fire! The failure rate is well over 50%. Hitting them twice in the 92F will sometimes fire them. The cups are way too thick or hard, not allowing proper ignition or any ignition at all.
I noticed when they do fire, the 120 Gr. cast bullets will keyhole about 25% of the time. To be sure it was the primers I shot several magazines loaded with Federal or Winchester primers in all the 9MM handguns I have and not a single one failed to fire. No bullets keyholed and accuracy was what I expected.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!!!!!
UPDATE:
Wondering if there was anything I did to cause the failures I did the following. I seated the bullets .010 deeper to assure they never touched the rifling in these handguns. I used a spare taper crimp die to squeeze the round even more than the book recommendation. There is still enough lip to create proper headspace but it is tighter than normal.
After each step, seating deeper first I tried to shoot them in my G34 Gen 5 and Taurus 92F. Most did not fire. After seating deeper AND added tamper crimp I got the same result. Other rounds loaded with CCI and Winchester primers function flawlessly in both guns. The rounds that failed to fire show good firing pin impact but shallow compared to USA primers.
Next as a last resort I shot them in all three configurations in my AR 9. There were no failures to fire at all. I have over 2,000 of these loaded and it burns my butt they can only be used in the AR 9.
The seller did contact me after I waited over a week and called them to see what was going to be done. They replied to my email asking for pictures, I sent them a couple of days ago, still awaiting a response.
Comments
A good warning, thanks.
I contacted the seller several days ago by email, crickets in response. Today, I tracked the manufacturer down in Argentina and was able to email them through their web site. I will let you know if they respond. The biggest issue is with all the wars going on American primers, when available, are about a dime each. That makes an afternoon of plinking almost unaffordable.
that almost sounds like they were meant to be small rifle primers. it is my understanding that the cups on small rifle primers are somewhat thicker than the cup on a small pistol primer so i assume rifle firing pins must hit the primer with more force than does a pistol firing pin. maybe all is not lost if someone would be willing to trade with you.
They shoot in the AR-9 just fine. I tested some in my revolvers and they went bang. I agree they have hard or to thick cups. I just ordered 5,000 CCI small pistol primers, problem solved.
Might be made for full auto guns. The old sub guns had fixed or "nubs" on the heavy bolt to hit the primers. ( Like a Sten )