Winchester Primers

Rex

Active Member
Anyone else having trouble setting off Winchester small pistol primers? I bought 2000 a while back and a large number act like small rifle primers, they won't go bang unless I push then back out of the case and hit them with a black smith hammer on the anvil. Firing pin looks to dent them OK for the most part. Multiple strikes in the revolver dents the primer top in but no bang. S&W 686 with hammer mounted pin that looks OK. Several out of each 100 makes it hard to concentrate on the sights.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Can you be certain that every primer is fully seated? That is the number one cause of primer issues.
Has the hammer spring been swapped for a lighter one to improve trigger pull? Another common cause of primer issues.

I have had no issues with almost any brand not firing unless I am using a small rifle primer in a handgun.

I use lots of Winchester primers of all types with no troubles. If you can eliminate other potential causes I would contact Winchester.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Never had an issue with Winchester primers, good thing cause I've probably got 7-8,000 of them.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Which ones? Those marked for "standard" loads work just fine in my little Keltec .32 ACP, where as "standard or magnum" primers give me some failures (maybe 1 or 2%). The only other thing I could even add to Brad's response is that the chamber is clean or the cylinder rim seats are clean. Oil and fouling can do a lot of cushioning to a rim.
 

Rex

Active Member
I seat these on a Dillon 550 press and pull the lever pretty hard. As far as I know the hammer spring is the original. I bought the gun new but did send it in to S&W several years ago for a cleaning and some engraving work. This issue just cropped up since last summer. I got a thousand Remington primers to try when these run out. I guess we'll see what happens.
The barrel and cylinder get a good cleaning after each shooting cession.
 
Last edited:

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Sorry Rex, but pulling the lever hard does not relate to seating depth. Is the primer below the base of the cartridge? Should be able to stand the cartridge on a smooth surface and not rock even a little. Not being picky, but the simplest things are the easiest to overlook.
 

Reloader762

Active Member
Anyone else having trouble setting off Winchester small pistol primers? I bought 2000 a while back and a large number act like small rifle primers, they won't go bang unless I push then back out of the case and hit them with a black smith hammer on the anvil. Firing pin looks to dent them OK for the most part. Multiple strikes in the revolver dents the primer top in but no bang. S&W 686 with hammer mounted pin that looks OK. Several out of each 100 makes it hard to concentrate on the sights.

A quick google search will show numerous threads of issues related to Winchester primers over the years, it pretty much runs the gamut. I think some is related to operator issues either equipment or firearms related but some is the result of poor quality control at the then new munitions plant. Most recently have been issues with the new 350 Legend cartridge and bullet seating an crimping causing over pressure issues. Personally I've never had an issue with anyone's primers foreign or domestic brands or other components for that matter, guess I'm just lucky.
 
Last edited:

Ian

Notorious member
They should be below flush, there's a spec for how much and a tolerance but honestly I've never bothered to check.

S&W revolvers don't as a general observation hit the primer very hard, which is one reason I tend to stick with Federal. It might also be a good time to check your end shake and firing pin protrusion.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
They should be below flush, there's a spec for how much and a tolerance but honestly I've never bothered to check.

S&W revolvers don't as a general observation hit the primer very hard, which is one reason I tend to stick with Federal. It might also be a good time to check your end shake and firing pin protrusion.

And while not common I have over the years found primer pockets that were too deep. If the primer seats too deep the firing pin strike will be weak. I check for this with the Sinclair primer pocket uniforming tool, it will cut to SAAMI max depth and if it doesn't contact the bottom of the pocket that pocket is too deep.
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
. . . the Sinclair primer pocket uniforming tool . . .

Yep, a very spiffy tool that will quickly show you just how much primer pocket depths vary.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
the 550's are adjustable for primer seating depth. pain in the butt to do but adjustable.
my little 624 has a hard time setting off win. primers in double action it does fine in single action but double action is a maybe yes/no like 2-3% of the time.
I have had other guns that pretty much refused to fire anything but federal primers, those were the ones with 'action jobs' or the like.
you might be fine with the remingtons they seem to have a little softer brass face.
 

Hawk

North Central Texas
You have to be careful with the Remingtons. Some of their SPP are only rated for low pressure loads and are not suitable for magnum pistol cartridges.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
As best I can tell reading the advertisements, Fed, Win and Rem all make standard and magnum small pistol primers.
 

Ian

Notorious member
Reminton makes an extra light 1-1/2 or some such for .38 wadcutter loads iirc.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
Winchester primers of all sizes have always been uber-reliable for me. I try to use them because so much of my reloading gets done with ball/spherical powders, and per C.E. Harris in American Rifleman during the mid-1980s the W-W primers contain a fuel element that optimizes their use with such propellants. (Aluminum oxide, IIRC). I do hope that bad lots of W-W primers are NOT a current issue, 'cause I just dropped $132 on a sleeve of WSPs about 2 weeks back.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
A couple more questions.
Will this same ammo fire reliably in other firearms?
Does this firearm fire reliably with other primers? Did it do so in the past with Win primers?

Like Alan said, I hope the current Win primers are good, I have 10K of them.
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
I'll throw my experience out there. You could have a tired hammer spring.

I always used CCI primers for my 70's vintage Python. CCI primers are noted as having hard cups. Utterly, reliable till one day. Explored the usual causes. No dice. As a last result, I had a new hammer spring installed. Presto, no more issues with light primer strikes. Biggest issue was obtaining a new spring. Colt wouldn't sell you one. Found a Master Gunsmith, in Redford, Michigan (Frank Paris) who was noted for his work on Pythons and HP's. He happened to have one laying around.

Prior to that, I use to go to a outdoor range in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Passed by Magnaport, on the way. Stopped in and non other than Larry Kelly was manning the counter. He examined the gun and promptly said the problem was I installed an aftermarket springs and that was causing my issues............because the DA trigger was so sweet. Well, I was the original owner and gun had the same unaltered springs in it. Promptly, left and never went back. Wasn't impressed with Mr. Kelly, the owner and celebrated handgun hunter.
 

Rex

Active Member
This is something that just cropped up in the last few months and these are the first Winchester primers that I have used. First thousand were Winchester Magnum primers because I bought the box without my glasses on. Second thousand are standard primers and are a bit more reliable than the magnum primers. I only own one handgun (I know this seems odd to most every one else).
I will check the end play and Wolf makes what they call a standard spring that is only about 12 bucks. We'll see what happens.