How to check "sour" primers?

J

jrothWA

New member
Did some reloading for .38 SPL, with 4.3 grs. of Green Dot and plated 125 gr FMJ bullets.

First round form new loading sounded "flat" and checked the bore and saw the front end of the bullet just 3/4" from the muzzle.

how to check the rest of the primers???

Thnaks.
 
I'd check bullet diameter, charge weights, etc, before I worried about the primers. I've got some ancient primers that work just fine.
 
Why assume a faulty primer? My guess is a light charge. My experience has been a squib (no powder) gets the bullet out of the case and lodged in the forcing cone. Light charge gets a bullet lodged in the barrel. When this happened was there unburned powder?

You can continue to try and shoot keeping a wood dowel handy to beat out anymore problems or you can start pulling bullets. Anyway, I doubt a primer was behind the problem.

Ron
 
Do NOT use a wooden dowel to drive out a bullet. When it splits you will turn a small problem into a very big one. Buy a close fitting brass rod. Good hardware store or Amazon.
 
I seriously doubt the primer is at fault in any way. It's the combination of Green Dot, the light bullet, the fact that it is a plated bullet, the fact that it's the large .38 Special case and the ever-present issue with revolvers that have a built-in "bleed valve" for precious, much needed pressure.

I've done it also and I've done it more than once and yes, specifically in .38 Special, with plated slugs and with Green Dot.

My best suggestion for a solution and exactly the way I have confronted the issue is to cease using Green Dot in .38 Special.
 
In 50+ years of reloading my own ammunition, I've never had a FTF traceable to a bad primer. I suspect there might be another cause for the squib, the OP experienced. Rod
 
Not a FTF.

FTE (bullet failed to exit)

To low a load or not enough of the powder in the case.

Wood is fine, brass is better, if the wood splits, you are no worse off.

Brass can affect the rifling if it goes sideway on top of a bullet.
 
First thing I'd check is bullet tension in the case. If loose the primer alone will start the bullet moving and the powder having a much bigger volume will not create as much pressure. A good firm roll crimp is needed but the crimp will not correct loose bullet tension. I've seen this in 38 Spl. more than once with bullets barely clearing the barrel and falling to the ground within 25 yards.
 
Wood is fine, brass is better, if the wood splits, you are no worse off.
Click to expand...

I think brass is much, much better. Check out this thread:
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=553926&highlight=wood+dowel

and this thread;

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=543375&highlight=wood+dowel


Here's the picture of the setup the guy finally used to get the mess out of the barrel. I could very easily imagine that happening to me and I don't own a hammer drill. Brass for me ever since I saw the picture. I think pieces of the splintered wood jammed up bullet so it was really wedged in the barrel and couldn't be driven forward or back.
https://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=96986&d=1415056638
 
I would have to agree with the "no/low powder" group. A primer, by itself will drive a bullet a few inches into the barrel...

I've been reloading since 1969 off and on, and can only remember less than 3 or 4 (to be truthful mebbe just 1) "bad" primers. All other FTF were my fault (failing to seat primers properly).
 
I'd suspect powder charge or condition before primers.


----



And...
Ah, the infamous hammer drill photo. :D
For the record, that method is absolutely NOT recommended, and was not the correct method for removing that stuck slug. Nor was that a squib.
...But it was the result of a splintered hardwood dowel.

I'd explain how things escalated to the hammer drill, but it's really not important here.

attachment.php
 
Powder levels were checked for being the same level..

then the bullet was dropped into case then reloaded next line on the loading tray.

Once all lines were reading for seating the bullets thatn final crimped doe bullets and case.
 
Either you missed one (most likely, you can't know as its gone)

Or the powder is bad, but then just one?

You can check how deep the primers are seated.

You can pull a bullet and check powder

You can fire another one.

If it was the extremely rare bad primer (aka sour) then the only way to check the rest is to make them go bang.

You can pull all the bullets and do that as well.

You can ignore what everyone is telling you.

"I just know you guys aren't telling me your secret method of testing sour primers"
 
Last edited:
And...
Ah, the infamous hammer drill photo.
For the record, that method is absolutely NOT recommended, and was not the correct method for removing that stuck slug. Nor was that a squib.
...But it was the result of a splintered hardwood dowel.

I'd explain how things escalated to the hammer drill, but it's really not important here.
Click to expand...

Agreed, but we do need to know, separate post, the MN and the Hammer Drill Episode
 
I don't know of any way to check your other primers...

Have you changed anything...new batch of primers ( did you buy them from a gunshow or a good retail source ) / different powder ...something else...??

It sounds like you are confident it was not a powder drop issue ...but it is hard to tell if all the powder levels in a case are at the same level...( they can be off more than you might think ). As you get tired, its easy to let one slip by...

I would probably randomly pick 2 dozen primers out of your inventory ( from this same box if you have them ) ....load them, and shoot them slow fire...and see if you are getting significant point of impact differences ( meaning you might have a powder ignition problem )...check everything on your loads, min and max for powder, depth of bullet, crimp, etc...
 
From the post it looks like he has rounds ready to fire, he quit after the first one (plugged gun of course)

Nothing to prevent him from trying more rounds or pulling bullet and just firing the primers.
 
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