Bought a brick of Federal small pistol primers from a guy that has a lifetime supply. $75, which in these times is a fair price. I normally use and have very good results from Winchester primers. I primed 50 pieces of .32 acp brass, and crushed 7 of the federal primers. Besides that, about 50% of the brass primed really hard. Are federal primers slightly larger OD than Winchester? These pieces of brass have been reloaded before, with Winchester, and I had no problems at all. I always clean the primer pockets, every time I reload, so that's not the problem. Federal primers must be a few thousandths larger?
I hate Federal primers!
- Thread starter Mike38
- Start date
FoghornLeghorn
New member
I just loaded a few hundred rounds with federal small pistol primers and had no problems.
Try some different brass.
Try some different brass.
Carriertxv
New member
I’ve had issues with Winchester primers but never Federal.
OldManMontgomery
New member
Softer cups
Federal primers have - since the 1980s - been 'softer' in the external cup that holds all the components together than others. Remington primers have much the same reputation.
At that time I was competing in Police Pistol Competition (PPC, before Palmisano & Pindel Cartridge was a thing). One used specialized target revolvers (revolvers being the police mainstay at that time and before) in .38 Special wadcutter.
Federal and Remington were favored as they were the easiest to ignite with a light trigger mainspring.
Also consider the only real 'progressive' reloader (presses)were all about five times the price of a single stage loading press. I have since about 1996 owned and used a Dillion Progressive machine and it has loaded a bunch of reloads in several calibers (handgun and rilfle). But after the first attempt, I don't use Federal or Remington primers any more - in the progressive machines.
The softer cups crush more readily than the others. I could make them work, but I had to slow down a lot and make sure the cases (primer pockets) were correctly aligned with the primers. Not a criticism really, just a fact of incompatibility.
I still have a 'stash' of Federal SP primers. I only use them in a single stage press and only for certain loadings. Federal and Remington primers function quite well and consistently once in the loaded cartridge.
For the progressive press I find CCI and Winchester primers are stronger and self align (if that is the correct characteristic - it seems to be) better than either Federal or Remington.
Federal primers have - since the 1980s - been 'softer' in the external cup that holds all the components together than others. Remington primers have much the same reputation.
At that time I was competing in Police Pistol Competition (PPC, before Palmisano & Pindel Cartridge was a thing). One used specialized target revolvers (revolvers being the police mainstay at that time and before) in .38 Special wadcutter.
Federal and Remington were favored as they were the easiest to ignite with a light trigger mainspring.
Also consider the only real 'progressive' reloader (presses)were all about five times the price of a single stage loading press. I have since about 1996 owned and used a Dillion Progressive machine and it has loaded a bunch of reloads in several calibers (handgun and rilfle). But after the first attempt, I don't use Federal or Remington primers any more - in the progressive machines.
The softer cups crush more readily than the others. I could make them work, but I had to slow down a lot and make sure the cases (primer pockets) were correctly aligned with the primers. Not a criticism really, just a fact of incompatibility.
I still have a 'stash' of Federal SP primers. I only use them in a single stage press and only for certain loadings. Federal and Remington primers function quite well and consistently once in the loaded cartridge.
For the progressive press I find CCI and Winchester primers are stronger and self align (if that is the correct characteristic - it seems to be) better than either Federal or Remington.
What make is the brass you are priming?
I find that some European handgun brass has tighter primer pockets than domestically produced ammo.
This is especially true for 38/357 brass I have that is European in manufacture.
Here’s a couple of measurements I took of some Winchester and Federal Primers I have on hand and both are the same diameter.
These two lots are kinda old but not ancient, reference the federals you have, I would definitely measure them and see what’s up.
I find that some European handgun brass has tighter primer pockets than domestically produced ammo.
This is especially true for 38/357 brass I have that is European in manufacture.
Here’s a couple of measurements I took of some Winchester and Federal Primers I have on hand and both are the same diameter.
These two lots are kinda old but not ancient, reference the federals you have, I would definitely measure them and see what’s up.
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You don't say what Primer process you are using and the brass can be important as noted European brass is a tad smaller primer pockets.
My 7.5 Swiss PPU brass is harder to prime than US 06/308 etc.
Sometimes we have to adjust the process to deal with the components. Possible brass and availability vs primers in this case.
My 7.5 Swiss PPU brass is harder to prime than US 06/308 etc.
Sometimes we have to adjust the process to deal with the components. Possible brass and availability vs primers in this case.
The brass is Aguila, made in Mexico. Priming process is, clean carbon from pocket with one of those small hand held scrapers from Lee. Chamfer / deburr the primer pocket with a Lee case mouth deburr tool. Priming is done on a Lee Challenger single stage press, not the hand held unit which I don't like. This is about the 5th reload on this small lot of brass. The first 4 were with Winchester primers and I had no problems crushing the primers, but they did require more force than what I usually experience. Maybe Aguila has slightly smaller / tighter primer pockets?
I've had just the opposite problem. Can't seat Win WLP without flattening them in .45 cases. Federals all seat easily. Fed is my go to primer, small and large. I have a couple tuned guns that need the Fed primers or I may get a misfire now and then, especially with Win primers. Check alignment of your priming device.
Try using a primer pocket uniforming tool on them , the one I use is a little Lyman hand reamer type , a few turns makes all the pockets the same diameter and the same depth ...just the ticket for those tight pockets .
Gary
101combatvet
New member
I've never had issues with CCI or Remington. Mostly shoot Winchester because I've had some incredible deals buying them $5 - $20 per thousand. Oddly, there was a time when I got a patch of primers that I was getting a few miss fires with Winchester, nothing lately but still.
Average Joe
New member
Try a different brass case, some brass have tight pockets.
recoil junky
New member
Were the Winchester primers brass or nickel washed?
RJ
RJ
Mike38,
Per previous posts, I've measured some foreign brass to be about 4 tenths of a thousandth tighter than domestic brass. The other thing to watch out for is some commercial brass, particularly military calibers, is now crimped like military cartridges are, and the crimp has to be removed for smooth primer seating. Whichever situation you have, Gwpercl is correct that you want to try primer pocket profiling too, whether it be a reamer or a swaging too.
As a side note, I've always found Federal primers easy to seat, so your issue is a surprise from that standpoint. Note that if your cases have the remains of a crimp, the crushing is likely due to catching the edge of the pocket. If the Winchester primers have better-rounded edges, that might account for the difference. A quick thing to try short of reaming or swaging the primer pockets is just to chamfer the mouths of the pockets with a countersink for a couple of hundredths of an inch to remove crimp overhang and to slightly funnel the opening to the pocket. The reamer or swager will radius it slightly, but the funnel should stop edge catching, and if the seating feels easier afterward, a crimp is your most likely culprit.
Per previous posts, I've measured some foreign brass to be about 4 tenths of a thousandth tighter than domestic brass. The other thing to watch out for is some commercial brass, particularly military calibers, is now crimped like military cartridges are, and the crimp has to be removed for smooth primer seating. Whichever situation you have, Gwpercl is correct that you want to try primer pocket profiling too, whether it be a reamer or a swaging too.
As a side note, I've always found Federal primers easy to seat, so your issue is a surprise from that standpoint. Note that if your cases have the remains of a crimp, the crushing is likely due to catching the edge of the pocket. If the Winchester primers have better-rounded edges, that might account for the difference. A quick thing to try short of reaming or swaging the primer pockets is just to chamfer the mouths of the pockets with a countersink for a couple of hundredths of an inch to remove crimp overhang and to slightly funnel the opening to the pocket. The reamer or swager will radius it slightly, but the funnel should stop edge catching, and if the seating feels easier afterward, a crimp is your most likely culprit.