Primer strike no combustion

[Mal H]

Going solely on the images you supplied, I think several have correctly diagnosed your failure-to-fire problem. You haven't seated the primers deep enough in the pocket. In the second image, I would swear you can see a good portion of the side of the primer which you should not be able to see at that angle, or any angle for that matter. If you still have that case intact, place a straight edge across the base and see what you find.

The first image has good focus on your glove, but the primer is so out of focus as to make that image useless for analysis.

 

[cdoc42]

I'd suggest before you fill the case with powder, stand the primed case on the bench top. If it rocks at all, rather than being flat, reseat that primer with a bit of pressure on it until the case stands flat. High primers can also make it appear your finished cartridge has the bullet not seated deeply enough, causing you to blame bullet imperfection, thick case necks, etc. Before you reset the die for that round, stand that cartridge on the bench to see if it rocks.

 

[Unclenick]

Tangolima,

If the cup edge touches the bottom, it's gone too far. If you look sideways at a primer, the anvil feet are sticking up more than 0.002"-0.004". So what you are looking to do is feel the anvil feet just kiss the bottom of the pocket (when the resistance goes up noticeably) and then go 0.002"-0.004" deeper. It won't be far enough for the sides of the cup to touch the floor of the primer pocket, though.

I think I'm seeing what Mal does, but the focus problem makes it impossible to really be sure.

 

[Reloadron]

Going back to Slamfire's post where he mentions:

According to the article, the most common cause of misfires is high primers. The primer anvil has to be firmly seated, and then the cup/primer cake, pushed on to it, setting the "bridge distance". So, maybe that is your problem.

Also UncleNick's comments:

With that in mind let's take a look at a few primers up close and personal right out of the box:

Looking closely it becomes apparent the primer anvil extends just a fraction of an inch, a very small fraction, above the rim of the primer cup. When I seat a primer I seat it till the primer "bottoms out" in the primer pocket. When this is done correctly the seated primer should be sitting just below the case head. Generally about 0.003" to 0.005" depending on the starting primer cup height. This looks a little like the below image if we place a straight edge across the case head.

When a primer is seated correctly and assuming a firearm with in specification firing pin protrusion and force, the primer will detonate and do its job. The fact that a rifle shoots fine with factory loaded ammunition is a good indicator that firing pin protrusion and force and within specification.

Ron

 

[mikld]

Yep, a whole bunch of good info and theory, but for starters and K.I.S.S., just make sure you seat the primers all the way to the bottom of the pocket and disregard "below flush" measurements for now. Primers need a solid "platform" to work and if you eliminate this as a problem (and it could possibly solve your problem) then you can look at other potential problems.

I started reloading handgun ammo and never had a "dud" after looked at a primer and figgered out how it works. I had one gun that would not work with a specific primer (striker fired plastic gun and Winchester primers. I researched and found the I had to "preload" or "sensitize" the primer. Seat all the way to the bottom of the pocket and add a bit more pressure, got 100% firing after that), but every one of my 15 cartridges I reload, handgun and rifle, work well in my stock guns with just making sure the primers are seated correctly. Works for me for 30+ years...

 

[RC20]

Relodron: Great pictures, I have looked at them with magnify glass and could not be sure I was seeing what I thought I was.

This all makes better sense now. I do seat them tight and deep.

I'd suggest before you fill the case with powder, stand the primed case on the bench top. If it rocks at all, rather than being flat, reseat that primer with a bit of pressure on it until the case stands flat. High primers can also make it appear your finished cartridge has the bullet not seated deeply enough, causing you to blame bullet imperfection, thick case necks, etc. Before you reset the die for that round, stand that cartridge on the bench to see if it rocks.

You are missing the point. Rocking or not is not the issue. Just because they don't rock does not mean they are right. Flush is wrong.

They need to be BELOW the case head by some thousandths (.002 to .005 as Unclenick has pointed out and with data supporting it)

ps: Frankly, once the AF are down, I am not sure you can compress a primer vertical wall short of a bench press of a couple of tons.