Differences In Primer Fit Ginex vs Federal

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man7sell

Bearcat
Joined
May 18, 2022
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In the last couple of days I have received two lots of small pistol primers ordered online over the last month. I had and interesting and a little disturbing observation.

Used 38 spl range brasses various brands.
I loaded 50 rounds of 38 spl. using the Federal gold Medal Magnum match primers (I know pricey at around $125 a brick). I had zero problems seating and of these primers.

Next I received the Ginex primers at around $100 a brick. I found these primers hard to seat flush (yes all primer seats in the shells were cleaned out. Out of 50, maybe 20 where borderline acceptable flush with the shell base. 4 are sitting very proud (And no, I wont seat them further with a hammer).

Anyone had similar experiences?
 

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man7sell

Bearcat
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So I wondered about dimensions between the two primers. I thought maybe the Ginex were deeper than the Federal. The Federal ran very consistent .119" The Ginex were shorter running around .116" although not consistent (Measured only a 3 piece sample so maybe measure a lot more.
 

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man7sell

Bearcat
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Closeups of the primer inside anvils
 

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NikA

Buckeye
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I believe the Ginex primers are sold as a harder primer and may have a thicker/harder cup. Question: what were you loading on that allowed you to assembled a complete round without checking the primers were completely seated.

I would pull down the 3 rounds and try seating them with a hand priming tool. Alternatively, welding gloves, safety glasses, and a steel pipe for shielding.
 

man7sell

Bearcat
Joined
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Messages
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Location
Snohomish WA
I believe the Ginex primers are sold as a harder primer and may have a thicker/harder cup. Question: what were you loading on that allowed you to assembled a complete round without checking the primers were completely seated.

I would pull down the 3 rounds and try seating them with a hand priming tool. Alternatively, welding gloves, safety glasses, and a steel pipe for shielding.
A Lee turret. I don't have a hand priming tool.
 

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Handgun reloading I do is bulk. I don't check head stamp. 38 spl has been CCI primers and never had problems seating any cases. But with rifle I work up loads with as many combos of bullets, powder and primers as I can get to find best accuracy. Last year I had been using federal large rifle mag primers in a 7 mm wby mag load. I tried CCI, they worked fine and than WW primers were all really tight to seat in the Norma brass. They do fully seat. I use a hand tool to seat primers. I have been loading the WW large mag rifle primers in Rem, Nosler and WW cases last year of several calibers and all those seat normally. So, before you give up on those try them in different brands of cases. In the past I only bought CCI, WW, Fed, Rem primers. That may change in the future, or I will cut back in shooting. So far I have not. I have half filled a mason jar with spend primers in the last 2 years.
 

man7sell

Bearcat
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Looks like you're stuck with what you got BUT I would NOT load any more of that combination. Try a different brand of brass.
They are all different brass brands. Even tried new brass. I think paying more for the Federals is my answer, and they are made in the USA
 

Ka6otm

Blackhawk
Joined
Dec 21, 2002
Messages
753
A some of the guys I shoot with every week end up with high primers on a regular basis. All the ones that do prime on the press and have presses that prime on the upstroke rather than the downstroke.

My guess is that it's harder to get the proper pressure on the upstroke than on the downstroke.
 

man7sell

Bearcat
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OK More accurate measuring tool, the Ginex is larger. Measured 10 each as a sample.
 

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Joined
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Location
Indiana
I loaded 100 41 long Colt rounds last week using Ginex small pistol primers. Used a lee ram prime on a press because the hand priming tool I usually use did not grip the case tight enough. With this set up I had no problems correctly seating the Ginex primers with this set up.
 

harley08

Blackhawk
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Messages
574
Handgun reloading I do is bulk. I don't check head stamp. 38 spl has been CCI primers and never had problems seating any cases. But with rifle I work up loads with as many combos of bullets, powder and primers as I can get to find best accuracy. Last year I had been using federal large rifle mag primers in a 7 mm wby mag load. I tried CCI, they worked fine and than WW primers were all really tight to seat in the Norma brass. They do fully seat. I use a hand tool to seat primers. I have been loading the WW large mag rifle primers in Rem, Nosler and WW cases last year of several calibers and all those seat normally. So, before you give up on those try them in different brands of cases. In the past I only bought CCI, WW, Fed, Rem primers. That may change in the future, or I will cut back in shooting. So far I have not. I have half filled a mason jar with spend primers in the last 2 years.
CCI, WW, REM, + FED are great primers! - I have 4 gallons of spent primers!
 

man7sell

Bearcat
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Snohomish WA
A suggestion from another forum was the use mt turret upright as extra leverage with the handle. It work. I went back and re-seated all my protruding primers.
 

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Biggfoot44

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Answer #1 - Don't use Ginex primers

Answer #2 - Extra step to use either Primer Pocket Uniformer , or Primer Pocket Swage as necessary to reform primer pockets .

Answer #3 - Additional equipment and step , to prime separately with either hand priming tool , or other tool that both has good tactile feedback , and lots of leverage.

Or heck , throw in a # 4 - At least temporarily , sort your brass by headstamp and lot for those that work acceptably with Genix , and either trade the others , or set aside until availability and price improve for your usual brands of SP .
 

man7sell

Bearcat
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Location
Snohomish WA
Answer #1 - Don't use Ginex primers

Answer #2 - Extra step to use either Primer Pocket Uniformer , or Primer Pocket Swage as necessary to reform primer pockets .

Answer #3 - Additional equipment and step , to prime separately with either hand priming tool , or other tool that both has good tactile feedback , and lots of leverage.

Or heck , throw in a # 4 - At least temporarily , sort your brass by headstamp and lot for those that work acceptably with Genix , and either trade the others , or set aside until availability and price improve for your usual brands of SP .
I think step #1 negates the rest. Anyway now I have figured it out, only 4900 left to go :ROFLMAO:
 

man7sell

Bearcat
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Snohomish WA
Yesterday while at the range, I had a fail with my Kimber revolver caused by a very slight high primer stopping the load. This morning a bought out my old, very old, RCBS primer hand tool. I when through all mt 38SPL and Mags that I have loaded. Nearly all would seat just a little bit more using this tool over the Lee seating. From now on that will be the extra step in my loading sequence.
 

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RRM

Single-Sixer
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NWFL
I can't answer the question posed, but for more info on primers than most may care for I commend to you

Mic McPherson: A short Primer on Primers

Got mine on Amazon. Good luck sorting it!
 

man7sell

Bearcat
Joined
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Location
Snohomish WA
Could have sworn you said you didn't have a handing priming tool when advised to use one to seat the primers deeper?
I thought I had got rid of it last time I sold all my reloading gear. But there it was, hidden in an ammo box full of 22lr. Only found it because I wanted to shoot my new PPK/S 22lr
 
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