Light strike help..SR40c

[boltons75]

I've been having primer issues with my reloads, I have put roughly 600 rounds of factory winchester and federal ammo through this gun without an issue. But with my loads, I am averaging 1-2 out of every 10 that wont ignite on the first strike. I thought it was a bad lot of primers at first, cci 550's, but now with some cci 50's and Winchester small pistol I just came back from the range testing 25 of each, the cci's failed 4 times, and the winchester failed 3, they all ignited on the second attempt.

The image below is just a test, I primed some empty brass and just fired the primers off to see the results. The four left rows are all decent hits, all ignited. The second row from the right all ignited but were light strikes, and the far right row, the top two fired on the second try, and the bottom two failed on the first, and I didnt try another strike.

I use the Lee press mounted auto prime 2, is there a chance this could be an issue with the way I am seating the primers? Too heavy, too light? I do have a galloway precision heavy striker spring ordered. I have polished the striker, made sure the slide was clean.

Any suggestions? This is getting frustrating, the gun has roughly 1700 rounds through it, and I've only had it for about two months.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Properly-seated primers will be flush with, or slightly below flush with the case. If they aren't seated to the bottom of the primer pocket, they may not "pop" because the firing pin blow will be cushioned by the primer being driven further into the pocket.

Make sure your primers are "bottomed" in the pockets. This MAY solve your problem. This is the reason I like the little manual priming devices . . . you can actually feel the primer bottom out in the pocket.

 

[boltons75]

Properly-seated primers will be flush with, or slightly below flush with the case. If they aren't seated to the bottom of the primer pocket, they may not "pop" because the firing pin blow will be cushioned by the primer being driven further into the pocket.

Make sure your primers are "bottomed" in the pockets. This MAY solve your problem. This is the reason I like the little manual priming devices . . . you can actually feel the primer bottom out in the pocket.

Would that also explain the light strikes on the primers to the right?

 

[Donaldjr1969]

Properly-seated primers will be flush with, or slightly below flush with the case. If they aren't seated to the bottom of the primer pocket, they may not "pop" because the firing pin blow will be cushioned by the primer being driven further into the pocket.

Make sure your primers are "bottomed" in the pockets. This MAY solve your problem. This is the reason I like the little manual priming devices . . . you can actually feel the primer bottom out in the pocket.

Would that also explain the light strikes on the primers to the right?

I believe it would.

Here is an analogy to better explain those light strikes vs seating depth. Take an aluminum can and set it on a table with nothing surrounding it. Give it a light hit with a hammer. The can flies off the table with minimal denting. Now put the can on a table against a wall and hit it with the same force. MUCH MORE denting.

 

[WESHOOT2]

I on occassion batch-prime hundreds of cases using RCBS hand-prime tools.
They allow deep secure seating.

 

[mattsbox99]

Also you can have light strikes if the cases were belled too much and cause a small shoulder to develop right where the taper crimp starts. The striker will fall but too much of the nergy is absorbed closing the slide the last little bit.

Usually its a slightly high primer that causes the light strike though. My M&P does it too. Because of the way my Dillon press works, I occasionally get a high primer that needs to be seated. My RCBS hand priming tool sits by my press and I can glance at them before they get dropped into the big bucket and finish seating any wary ones.

 

[boltons75]

Also you can have light strikes if the cases were belled too much and cause a small shoulder to develop right where the taper crimp starts. The striker will fall but too much of the nergy is absorbed closing the slide the last little bit.

Usually its a slightly high primer that causes the light strike though. My M&P does it too. Because of the way my Dillon press works, I occasionally get a high primer that needs to be seated. My RCBS hand priming tool sits by my press and I can glance at them before they get dropped into the big bucket and finish seating any wary ones.

I only belle the cases just enough to get the bullet to just sit in place. I have been thinking about a hand priming tool so I can prime while not in my basement. Any thoughts on brands, RCBS, Hornady or Lee?

 

[mattsbox99]

The hornady, lee, and old RCBS use shellholders. RCBS has a new one that is 'universal' and doesn't use shellholders. That is the one I would get. ~$55 if I remember right.

 

[WESHOOT2]

I currently prefer the RCBS unit that takes standard shellholders (the LEE units require proprietary shellholders that don't work on anything else. At all....).

 

[boltons75]

Ok, I just got the new RCBS universal hand priming tool, and did a test run with 10 cci 500's, 10 WSP and 10 Fed small pistol primers. These were all just primed cases, but everyone fired, the federals and the winchesters all had very good dents in the primers. The cci's on the other hand looked like they barley made a dent, but they did go off. So it looks like I will just be staying away from cci's in this gun. Thanks for all the help.

 

[mattsbox99]

Good to hear. Overall Federal has been known to be the 'softest' primer and guys with tuned up S&Ws only use Federal primers for that reason. Stock up on what works in your guns!

I also just got the new RCBS tool.

 

[steve b]

It may not be the primers if that is a striker fired pistol. May be a lube build up. You may want to thoroughly dry the striker assembly, and leave nearly dry, just the barest of lube, and maybe go synthetic too. Thouight I had primer issues with an XD.. steve b

 

[8emem]

I see you are using some Winchester brass. Measure the empty fired cases for length and you might find that they are 3-5 thousandths shorter than most other brands. A friend's .40 Sigma had the same problems you are describing and once we culled out the Winchester cases everything was fine.

 

[boltons75]

It may not be the primers if that is a striker fired pistol. May be a lube build up. You may want to thoroughly dry the striker assembly, and leave nearly dry, just the barest of lube, and maybe go synthetic too. Thouight I had primer issues with an XD.. steve b

Nope, not a lube issue, I did many many takedowns of this gun. I polished the striker assembly, and when I reassemble I just use a drop of oil on my finger and rub it on the striker. But with the new rcbs priming tool it seems to be working great now. But still for carry use I have the Hornady line in the clip, just ordered some of their "Zombie Max" for my 40, its just the critical defense with a different tip and packaging.