Speer Lawman 9mm primers

[tiger955]

Shooting some older Speer Lawman 9mm 124gr TMJ today in my P89 and I noticed the primers in spent casings were cratered pretty bad. I don't think they are overloaded, felt no different than some mid power reloads and some Remington Golden Sabers I fired at the same time. Other ammo primers looked fine. Bolt and firing pin looked fine, no problem I can see with gun (After all, it IS a P89).
Any thoughts? Speer using soft primers? Ammo is probably 5-7 years old. I am going to contact Speer, see what they say, just looking for ideas.

 

[Bad Barlow]

Shooting some older Speer Lawman 9mm 124gr TMJ today in my P89 and I noticed the primers in spent casings were cratered pretty bad. I don't think they are overloaded, felt no different than some mid power reloads and some Remington Golden Sabers I fired at the same time. Other ammo primers looked fine. Bolt and firing pin looked fine, no problem I can see with gun (After all, it IS a P89).
Any thoughts? Speer using soft primers? Ammo is probably 5-7 years old. I am going to contact Speer, see what they say, just looking for ideas.

Try them in a different gun,and see if they do the same thing?

 

[loaded round]

I wonder if the primers in that ammo were made deliberately soft to insure they'd ignite in a police type emergency (read shooting)? Just my thought having never used them.

 

[kmoore]

Awaiting to hear what Speer has to say. Old school was they used the same primers in their ammo and what was sold as just primers.
I could understand if newer research showed a softer primer is better in Glock or S&W MP handguns since nearly all cops using a 9mm, use those. They could have changed. In the 90s I was on the range watching thousands upon thousands of LE and even Blazer 9mm and .40 Speer ammo fired in Glocks and never once a FTF due to ammo or firing pin.

 

[tiger955]

I fired a couple mags full of the same ammo in my newer Sig 365, same primer cratering. I just got a couple new boxes of same Speer Lawman 124gr TMJ, probably won't get to try them till tomorrow. We'll see what happens.

 

[tiger955]

I tried the new ones in my Ruger, no different, primers cratered. No word from Speer. I guess they are ok, seem to shoot fine. I had always been led to believe cratered primers were signs of over pressure. Compared to Winchester NATO rounds I like that are supposed to be higher pressure, the Speer Lawman rounds don't seem as hot. I don't have a chrono.

 

[Mobuck]

Several 'factors' other than soft primers or hot loading can contribute to 'cratered' primers. An insignificant amount of 'cratering' can be acceptable. ADDED: as long as it's consistent

 

[NikA]

Speer is owned by the same parent company as Federal, which has a reputation for being the softest/most sensitive primer brand. Does anyone see similar primer signs from Federal ammunition? Seems like that might be the answer.

 

[tiger955]

Thanks guys, I got a reply from Speer asking for lot # and how many rounds through gun. I answered with # and that I tried them in newer gun. Been a while, no response from them. Seems like pretty decent practice ammo for the price, I'll keep shooting them and not worry about it.