In What Ways Can Primers Fail?

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  • Bill2905

    Master
    Site Supporter
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    4   0   0
    Feb 1, 2021
    1,945
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    Lake County
    I experienced a half dozen "poof" loads in a batch of 357 Magnums I recently loaded and shot. In each one, the bullet went down range but with very little recoil or report, less than a light 38 target load. I am blaming my Lee Auto Disk measure because it has some inconsistencies in its operation which up until now, have never caused an issue. It has already been set aside for a new Lee Auto Drum.

    Before I trash the Auto Disk, is it possible that primers could be the culprit? I have always been of the opinion that primers either go bang or they don't. Is it possible that a primer can fire yet be so weak as to induce a near squib load?
     

    Leadeye

    Grandmaster
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    Jan 19, 2009
    36,696
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    W296 is one of those powders that don't do well with reduced loads and produce the effect you are describing when they don't burn correctly. Lil Gun and 2400 can produce the same results.
     

    rutheborger

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Oct 18, 2021
    52
    18
    Tippecanoe
    Loads using win296 should always be compressed because it's very sensitive to case position- that's why all the loads you find for it are compressed.
     

    tomcat13

    Master
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    0   0   0
    Feb 16, 2010
    1,529
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    Near Louisville
    Doubtful this is a Primer issue. One sure way to find out (if you still have similar Primers & are interested in using them), try the Primers with a Different Powder Type. Of course, Always follow Load Data in a reputable Manual.
     

    Bill2905

    Master
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    Feb 1, 2021
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    Lake County
    I once inadvertently produced a .38 Special round with no powder. When fired, the bullet moved only enough to bridge the gap between the cylinder and the barrel.
     

    Whip_McCord

    Expert
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    2   0   0
    May 14, 2010
    762
    63
    NWI
    If the powder lights it lights, unless powder is going bad?????
    What would cause powder to not light or light erratically is if it got contaminated. I have seen this happen at a silhouette match years ago. The guy used too much lube on the bottleneck case and it sounded weird when it fired. The powder came out of the case in clumps, but I believe the bullet left the 15" barrel each time. Two or three rounds did this and he stopped shooting that gun. I doubt that's what happened here, but wanted to point out there can be issues with the powder igniting correctly.
     

    BE Mike

    Grandmaster
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    Jul 23, 2008
    7,536
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    New Albany
    With many tens of thousands of rounds loaded and never having had a primer problem (unless I didn't fully seat them in the primer pocket) I can confidently say, it ain't a primer problem.
     

    canebreaker

    Marksman
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 2, 2020
    261
    43
    Horn Lake
    How good is a primer? In the spring I was sitting by my fire pit on a cool night. The patio light on the side of the house caught a shinny spot in the dirt close to my feet. It had rained for about 20 hours and ended about 2 pm that day. I used my pocket knife to dig a primer out of the dirt. Most likely a SPM primer. How long had it been there? No clue, 2 years or more. Thinking it had been there long enough to go bad I threw it in the fire pit. A few seconds later it went off and emptied the fire pit.
     
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