50 rounds of 9mm reloads fired today.....8 light strikes!

[Redneck with a 40]

I'm using Wolf SP primers and the pistol is a Ruger SR9-C. I really hope the Ruger doesn't have an issue with the Wolf primers, as I have about 7K of them. For the record, I've fired about 200 factory S&B rounds with NO light strikes. Today was frustrating, to say the least.

My XD-40 handles the Wolf primers just fine, its striker fired, just like the Ruger.

 

[weeniewawa]

you may be able to get a heavier hammer spring from Ruger

 

[Quoheleth]

What's your primer lot? I'm having issues with Wolf in ALL of my guns, not just the Ruger SR9c - two S&W .38s, a CZ85 and the Ruger.

I'm loading a batch of 9mms this weekend (still working on it) with Winchester primers stored in the same case. Curious to see if they have the same problem.

It's probably not the gun - it's probably the primers.

Q

 

[PreMod70]

Check your primer depth when reloading, my bet is you're not seating the primers properly.

 

[armoredman]

Did they fire on re-strike? Then it might be primer depth, are the Wolf primers taller than whatever else you use? Never tried them, but hear not so good things about them. If they don't go off at all, the primer itself might be the culprit.

 

[orionengnr]

I bought 1000 Wolf large pistol primers during the Great Ammo/Component Shortage of 2008/2009. I experienced a large number of failures to ignite.

Not sure my proportions were equal to yours, but the number was alarming. Enough so that no matter how cheap they are, I have never bought them again. Nor (barring another Shortage of Biblical proportions) will I.

For reference...Winchester, CCI, Federal, MagTech primers...no problem.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

I did get them to fire on the second strike and I do give the press lever a good push when I seat the primers. I loaded another box tonight, we'll see how those do.

My Wolf primers were bought way back in 2005-2006, these have the copper color to them, not the nickel color.

 

[1SOW]

Mr. Nuke:

Not sure my proportions were equal to yours, but the number was alarming. Enough so that no matter how cheap they are, I have never bought them again. Nor (barring another Shortage of Biblical proportions) will I.

I have never tried them in 9mm. Two shooter friends cited problems, and many on several different forums also have problems with them.

Reasons cited:
Not seated properly
Hard shell/slightly oversize---hard to seat
Wouldn't fire with several hits

I have had 1 (one) Fed SPP fail to fire due to the primer in over 25K reloads. When I deprimed and looked at it, it was a brownish color - different from the normal light green.

orionengnr: +1 (in >25K)

 

[gamestalker]

If they're detonating on the second strike, they need to be seated deeper. The way to know how deep a prime should eb seated is sub level. If they are at zero to the head go another .001"-.002" and you'll eliminate that little, but potentially serious problem.

 

[GLOOB]

For the record, I've fired about 200 factory S&B rounds with NO light strikes. Today was frustrating, to say the least.

If you're loading S&B brass, that might be half the problem. It's difficult to seat these primers in S&B brass without completely flattening the primer cups. You might try a primer pocket uniforming tool.

So far, I've had zero issues with Wolf/Tulammo primers. Been through 4k, combined SPP, LPP, and SR.

 

[chris in va]

I bought some Wolf primers last year and had some ignition problems. Thought I'd try them one more time, had three complete duds in competition last weekend. After the match was over I took them and repeatedly hit them several times in my CZ to no avail. I made *sure* to seat them firmly, didn't matter.

CCI from now on.

I had one older gentleman lean over and ask, "Wolf primers? I knew it.".

 

[GLOOB]

I made *sure* to seat them firmly,

That might be the problem. The Wolf SPP are taller than CCI and Remington primers, and they have a softer cup. Seat them too hard, and you can ruin them.

Seating too shallow isn't the only problem you can have with a primer.

 

[armoredman]

Gonna get some Remington SPP on Thursday...no Wolf for me!

 

[Quoheleth]

That might be the problem. The Wolf SPP are taller than CCI and Remington primers, and they have a softer cup. Seat them too hard, and you can ruin them.

Funny you say that, Gloob. If you look in past threads on Wolf, the common suggestion is to seat the Wolfs hard and deep. Yours is the first I've seen recommending to seat them a bit easy.

Q

 

[Walkalong]

It is very hard to crush a primer to the point it will not work.

 

[Steve C]

It is very hard to crush a primer to the point it will not work.

Walkalong is right about this. I've mashed primers flat in really tight pockets just to be able to get them out of the shell holder and they all fired.

There's one depth to seat primers and that is when it bottoms out in the pocket, anything less usually leads to misfires.