failures to ignite in snubbie

[another okie]

In .38 I usually load HBWCs for a Ruger Security Six I shoot in a target league. I decided to try some of these light loads in my snubbie and got about 30% failures to ignite. I switched from Winchester to CCI primers with no change.

The snubbie sets off commercial loads fine. (It's a Taurus.) I guess the Ruger is hitting the primers pretty hard and the Taurus is not.

Is it likely I can cure this by changing primers again? The only other brand I've ever used is federal.

I don't really want to put in a heavier spring - the trigger pull (DOA) is already pretty heavy.

I was doing this because one IDPA club in Tulsa is considering a back up gun match, and I wanted some loads for the snubbie for that. I guess I could just buy some commercial loads for the match, but having invested in 500 158 grain jacketed round noses I want to use them.

 

[rcmodel]

If it will fire factory loads 100%, there is no reason at all it shouldn't do the same with handloads.

Could be you are not getting the primers fully seated.

They have to be on the bottom of the primer pocket, and then just a little bit more to seat the anvil in the primer mix.

You don't want to crush them, but they must be fully seated or you will have misfires.

If the Taurus is marginal, which many of them seem to be, changing to Federal primers might help as they are supposed to be more sensitive then Winchester or CCI.

rcmodel

 

[mkl]

Agree with rcmodel.

Are you cleaning the primer pockets before you seat a new primer? If not, try that and see if you get better results.

 

[another okie]

Currently I am not cleaning primer pockets on the .38s. I usually do on rifle cases or when the brass on the .38s looks really dirty. I'll give it a try and maybe buy some federal primers.

I thought I was pushing the primers in pretty hard, but who knows? I stand the cases up to make sure the primers are at least flush, but it did occur to me the primer might be giving a little and seating harder on the first strike. I use the same primer seating method for 9mm, .45, .30-.30 and .308 and have never had a problem with ignition.