Fiocchi SPP - FTF in P226

[Maj Dad]

I bought several thousand of these primers during the Great Drought, and haven't had a problem until last weekend when I had several FTFs in my P226 MK25. Once fired, mostly R-P brass, loaded as always in my 550, and no problems until now - I hate to think of the pistol having a light strike, but I guess it's possible. The primers appeared to have a normal indentation; double action re-strikes weren't successful. Anyone else had a problem? When I get a chance I will load up some of the same rounds with CCIs & WSPs, but it's just too danged hot & humid right now. Heat index in Monroe, LA, last weekend (daughter got married over there) was 115 deg!!

Not much better here back in SC, but the AC is holding out for now...

 

[ray15]

Is your storage area dry enough? Any other guns to try?

 

[ReloaderFred]

Make sure they're seated all the way to the bottom of the primer pocket to set the anvil into the primer pellet. I aim for .004" below flush, and haven't had a primer fail to go off in many, many years, no matter the brand.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[LiveLife]

I bought several thousand of these primers during the Great Drought, and haven't had a problem until last weekend when I had several FTFs in my P226 MK25. Once fired, mostly R-P brass, loaded as always in my 550, and no problems until now - I hate to think of the pistol having a light strike, but I guess it's possible. The primers appeared to have a normal indentation; double action re-strikes weren't successful. Anyone else had a problem?

I bought a bunch of Fiocchi SP primers during the shortage and have been using them with good results for several years now without any failure to ignite issue in multiple pistols.

I did have a particular lot of Tula SP primers that showed lighter primer cup indent with failure to ignite even after multiple strikes that turned out to be harder primer cups - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ts-your-experience.630512/page-4#post-7813451

What I have realized with them is slightly larger diameter (0.175") and perhaps harder cup compared to Winchester brass SP primers (just under 0.175", more like 0.1745"+) which makes them difficult to seat in smaller once-fired brass primer pockets (barely to flush instead of .004" below flush) requiring much more effort. Seating them even to flush in once-fired S&B and RWS brass with tighter pockets is not doable for me and I now cull these headstamp cases to load with other brand primers.

Even with normal primer cup indent, what may be happening is the slightly larger and perhaps harder primer cup is hanging up in the tighter primer pockets and anvil feet not contacting the bottom to set the priming compound off. You can try seating them deeper (like .004" below flush) but in tighter primer pocket cases, I often cannot even seat them down to flush.

With PMC SP primer with same diameter of .175" but with softer cups, I am able to "shrink size" the primers so they are seated to .004" below flush.

So why do I like Fiocchi SP primers? They seem to seat tighter in brass reloaded multiple times where other brand primers seat with less/almost with no resistance.

 

[Maj Dad]

Thanks for the comments. I've been doing this for nigh-on half a century & am pretty consistent in all the usual variables - just wondered if the Fiocchis were known for problems. Sounds like no, so I will re-address the loading & seating, etc. Hope it's not the pistol, though Sig is pretty good about making things right. We'll see (as soon as I don't need gills to go outside!)...

 

[sellersm]

I thought they were a tad larger than the other brands, as bds has mentioned. Similar to the S&B primers, which are slightly larger as well. When I use these brands I make sure to ensure they're seated all the way.

Since you stated that the second firing attempt didn't work, I'm guessing it *may* be a different issue though? Got another gun to try?

 

[Maj Dad]

I thought they were a tad larger than the other brands, as bds has mentioned. Similar to the S&B primers, which are slightly larger as well. When I use these brands I make sure to ensure they're seated all the way.

Since you stated that the second firing attempt didn't work, I'm guessing it *may* be a different issue though? Got another gun to try?

I gave my other two 9mm's (not counting the all matching 1938 S/42 P08 I am reluctant to shoot much) to my daughters, so I am down to one shooter. I think I am going to rectify that & try one of the P320 GI models, or some other gun show target of opportunity. I have been a 1911 shooter for ~50 years and never had much interest in the 9's until I picked up this MK25. Of course, that led to a P220... I love the SIGs, and I am pretty sure this is a reloaded ammunition related problem. I just bought 2k rds of factory new 115 & 124 gr loads to try & see if they fly right. I'm betting they will, but we'll have to wait & see.