Handgun Reloading Primer Question

[OldGunMan]

I have just started loading 32acp. I am getting some FTF - more with some pistols than with others. I am using Remington small pistol primers. Do these have a reputation for being "harder" than other brands? Would I benefit from going to a magnum primer?

Just to complete the picture:
71 gr bullet
2.1 gr of Red Dot

Thanks to all who reply

 

[Lost Sheep]

Welcome and thanks for asking our advice

Is FTF "Failure to Feed" or "Failure to Fire"?

 

[OldGunMan]

Fail to Fire. Sorry I wasn't clear on this.

 

[Walkalong]

Weak firing pin spring, or primers not seated fully, with the latter being the cause of 90% or better of misfires.

Do they fire if tried again? If so, they are definitely not seated fully.

Oh yea, I do not remember where RP primers fall in the "easy to set off" category, but Federals are the easiest to set off.

 

[billybob44]

Hand loads vs. Factory loads??

Welcome to THR..Does your .32acp. run steady with a diet of Factory loads? It would be worth the price of a box of cheap factory loads to see if it is the loads, or the gun??
As Walkalong said the Rem. are known to be the softest/next to the Federal standard primers.
If you have problems lighting up the factory loads also check the firing pin/channel, and hammer spring for proper tension.
If you still have some doubts in your hand loads, see if someone you know may have a .32acp. that they can try your loads in..Bill..

 

[CraigC]

"FTF" is failure to feed. If it doesn't fire when the firing pin strikes the primer, it's a misfire. This might sound like elitist nit-picking but handy acronyms like "FTF" are completely and utterly useless if there are two possible meanings because folks misuse them.

 

[noylj]

magnum primers make a bigger bang, but they are no easier to set off and will raise the pressure of the load.
Are you having problems with more than one .32 pistol?
Primer problems are caused by:
primer not fully seated (usually one or two more strikes will set it off)
main spring too light due to age or someone trying for a lighter trigger pull
bad primer (very rare)

 

[murf]

a good cleaning of the firing pin channel wouldn't hurt.

murf

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Like mentioned above, most misfires are caused by improperly seated primers. What happens is, the first strike of the primer completes the primer seating which takes away enough energy from the firing pin to cause a misfire. Make sure you seat the primers correctly and it might solve the problem. A good way to know if that is the problem is to try and strike the round again. If it fires the second time it's almost for sure a primer seating depth problem.