Issues with Winchester SPP

[Barmcd]

I've used a lot of Winchester SPP over the last year as Bass Pro Shop and Academy both have had them in stock at a reasonable price the last 6-12 months. They've performed without issue until very recently. The last week or so, about 10 percent of them, all 38 special, haven't fired and wouldn't fire when I put them in another gun. I don't know if the first firing pin strike mangles them so they won't fire the second time around, but I've had the issue in three different guns. The packages of 100 I've had problems with are all the same lot number and unfortunately I have loaded over 200 rounds of different loads and still have over 700 more of that lot number. Has anyone run into a problem with Winchester primers recently?

The three on top did not fire in my Model 686. I think the firing pin strike would have been just like the five below if the charge had gone off in these rounds.



I put them in my Model 581 and tried to fire them again and this is what they looked like after that futile exercise. I'm going to pop them out and see if a hammer strike on an anvil will set them off.

 

[ballman6711]

After you "pop them out", take one apart carefully and check for priming compound in the cup, or possibly broken or fractured priming compound. If that one looks good, then give it the smack test with the hammer, but wear your safety equipment (including ear protection).

If you find no priming compound, you may want to contact Winchester with the lot # and inform them. I'm sure they would want to know, and they may exchange them for you.

chris

 

[Barmcd]

After you "pop them out", take one apart carefully and check for priming compound in the cup, or possibly broken or fractured priming compound. If that one looks good, then give it the smack test with the hammer, but wear your safety equipment (including ear protection).

If you find no priming compound, you may want to contact Winchester with the lot # and inform them. I'm sure they would want to know, and they may exchange them for you.

chris

The good primers are red when you look at the inside. Two of these four looked good, one came apart-the brass piece that looks like a star fell out, and the third one actually looked black around the inside of the primer, but you could see a small red color right in the center.

The two that looked good went off when struck with a hammer and the primers ended up flat. The other two didn’t go off and the primers looked compressed, but not flat.

 

[ReloaderNoob]

Having the same problem with the Win SPP, about 10 out of each sleeve don't fire out of the last brick. Wonder why they are the least expensive primers in stock at Bass Pro?

 

[hoardingthemanual]

I’m 15/15 no problems with my lots from academy

 

[Otto]

It’s not surprising. I passed on a SPP deal earlier this year. QC at Winchester is hit or miss of late. I’m glad their powders aren’t suffering the same fate. Maybe you could post the “lot number” as a benefit for others.

 

[Barmcd]

It’s not surprising. I passed on a SPP deal earlier this year. QC at Winchester is hit or miss of late. I’m glad their powders aren’t suffering the same fate. Maybe you could post the “lot number” as a benefit for others.

The lot number is UALD002.

 

[Barmcd]

I loaded another hundred rounds of 38 Special, but I used CCI SPP. I'll see how they shoot in the same guns I had issues with today. I'm betting I won't have problems.

 

[243winxb]

Has anyone run into a problem with Winchester primers recently?

Yes. 2000 WSPM pierced. See Post 83 & 86.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...num-high-pressure-locked-action.905609/page-4

In the past, around 2013 Win/Olin produces many defective WLR primers. Many bolt faces pock marked.

 

[Barmcd]

Yes. 2000 WSPM pierced. See Post 83 & 86.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...num-high-pressure-locked-action.905609/page-4

In the past, around 2013 Win/Olin produces many defective WLR primers. Many bolt faces pock marked.

I ran across those issues when searching for known problems with Winchester primers. There’s also a lot of random posts about primers failing to fire.

 

[Palladan44]

Prices triple.....and q.c. gets cut into a third.... welcome to the new world.

 

[vanfunk]

I’ve had some issues with Winchester SPPs failing to fire even with solid, centered and repeated hits. Not a ton, maybe one out of a hundred, ut it’s been notable nonetheless. I’ve had no issues with Federal or Fiocchi primers.

 

[Charlie98]

QC at Winchester is hit or miss of late.

I think Winchester's QC has had issues for the past 10 years or more. I've read of issues with their primers, their brass, their loaded ammunition. I don't quite trust them anymore...

In the past, around 2013 Win/Olin produces many defective WLR primers. Many bolt faces pock marked.

I have some of those...

Bolt face on my Marlin 1894FG...

Firing pin bushing on my S&W .41's...

I still have one brick of those primers left, if anyone wants to destroy their firearms...

 

[PWC]

The packages of 100 I've had problems with are all the same lot number and unfortunately I have loaded over 200 rounds of different loads and still have over 700 more of that lot number. Has anyone run into a problem with Winchester primers recently?

This would be more meaningful or helpful if you gave us the lot #.

 

[Barmcd]

This would be more meaningful or helpful if you gave us the lot #.

I did. It’s in post nr. 7.

 

[Barmcd]

It has to be the Winchester primers, at least from the lot I posted above. I shot 150 rounds this morning, 50 148 gr wad cutters with CCI primers, 50 158 gr FN with CCI primers and 50 125 gr FN with Winchester primers from a previous lot. No misfires in 150 rounds.

Im wondering what to do with not only thie remaining 700 primers from the bad lot, but the other 6000 Winchester primers I have on hand. I’ve got small pistol and rifle primers and large pistol primers.I certainly don’t want them damaging my guns.

 

[Blue68f100]

Have you confirmed they are the same lot?

Contact Winchester/Olin with the problem and lot number. They at a min will reimburse you. They use to replace the 1 bad with 2 good. Not sure they are still doing that now. They will send you a prepaid shipping label for a few to confirm. Before asking for the case.

 

[Riomouse911]

Win SPP have been ok so far post-Covid. I have a couple thousand from a different lot on the shelf, I will be sure to watch for issues when I get to them.

I have had several FTF issues with the Servicios Aventuras (sp?) SP primers that I think come from Argentina. Those I will try not to use again.

Stay safe.

 

[sparkyv]

I agree, contact Winchester.

The lot number is UALD002.

Have you confirmed they are the same lot?

Contact Winchester/Olin with the problem and lot number. They at a min will reimburse you. They use to replace the 1 bad with 2 good. Not sure they are still doing that now. They will send you a prepaid shipping label for a few to confirm. Before asking for the case.

 

[PWC]

I did. It’s in post nr. 7.

You are correct; I missed it entirely, sorry.

 

[Barmcd]

Win SPP have been ok so far post-Covid. I have a couple thousand from a different lot on the shelf, I will be sure to watch for issues when I get to them.

I have had several FTF issues with the Servicios Aventuras (sp?) SP primers that I think come from Argentina. Those I will try not to use again.

Stay safe.

I have used other lots and had no issues with Winchester primers.

 

[Barmcd]

You are correct; I missed it entirely, sorry.

No worries, that's one of the fist things someone else asked me to post.

 

[Barmcd]

I contacted Winchester. Here's hoping they do something about them.

 

[Show Me]

For God's sake don't say your glad you didn't load up some self defense rounds or that you prefer factory rounds some ones head will go poof. Such rare and disturbing pictures

 

[Charlie98]

Im wondering what to do with not only thie remaining 700 primers from the bad lot, but the other 6000 Winchester primers I have on hand.

Contact Winchester/Olin with the problem and lot number. They at a min will reimburse you. They use to replace the 1 bad with 2 good. Not sure they are still doing that now. They will send you a prepaid shipping label for a few to confirm. Before asking for the case.

When I contacted them about 2 years ago about my bad primers, no questions asked, they mailed me a box to ship them back in, along with a shipping label. Because primers are hazmat, you can't just mail them back... they have to go in specific packaging which Winchester will provide.

When I did it, I was under the impression they would simply reimburse me via check, not with primers. At the time, we were in the throes of the primer shortage... so I decided to just keep my last brick of them. I had read on a different forum, a member who had the same problem, and was reimbursed something like $60 per 1000 primers, or thereabouts.

In my case, Winchester also asked me to send my firearms back to the factory to be inspected by them. Marlin had gone out of business... and Ruger was not servicing Marlin arms at that time. I did contact S&W, but I never followed up with them. I'm not blaming Winchester for that, at all... but I am blaming Winchester for selling a substandard product.