Missing Primers After Firing 9mm Reloads

[BSA1]

The O.P. does not state the brand(s) of brass he is using, whether new or used, if used the source of the brass and number of times reloaded. This is one of the reasons I avoid buying used, mixed head stamped range pick-ups. Ditto post #6. Trash the old stuff and try quality new brass.

 

[mudmanfloyd]

Using . FC. Brass, once fired. I bought factory rounds, fired them and saved my brass. I have not tried some of these suggestions yet because I am at work. Thanks hanks again for all the help.

 

[longdayjake]

Also, if you are one who was duped into using the lee factory crimp die, you might be resizing your bullets.

 

[Merle1]

Very good advice!

 

[Rule3]

Using . FC. Brass, once fired. I bought factory rounds, fired them and saved my brass. I have not tried some of these suggestions yet because I am at work. Thanks hanks again for all the help.

^^^ This will help narrow down one of the probable causes.

If they work with all other variables the same you can pretty much bet it's the brass. If the once fired brass does it also then time to work on another solution,

Narrow them down one at a time.

 

[cfullgraf]

Is it something else?

Not yet asked, and maybe an obvious answer but you know what they say about "assume".

Are you using a primer pocket uniformer or aggressively cleaning the primer pockets? If so, you could be causing the problem by removing too much brass in the primer pocket.

Many folks never bother cleaning the primer pockets, especially handgun.

 

[mudmanfloyd]

I have not cleaned the primer pockets at all. I tumbled the spent brass in corn cob media and then decapped at the first stage of my Lee turret, while resizing.

Also, I fired almost 200 of these same loads, and it looks like only four or five experienced the missing primer.

 

[Potatohead]

The contraption Sexy Beast is referring to is the Lee adjustable charge bar methinks. And my success has been mixed with it also. Its cheap, I would try it if I were you.
FYI Ive had good success altering my Discs with a dremel and/or file. Im about to buy a set that will just be used as "altered" discs, Ive gotten into the habit of hacking into them pretty frequently now

 

[mudmanfloyd]

Potatohead,

Where do you purchase spare discs? Do you just pick hole that throws a little less then you want and file lightly around the perimeter of the hole?

 

[Potatohead]

I returned your PM. I would add, try the charge bar. Ive got mine working good with Zip now. If TiteGroup is similar to Zip/hp38 itll work nicely. It works better with some powders than others. (And small charges can be troublesome)

 

[Potatohead]

Disclaimer: im a noob too. Maybe an intermediate noob, but a noob nonetheless

 

[mstreddy]

OP, I recently shot some commercial reloads using Ammoload brass where the primers fell out on firing on at least 3 cases as well. I don't know any data on how they were loaded, but it does happen.
In your case, -- check out some of the tips given above as to the feel of the seating of the primers. The tip on trying by hand is sound.
Bad brass happens - even from reputable makers. Also, give a good look at your pistol and see if any of those primers or parts are somewhere in the frame. I've had primers fall out and jam the AR Bolt Carrier Group. I've seen them get stuck in the actions of AKs as well. So, I guess you can say that it does happen and just be aware of the process and the steps along the way.

 

[mudmanfloyd]

Tried priming by hand on the empties that had dropped primers. I was barely able to get it started in the primer pocket. I tried the same thing with some other once fired brass and had the same result. So, I don't think the primer pockets were too loose.

I opened up one of the holes on my auto disk and got it to throw 4.2gr of TG. Loaded up 25 rounds and I am gonna go see how those shoot.

Thanks for all the tips.

 

[rskent]

Make sure your taper crimp is no smaller then .376" when measured at the case mouth.

I think this is the golden nugget of this thread.

Its pretty easy to over crimp a tapered cartridge. Don't ask how I know that.

 

[gamestalker]

This is something that has never happened to me with any firearm, much less and AL. I've seen a couple reloaders with primers falling out of their high powered rifle cartridges after firing before, but never 9mm or any other AL handgun cartridge.

My first thought would be a high pressure issue. In this respect, I think RC is onto something with set back possible causing pressures to spike. Speer did some testing years ago, in which they deliberately set a bullet back .030" on a load tested at 28,000, the result was pressures more than doubled to 62,000 cup.

GS

 

[243winxb]

Powder Bridging in Measure?

it looks like only four or five experienced the missing primer. Tried priming by hand on the empties that had dropped primers. I was barely able to get it started in the primer pocket.

Makes no sense that the primer fell out, but the pocket is still tight?? As far as over pressure, is bridging possible using your tool/powder? Could one case get 3 gr of powder & the next gets the extra powder, total of 5.8gr? RC might have it, bullet set back on chambering.

 

[Merle1]

This is something that has never happened to me with any firearm, much less and AL. I've seen a couple reloaders with primers falling out of their high powered rifle cartridges after firing before, but never 9mm or any other AL handgun cartridge.

My first thought would be a high pressure issue. In this respect, I think RC is onto something with set back possible causing pressures to spike. Speer did some testing years ago, in which they deliberately set a bullet back .030" on a load tested at 28,000, the result was pressures more than doubled to 62,000 cup.

GS

What do you mean by "AL" ?

 

[Merle1]

Makes no sense that the primer fell out, but the pocket is still tight?? As far as over pressure, is bridging possible using your tool/powder? Could one case get 3 gr of powder & the next gets the extra powder, total of 5.8gr? RC might have it, bullet set back on chambering.

What that implies to me, as illogical as it seems, is that the primers were undersized.

 

[Potatohead]

Make sure your taper crimp is no smaller then .376" when measured at the case mouth.

how bout .3755? i end up there a lot...

 

[243winxb]

What that implies to me, as illogical as it seems, is that the primers were undersized.

Now this makes sense, undersize primers.

 

[LeftyTSGC]

I dont know if i follow the logic of no less than .376;

9mm boolit .355

average case wall thickness at mouth .010

.355 + .010 + .010 = .375 +/- your actual wall thickness. Most of mine turn out at .374 after 4000 9mm reloads I have never had a problem:banghead:

SAAMI max is .380, i dont think i ever had one that large, now I only reload FMJ from MG, no lead or plated so there may be a variance there.

I guess it depends on your specific handgun and its tolerances.

Also, i have (knock on wood) never had a primer fall out.

 

[mstreddy]

Merle -- AL is auto-loader as in semi auto pistols in this context.

 

[rcmodel]

Now this makes sense, undersize primers.

No SM Pistol primer is going to remain undersize after getting kicked in the shorts with 35,000 PSI pressure and expanding to fit whatever primer pocket it happened to be seated in without falling out before being fired.

Unless the case head flows due to excess pressure and the primer cup expansion can't keep up with it fast enough.

rc

 

[mtrmn]

I don't know about pistol brass, but I've thrown away a LOT of FC rifle brass due to the primer pocket being too large-after only the 1 firing of the factory load.