striker punching through the primer!

[zipper046]

Hey guys,

noticed last night that I had some REALLY DEEP striker hits on my primers. I held a few of them up to the light and sure enough, there were little pinholes letting light through...my striker had pierced through the primer!

This is only on my last batch of .40S&W's that I loaded. The load is: 4.7gr's of Bullseye, 180gr Zero FMJ bullet, Winchester Small Pistol primers, and 1.127" OAL.

Is this a pressure issue? The 4.7gr's of BE is below the published max load (which I think is 5.5gr's). Any ideas?

Thanks,
Z-

[Glooooock]

I doubt the striker is any sharper than normal , I'm guessing pressure . See if the area around the outside edge is flat , pushing out the radius on the primer till it looks like the brass to primer line flush . They have photos in most reloading manuals.

I see a load listed a 5.5 grs bullseye with 180gr JHP ,,, so your numbers look good. What brand primers are they .

[zipper046]

I doubt the striker is any sharper than normal , I'm guessing pressure . See if the area around the outside edge is flat , pushing out the radius on the primer till it looks like the brass to primer line flush . They have photos in most reloading manuals.

I see a load listed a 5.5 grs bullseye with 180gr JHP ,,, so your numbers look good. What brand primers are they .

I'm running Winchester small pistol primers....

[bluewater]

I had the same problem with Federal primers. Switched to CCI primers and the problem went away. Was shooting my Glock 35 and damaged the firing pin too.

[Steve Koski]

Roughness on the striker tip. What gun???

Take some fine fine fine emery cloth and buff the striker tip.

[MullahElRon]

I want to blame the gun, but I trust the component and ammunition manufacturers less that I used to. I'd still focus on the weapon first to rule it out. If it turns out to be components, find a dead white guy's widder and buy out his stash. God bless him...

[creophus]

Sounds like a pressure issue to me also. Are you SURE you're putting 4.7 grains of BE in there?

Do you have a chrono? And I'm wondering the same thing as Koski...what gun are you running these in?

[918v]

Pressure.

Depends on the brass too. I was piercing R-P primers in MagTech and Starline 9mm brass with certain loads, while they did fine in Wincheser and Federal cases. Just to give you an idea, I had to reduce my 124gr JSP load from 5.8 grains of Unique to 5.3 grains.

[zipper046]

Roughness on the striker tip. What gun???

Take some fine fine fine emery cloth and buff the striker tip.

Sounds like a pressure issue to me also. Are you SURE you're putting 4.7 grains of BE in there?

Do you have a chrono? And I'm wondering the same thing as Koski...what gun are you running these in?

I'm running these in my G35. I haven't done anything to the firing pin or firing pin springs. Only work done so far was a 3.5# connector, some polishing, a 15# spring on a stainless steel guide rod, and sights.

I'm sure it's 4.7gr's because I pulled one of the bullets and dumped the powder onto my scale when I got home. Sure 'nuff...4.7gr's (+/- .1gr)

I did notice that the piercing of the primer is not consistent. Some just hits have a deep strike mark, some have a normal strike mark, and then some pierced the primer.

I ordered a set of reduced springs from Wolff for the firing pin...when I put them on I'll take a fine emory cloth and hit the firing pin with it...unless someone thinks of something else.

thx,
z-

[MullahElRon]

Ant crimp weirdness going on? Setback on feeding?

[zipper046]

Ant crimp weirdness going on? Setback on feeding?

Don't see any. I took some unfired rounds and measured the case width at the mouth of the case and it measures .421 - .422". Speer loading manual and others say the rim/case mouth should be .424", so I'm fine there.

z-

[creophus]

When you worked up to that load, what did the other primers look like?

[zipper046]

When you worked up to that load, what did the other primers look like?

At 4.5gr's they seemed fine. Looks like I had some deep strikes, but no piercing's, and those deep strikes were fewer than what I'm seeing at 4.7gr's.

[creophus]

Unless you can figure out for certain that it's not an unsafe pressure issue, I'd say back it down. I know you're within range of published data, but for whatever reason it looks like this isn't a safe combo in your gun.

Safety first.

[Jim_M]

Just a thought. Check to see if your primers are seated high. As you may know they need to be below flush.

Like I said, just a thought . :)



Jim

[zipper046]

Unless you can figure out for certain that it's not an unsafe pressure issue, I'd say back it down. I know you're within range of published data, but for whatever reason it looks like this isn't a safe combo in your gun.

Safety first.

I agree. I'm now loading Unique (5.7gr's). I think I'll run the rest out (only have a few hundred left) and keep the BE for when I start loading .45acp. I like Unique (even though it does sound like ground up charcoal when you pour it) but may even try Titegroup or good 'ol WSF.

Thanks for all the input Creophus...it helps to knock these things off others.

[creophus]

I agree. I'm now loading Unique (5.7gr's). I think I'll run the rest out (only have a few hundred left) and keep the BE for when I start loading .45acp. I like Unique (even though it does sound like ground up charcoal when you pour it) but may even try Titegroup or good 'ol WSF.

Thanks for all the input Creophus...it helps to knock these things off others. No problem! Keep us posted. I like Titegroup for my 40s&w loads.

[zipper046]

No problem! Keep us posted. I like Titegroup for my 40s&w loads.

Got a good recipe for me to try??

[creophus]

3.2 gr Titegroup 1.135" CCI SP I use Rainier copper plated bulliets and found that I had no problems with cycling the action on my Glock 23. Recoil was very mild and accuracy was excellent. These loads should still make a power factor of about 130.

[zipper046]

3.2 gr Titegroup 1.135" CCI SP I use Rainier copper plated bulliets and found that I had no problems with cycling the action on my Glock 23. Recoil was very mild and accuracy was excellent. These loads should still make a power factor of about 130.

Thanks! I'll try these out when I get the titegroup in.

z-

[MullahElRon]

I've never tried Bullseye in .40, prefering to stick wid da renowned, deadly and slower #5. Bullseye just seem too fast too me. I love it for .45 ACP in 1911s. Cheep(hey jjb!)!.

[zipper046]

I've never tried Bullseye in .40, prefering to stick wid da renowned, deadly and slower #5. Bullseye just seem too fast too me. I love it for .45 ACP in 1911s. Cheep(hey jjb!)!.

I wasn't sure about it at first either. It was the first powder I bought from somone (they ordered too much and it was a good deal to start with). Turns out, at the lower charges (I was at 3.5 - 3.8gr's for some soft IDPA loads) it burns pretty clean and was pretty consistent.

Now, though, I'm trying to get a steady MAJOR load for USPSA shoots...so BE doesn't seem to be the right one. UNIQUE so far seems good, although I need to chrono the loads (they are Koski's recipe, so I believe they are fine).

Hopefully I'll be re-loadin' .45acp soon and then I'll use the BE again.

later,
z-