Sellier & Bellot large pistol primers

[mr.steve]

Are Sellier & Bellot large pistol primers naturally harder to fire? I haven't had an issue using them in .45ACP with an 1911. However, I used these primers in 45 Colt using a Circuit Judge and 3 out of five wouldn't fire. I tried around fifty of these loads and the results were the same. These days primers are hard to come by much less being picky about brands. Should I look for a different primer?

 

[warthog]

They fire in my Ruger Blackhawks and the Colt clones I have plus my .45 Colt Redhawk. I am waiting on more bullets so I can load more .45 ACP so I can try them in my P345 asa well. I haven't had a good chance to try them in pistols much at all as I ran out of bullets and I await more that are ordered and coming it yet. Three/five is awful though and I am in the same boat about being picky. I can say the Small Pistol Primers work great for me so far, not one FTF so far out of 300 fired.

Typically I use Winchester Primers exclusively except in .223 loads where I use Benchmark CCI primers. So like you I am still trying the S&B's out. I have an internet buddy in the Czech Republic who has been using them for years since they are cheap and plentiful there where they're made. He uses them to load .45 ACP for his Glock and so far hasn't said anything to me about trouble. He would tell me too since I taught him to reload via video chat.

 

[mr.steve]

I think I've found a fix possibly. I googled the Rossi firing pin and found this link:
Fixing light primer strikes in a Taurus Revolver. I'll have to see about the return spring on the circuit judge. could be a cure.

 

[Hosshauler]

So far these primers work fine in my 45 Colt Vaquero's. And in my Smith 629 44 Mag.

 

[mr.steve]

I tried the spring thing for the firing pin. I removed one and a half turns, reassembled and tested on 5 rounds. It still had light primer strikes. I suppose I'll cut off two more turns on the spring and try again. As a side note, I learned how to remove the side plate on a revolver and how to put it it back on. Something new everyday.

 

[Obiward]

I loaded some 9mm with S&B small pistol primers recently. They went bang every time in my Glock 19. My buddy had numerous FTF with his S&W 1911 using the same ammo. I rechambered them in my G19 and had no issues. I also had 1 FTF for 45 ACP in my USP using the same brand primers. They appear to be a bit hard to me, but I haven't loaded all that many with them.

 

[saberstar]

I have used them in sig .40, glock 17, dan Wesson .357 & .38 no issues at all. Loaded about 3k in all with them so far.

 

[mr.steve]

I think this is a gun specific issue. It's a shame my reloads aren't dependable in this circuit judge. I don't have any problems with Colt 1911 or the Glock. The availability and price of factory ammo makes it rough to shoot regularly enough to be a self/home defense gun my wife has been wanting.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I've been having a lot of fail-to-fire issues with S&B small primers lately and I don't know why. It doesn't seem to be gun specific. I've had problems in my revolvers (.38 special) and in my 9mm semi-autos. The first box or so that I went through had no problems, but now I'm to the point where I don't know if I would trust my reloads for self-defense. I suppose it's possible that I got a bad batch... Unfortunately, S&B seems to be the easiest brand to find.

 

[bw8755]

Thought I'd share this email from Kodiak Range up in South Bend.

"Hi Everyone:

I just wanted to update everyone on the Sellier & Bellot Primers. These have been the only primers Kodiak Armory has been able to purchase in recent months. For the most part they have loaded and shot well however we are finding it to be a harder strike primer. As a result some bullets are not firing on the first try, of those many will fire on the second try but a few will not. The primer has deep dents. Also, some guns do better than others.

This is not a huge problem but I wanted to let everyone know we stand behind our Kodiak Armory Ammunition. While at the range if you have a Kodiak Armory round that will not fire please bring it up front and we will happily replace any bad Kodiak Armory rounds. If you purchase Kodiak Armory ammunition and shoot it elsewhere please make sure you retain your receipt and bring any bad Kodiak Armory rounds back for replacement.

Kodiak Armory will purchase and load with CCI, Federal and Winchester Primers when they become available again. We are in extraordinary times and unfortunately the best components are simply not available.

Please note most of the rounds fire just fine but I wanted to make sure everyone is aware we stand behind our Kodiak Armory Ammunition.

Kodiak Firing Range is looking for new ammunition daily. We have not been able to purchase new run ammunition since last December. We are looking and will supply new ammunition when it becomes available again."

For the record, with about 300 S&B's used, in two XDm and one Taurus all using the same .40 load, only the Taurus had two that needed a second strike.

 

[Gluemanz28]

I have been using S&B SP in several 9MM rounds. I have fired them in a Glock 17, Walther PPX, a Bersa Thunder 9 UC without any FTF

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I have been using S&B SP in several 9MM rounds. I have fired them in a Glock 17, Walther PPX, a Bersa Thunder 9 UC without any FTF

I hadn't been having any problems until recently. Someone else said that it might be an issue with the primer pocket being dirty. I've been tumbling my brass before decapping and sizing it. The person that told me that said that the primer might be "hung up" on some crud, allowing it to move when it's fired, causing the misfire problem.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Thought I'd share this email from Kodiak Range up in South Bend.

"Hi Everyone:

I just wanted to update everyone on the Sellier & Bellot Primers. These have been the only primers Kodiak Armory has been able to purchase in recent months. For the most part they have loaded and shot well however we are finding it to be a harder strike primer. As a result some bullets are not firing on the first try, of those many will fire on the second try but a few will not. The primer has deep dents. Also, some guns do better than others.

This is not a huge problem but I wanted to let everyone know we stand behind our Kodiak Armory Ammunition. While at the range if you have a Kodiak Armory round that will not fire please bring it up front and we will happily replace any bad Kodiak Armory rounds. If you purchase Kodiak Armory ammunition and shoot it elsewhere please make sure you retain your receipt and bring any bad Kodiak Armory rounds back for replacement.

Kodiak Armory will purchase and load with CCI, Federal and Winchester Primers when they become available again. We are in extraordinary times and unfortunately the best components are simply not available.

Please note most of the rounds fire just fine but I wanted to make sure everyone is aware we stand behind our Kodiak Armory Ammunition.

Kodiak Firing Range is looking for new ammunition daily. We have not been able to purchase new run ammunition since last December. We are looking and will supply new ammunition when it becomes available again."

For the record, with about 300 S&B's used, in two XDm and one Taurus all using the same .40 load, only the Taurus had two that needed a second strike.

This is interesting. Sounds like it could be an issue with the primers themselves. I just don't know... I do know that I want the problem to go away!

 

[mr.steve]

I didn't have any problems with S&B primers in reloaded brass using a 1911 and a Glock. I started to see major FTF when I used new brass and a new rifle.