Federal Primers

[KCSO]

I couldn't buy Winchester primers the other day and settled for Federal 150 large pistol primers. When I went to seat primers the first time i notice they are anywhere from very tight in the cases to won't seat at all. This is in 45 acp and I have tried federal, winchester, remington, starline and some foreign cases. No joy all around in one out of five cases the primer won't even go in and the rest are a hard fit. By comparison W/W and CCI both pop right into the same cases (all cleaned polished, pp cleaned and chamfered) . Has anyone else noticed this or did I just get a batch of bad primers?

[timkelley]

I have some Federal 150s out on the bench. I've used them in 45acp and 45 Colt, they work fine.

[felix]

What color is the box that the primers came in? ... felix

[oneokie]

What lot #?

[sundog]

Up until recently all the Fed primers I've been using have been in red boxes. Last week while I was still off recuperating, I opened a case of Fed SP that were bought in the last batch of primers I got. Blue boxes.

Any difference other than box color?

[TX BOOMER]

Don't know about the pistol primers but I shoot alot of Fed match 215 , 210 rifle primers in my 300WSM and they did change the box on the last 2000 I got. They seem to shoot the same . :Fire:

[Morgan Astorbilt]

If you read my post on the Wolf primer thread, you'd know I prefer Federal primers for the very fact that they're the easiest to seat. You must have gotten a bad batch.
My son and I have been shooting 500rds a month for the last three years, in cowboy action, and have never had a problem with them. You said you were loading .45acp. Could any of the cases been military? If so, the primer pocket crimps may have to be removed.
Morgan

[shotstring]

That's really kind of bizarre. I have never heard of that problem, and lots of folks love the Federal primers because they require a lighter hit and will function well in competition revolvers with very light springs.

[mag44uk]

I would be looking at the cases.
See if you can bum a few of buddy that are a different make so you can try them.
I have about 1000 CBC case which work fine with Feds.
A mate gave me 200 rounds of home loads using some unheard of french made cases.
My LNL and lee seater both refuse to put Fed primers in one out of five.

[Lloyd Smale]

its amazing you even found federal primers for sale. there havent been any large pistol primers up here or available mail order for about 6 months.

[felix]

Sundog, load a few of each color into hard-to-seat cases. See if you feel a difference in both seating and shooting with a weak hammer. ... felix

[NVcurmudgeon]

Irony Department: Dillon reccomends the use of Federal or Winchester primers exclusively in the Square Deal machine because they "fit better". (IMO, after 27 years, the SD priming system is not flawless.) I'd mike the primers in two directions, then phone or E-mail Federal. My guess is you have some oversize or out of round prmers, and Federal would like to know so they can fix it.

[kirb]

I shoot uspsa revolver 610 smith, 625 smith 627 smiths and shoot the federal because of the softer cup I have shot large and small with a smile on my face. There is no differeence between the bule and red box primers. I average about 1200 a month. I lighting the trigers on my smiths until they will not set w/w or cci primers off, but the federal go every time. I hope they did not change something.

Kirb

[robertbank]

Federal Primer boxeds up here are blue. A lot of the competition shooters prefer them because they are easier to set off. I have read this is attributable to Federal using an older primer compound that sets off easier than the newer lead free compound the other manufacturers use. wheter this is true or not I can't confirm but I do know they are easier to set off.

I have never had any problem with seating them or any feeding issues using my 550B. The only primers I have had problems with in pistol both large and small primers is CCI. They have a reputation for having a harder outer material and some recomend the use of CCI primers in auto rifles to reduce the chances of a slam fire.

I suspect the Blue boxes are the newer primer boxes but have no way of confirming this. Might want to check with Federal.

Take Care

Bob

[felix]

I think, but do not know, that the blue boxes contain the latest issue of the primer, not just another lot of the same-o. An email from Federal a year ago now said they were changing the cup portion, but not the priming mixture. The implication was that the military was demanding more uniformity among the suppliers. So, who knows. ... felix

[felix]

Kirb, are you saying that there is NO obvious difference between red and blue (of those you shot so far)? ... felix

[KCSO]

These were red boxed and all the cases were prepped and have been reloaded at least twice. I tried these in a case that i was going to discard for loose primer fit and the primers were waht I woud deem as normal/safe and in all the other cases they were tight. I also notice they don't seat as deep and I wonder if i might have gotten rifle primers in a pistol cover?

[felix]

Again, KCSO, who knows. If they are red boxed, I now wonder how the primers got mixed up. Naw, they won't be so cheap, or would they, to package the new primers in red boxes. Or, could it be that since CCI took over the operation, or maybe new management from ATK, that they had no idea what goes into what? ... felix

[floodgate]

It's unlikely that you ran into these, but the early Frankford Arsenal .45 ACP's were loaded with a special, undersized 0.204" LP primer. These gave some of the old-time reloaders fits, but then you could order them from FA or through the DCM.

floodgate

[kirb]

I can find no difference with the red or the blue box all work and seat the same in the case both large and small. The person I buy primers from contacted federal was told every thing was the same that was early last summer. Read the same thing on the Brian Enos Fourm. Hopfully nothing has changed since then. In Idaho and Utah I have a hard time try to buy Federal primer off the shelf. Brent the guy I get federal primers through said he orders 100 thousand primers gets 50 thousand most plentful for him small rifle in the federal line.

Kirb

[KCSO]

I couldn't stand it so i tried some in new starline 38-55 cases and they were a real pull to seat in those too. The primers are just about 1 thou bigger in diameter and abut the same in depth. Lot A1224 Who Knows, they came from a gun show so maybe i got bit.

[felix]

I don't think the gunshow had anything to do with it. The person who got them found the primers to be too tight for anything he had, so he pawned them off to the gunshow. My question is, is how did those "newer" primers get into the red box? Gotta' be a screwup somewhere at the factory, or contractor doing the boxing. ... felix

[buckndee]

How do you know for sure they are Federal primers? The person you bought them from could have transferred some unknown primers into the Federal boxes. I would still contact Federal with the lot number for their input.

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive used tons of both the blue boxed and red boxed ones and cant tell the differnce. What i heard is when federals start appearing on the shelves again after this big shortage that the new ones will appear then. I heard this shortage is part of the change over.