Midway did it again!

About 3 weeks ago the firing pin to my original S&W model 59 broke. You tube did not have anything for the original so I checked with Midway to see if they had a new firing pin for it. They did and they suggested a firing pin spring also. I ordered both 7.95 for both. I got it yesterday and I had no idea how to replace it so I called Midway. They put me in touch with their gunsmith who walked me through from start to finish. Fifteen minutes later the gun was put back together.

One thing he said was to stay away from Federal primers as they have very tough cups. He said that some of the striker fired pistols were having trouble so they no longer recommend them for older pistols or striker fired pistols.

That is one great company.

ACC

Thanks for sharing. I have always heard the exact opposite of federal primers. That they are the softest.

I was always told the softest cups were in this order Federal, Winchester and then CCI the hardest. For pistol I use alot of Winchesters and sometime Federals on my 38's. afish4570

I also have experienced just the opposite. I have a revolver that will only fire with the federal.
Midway has always provided great customer service.

About 10 years ago I got the "bug" to see if I could get a pointy bullet to ignite a cartridge in a tubular magazine. As a prelude to my trials I wanted to be sure I got the easiest primer to set off, so built a fine primer tester using some galvanized pipe fittings, 45 Colt cases, and a fish de-liar pull scale. Federal was by far the easiest to ignite, Winchester and CCI virtually identical, and Remington by far the toughest. Those are the only ones I did and have long since de-commissioned my set-up so can't say a thing about other primers that seem to have come on the scene the past few years. These were all of the large rifle and large pistol styles.

I wish now I would have tested small rifle/pistol primers but didn't think of it at the time. Coulda' used 454 Casull cases and not had to change my setup a bit.

Could be a case where things are different with the "type" of primer. Our 1943 M1 Garand has had one slam fire it's 20 years with us. That happened with a Winchester large rifle primer.

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Originally Posted by Bazoo

Thanks for sharing. I have always heard the exact opposite of federal primers. That they are the softest.

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yeah me too and I reckon its right

Good for you...........my experiences with Midway's customer service have been anything but exemplary! I used to buy exclusively from them but now only if it's the last resort. Lately I've been buying supplies from Powder Valley.......very fast shipping!

When shooting PPC (a long while back), we all reloaded and used nothing by Federal primers as they had the softest primer cup and we all used very light hammer/trigger springs in our revolvers and wanted reliable ignition. CCI's were/have always been considered to have the hardest primer cup.

Is it possible that he meant not to use Federal to mitigate causing holes in the primer cup due to the new firing pin and firing pin spring?

Federal large pistol primers were easier to initiate when they came in the red box. The change came when the package turned blue/slightly gray.

Three44s

Three44s, Are you saying now that federals arnt the softest now they are in a blue box?