How to insure reliable priming?

[.22-10-45]

I have a Colt 2nd gen. S.A.A. .38 Spec. that Hamilton Bowman worked over. The action is slick & hammer pull is light..maybe too much so..I was experiencing a few misfires.. ( Fed. small pistol) rather than sending it back..I tried something else. I never was much of a fan for loading-press priming systems..but the info I read on my Forester Co-Ax claims the primer punch is factory set for .002" under case head. I have been priming all my cases for this particular sixgun on this press and have not experienced one missfire since.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

i chuck up the lee primer pocket cleaning tool in my cordless drill and go , but I am going to be on the look out for a cheap drill i can mount to the bench and use both hands to grab cases and keep the drill running , i could probably do nearly 2x as many

[opos]

i chuck up the lee primer pocket cleaning tool in my cordless drill and go , but I am going to be on the look out for a cheap drill i can mount to the bench and use both hands to grab cases and keep the drill running , i could probably do nearly 2x as many

I use a cheapie cordless to do both the primer pocked cleaning and the trimming/deburring with the lee tools and the shell holder that chucks into the drill motor...not the most high tech thing in the world but works fine...I also have a Lyman priming pocked tool and have had good luck with that..I just don't seem to have primer problems...When I tumble or wash cases I deprime them first...I use really fine walnut shells in the tumbler when I use it and have never had a plugged primer hole and the pockets come out nice and clean...I use one of the old style round tray Lee tools or if messing with a Lee hand press I use the little single primer tool that fits right in the press...slow but super positive...do that when making up ladder test packages.

[Virginia John]

I find the CCI to be a little troublesome at times when it comes to seating. That is usually caused by a military crimp or a really dirty primer pocket. A little more attention to case prep seems to be the answer.

[FergusonTO35]

I agree with case prep, less things that can go wrong. Still, hard primers strike me no matter what I do. I now use only Federal primers in my important ammo. I find I can duplicate the performance of my favorite 9mm load of 3.5 grains Bullseye/Remington primer/Lee 356-120-TC by using 3.7 grains Bullseye and a Federal primer. Both loads clock a consistent ~1000 fps out of my Glock 19 with great accuracy.

[mike in co]

your original post says most of the issue...they sometimes go off on the second strike.
this is one of two issues...as others have said.
one) the primer is not properly seated, and you are in affect re-seating with the firing pin..
two) check all the guns for proper spring tension/firing pin protrusion...just to eliminate the possible source.

a true primer failure..the primer's fault is a true rare issue..yep they happen but not 1in 200......more like 1 in 2,000,000.

[FergusonTO35]

I have experienced hard primers after cleaning the pockets and seating them on the press. Lately all the hard primers I have encountered would not fire in any of my guns, even those with extra power springs. Firing pin protrusion is within spec.