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Thread: PMC brand small pistol primers harder to ignite?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    PMC brand small pistol primers harder to ignite?

    Yesterday I was shooting my Taurus 738 TCP with loads primed by a PMC small pistol primer, when I had several FTF rounds. These same reloads fired fine when struck the second time when they were put in my Keltec K3AT.
    Anybody else have an issue like this with either the TCP and/or the PMC small pistol primers?
    It's all chicken, even the beak!

  2. #2
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    If these primers were loaded by you, they weren't seated all the way, since they detonated on the second strike. The anvil has to be set into the primer pellet when seated for the primer to work properly. The first strike is finishing the seating process, and the second strike sets them off. I seat all my primers to .004" below flush with the rim of the case, and I don't have primer problems.

    If these were factory rounds, then the same thing applies, only it's the factory seating.

    It's possible that your Taurus also has a weak hammer spring, but I don't own any Taurus firearms, so it's just a guess.

    Hope this helps.

    Fred
    After a shooting spree, they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn't do it. - William S. Burroughs.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master smkummer's Avatar
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    Yep, as above.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    I have found the PMC primers which are Made In Russia to be harder than a *****'s heart.
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  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by ReloaderFred View Post
    If these primers were loaded by you, they weren't seated all the way, since they detonated on the second strike. The anvil has to be set into the primer pellet when seated for the primer to work properly. The first strike is finishing the seating process, and the second strike sets them off. I seat all my primers to .004" below flush with the rim of the case, and I don't have primer problems.

    If these were factory rounds, then the same thing applies, only it's the factory seating.

    It's possible that your Taurus also has a weak hammer spring, but I don't own any Taurus firearms, so it's just a guess.

    Hope this helps.

    Fred
    I should have also mentioned that I tried a "second strike" in the TCP several times and they still did not fire. It wasn't until I put them into the Keltec K3AT that they finally went off. This same PMC primed ammo fired fine today on the first chambering in a friend's Taurus 738 TCP and in both of my Keltec K3AT's. It looks like this TCP of mine has a weak spring. How can this best be corrected?
    It's all chicken, even the beak!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check