Primer trouble

[ShooterAZ]

My thoughts were if the shoulder got set back slightly during sizing, that this problem could potentially occur. 35 Remington is rimless, so headspace is on the shoulder and not the rim. Just a thought anyway...

[Winger Ed.]

Presuming the primer is good:

I'd clean the firing pin & hammer and where they travel real well so nothing drags.

If that's all good but you have a light strike on the primer:
You might have FL sized too much and pushed the shoulder back too far, or the die is slightly too small.
This is also possible to do by mixing and matching one brand of die, with another brand of shell holder.
If the shell holder 'lip' is not the same thickness as the one for your brand of die--- you can have 'issues'.

I had a sizing die out of spec. one time, but it was too large.
(I discovered this..... AFTER I'd sized over 1,000 7.62 NATO cases, then the first one I loaded wouldn't chamber)
A too small case small can have sort of a headspace issue where the firing pin is pushing the case a tiny bit farther into the chamber.

If so, the firing pin might not have enough over travel, and can't reach the primer to get a good & proper strike.

If you have a good solid hit on the primer, but a miss-fire- I'd try a different batch or brand of primers.

[BamaNapper]

I purchased 10,000 Winchester Large Pistol primers a few years ago. Only use LP for my 1911s and 45 Colt. Although they were advertised as “Large Pistol” the boxes all say “Large Pistol Primer for Standard AND Magnum Loads”. I thought that was pretty unusual given that everything I’ve read indicates magnum primer cups are made of thicker material in order to withstand the higher pressure of magnum loads. I can’t recall any failures in the 7,000 + I’ve used so far. I just chalked the “and Magnum Loads” up to a marketing ploy.
They do flip right side up better than any other primers I’ve used. Maybe the cup is heavier material.

I've got a brick or two of WLP in my stash as well. I load the same primer for 45 and 44 mag and never had an issue with either caliber. They seem consistent with magnum loads and reliable. Even my Contender likes the primers, and plenty of folks saying they don't have strong hammer springs. No, there's no extender on the Contender hammer but I wish I had one. I'd gladly put another brick on the shelf if I were to find some.

[30calflash]

Could it be a headspace issue? The shoulder set back and getting light hits?

Sorry ShooterAZ already mentioned this.

[oley55]

Anecdotal evidence only, but FTF is very rarely the primers fault.

I have soaked primers in water for days and they would still detonate under a hammer strike. Albeit subdued and some weaker than others, but they still went bang. I believe all of the storage recommendations (humidity/temperature) are intended to maintain more consistent (ignition energy) round after round as opposed to ignition/no ignition.

[str8wal]

Contender barrels in 35 Rem have a rep for headspace issues. Some shooters have their barrel chambers relieved for a rim to eliminate this issue. Have you tried other primers in these loads and barrel?

[jsizemore]

If you have a pre-Encore Contender then you could have a problem with the interlock safety not throwing over fully. This can happen with brass not being full length resized or needs annealed. Your bullets may be seated too long. The locking lugs on the bottom of the barrel turn the interlock out of the way so the hammer can fall and strike the primer. If the barrel doesn't close completely so the locking lugs extend fully then you could end up with no or light firing pin strike. Your locking lugs may have an issue or where they latch on the frame.

My problems have always been headspace and seating depth. Contender actions are a bit "springy" and will leave the head and length a little long when pushed hard or the brass is work hardened. I check my sizing die set up with the barrel out of the gun. If the brass doesn't sit flush with the breech and eject with next to no thumb pressure on the extractor then the sizing die needs to be turned down a little more. Bullet seating depth needs to be set so it doesn't engage the leade or lands.

In the old days folks would alter their Contenders and their barrels would pop open when shooting hot loads. They may not be hot in other guns or in published load data but are a bit too much for the Contender action.

I hope this helps. Good Luck.

[rockrat]

I have had FTF with a Savage Axis in 308 with WW primers. Maybe 20%. If I set the size die to where there is a bit of resistance to closing the bolt, it would fire 100%. Checked firing pin protusion and that was the problem. Was more on the minimum spec side. Grabbed some Federal primers and problem went away.