Hard primers

[Bill Steele]

I was wondering what some of the really experienced reloaders feel are the hardest primers (small pistol).

I am playing with lighter hammer springs on some of my 9mm semi's (poor man's trigger job) and would like to load up some rounds with the harder primers as a test load for my softer hammer springs ideas.

Thanks.

[CSACANNONEER]

CCIs are a good choice for this.

[Bill Steele]

That was fast, thanks.

Thanks for the quick reply. I can't believe I actually already have the primers I need for my test, my lucky day.

I guess I better run down and buy a lotto ticket,

[Fishslayer]

CCI has a rep for hardest, Federal usually considered the softest.

I load CCI & have an occasional misfire in my Ruger KP90. Always fires on the second pull. This may be a primer not fully seated as much as a "hard" primer.

Zero misfires in any of my S&W wheelguns. Those things put a pretty solid whack to a primer tho.

[Chief-7700]

Also try Wolf.

[stover]

I was wondering what some of the really experienced reloaders feel are the hardest primers (small pistol).

I am playing with lighter hammer springs on some of my 9mm semi's (poor man's trigger job) and would like to load up some rounds with the harder primers as a test load for my softer hammer springs ideas.

Thanks.

If you want really hard CCI primers try CCI #41 (Military primers)

[Agustav]

CCI #41 is small rifle primer... I guess it will fit in the primer pocket, but do you wanna pull the trigger?

[Cheep]

Wolf.

[Bill Steele]

The timid type.

CCI #41 is small rifle primer... I guess it will fit in the primer pocket, but do you wanna pull the trigger?

Thanks again guys, I will give the Wolf a try as well. I might pass on the small rifle primers. I guess it is all in what you get used to, but at this stage I am pretty shy about getting too far outside the box.

Reminds me of a trip I took to a startup company down in LA a while back, It was a nano materials company. These guys were all from Los Alamos Lab and were pretty casual about the materials they were handling. I walked by a big hole in the concrete floor and asked what caused that, one of the scientists said , "oh, we had a batch of nano aluminum that didn't get enough oxidation on the outside, kind of a China Syndrome that one."

I looked over on the wall and saw a big tank marked "Hydrogen Peroxide" and I asked, "what percentage of Hydrogen Peroxide is that?" He replied, "Oh, pretty high, 90+% I would think."

I told them I was really impressed with the tour and told them I had a flight to catch and had to get going stat.

[stover]

CCI #41 is small rifle primer... I guess it will fit in the primer pocket, but do you wanna pull the trigger?

haha. Yeah. I'm always thinking everyone shoots .223 did not notice the caliber was not mentioned.

[Chief-7700]

I was wondering what some of the really experienced reloaders feel are the hardest primers (small pistol).

I am playing with lighter hammer springs on some of my 9mm semi's (poor man's trigger job) and would like to load up some rounds with the harder primers as a test load for my softer hammer springs ideas.

Thanks.

Bill, There is a lot more to a trigger job than just changing out the hammer spring. Be careful that you do not screw up the timing of the gun, since the hammer and recoil springs are balanced to work together.
Check for sear and hammer hook angles and alignment.

[Bill Steele]

Hammer springs

Bill, There is a lot more to a trigger job than just changing out the hammer spring. Be careful that you do not screw up the timing of the gun, since the hammer and recoil springs are balanced to work together.
Check for sear and hammer hook angles and alignment.

Will do, thanks a lot.

So far, the springs I have tested have worked fine on the factory loads I have been shooting (i.e. ignition, cycling, slide not slamming, etc.). Given that I am restarting the old press, I figured I might do some "acid" testing on the hardest primers I might run into.

I really appreciate the thoughts and ideas. Really helpful.

[Greg Mercurio]

Hey Bill: At some point, hopefully long after we've left this earth, someone may have to substitute small rifle for small pistol. Given the difference in brisance betwen the 2 it's not all that much of an experiment to load 20 rounds with reduced charges and see if your springs will work. Yup, I know there isn't much powder in 9mm, and it's overkill but this IS kahlifornia and JB is coming in January so anything can happen to supply chains. Great fun in expermenting with energetics.

Darn sure this has been done many times before with no ill effects, and probably available on the web with a little google time.

[Bill Steele]

Sounds good, I will just stand over here....

Hey Bill: At some point, hopefully long after we've left this earth, someone may have to substitute small rifle for small pistol. Given the difference in brisance betwen the 2 it's not all that much of an experiment to load 20 rounds with reduced charges and see if your springs will work. Yup, I know there isn't much powder in 9mm, and it's overkill but this IS kahlifornia and JB is coming in January so anything can happen to supply chains. Great fun in expermenting with energetics.

Darn sure this has been done many times before with no ill effects, and probably available on the web with a little google time.

Hi Greg, long time no see.

Well I will load the rounds and meet you at one of the ranges around here. You must have a 9mm as you bought all those Montana Golds right ahead of me, I will stand back and do my best Wylie Coyote immitation. What springs do we need?

[zfields]

CCI. I actually get an occasional FTF with them on my XD. Second stike does the job, but like an earlier poster said, may just be the primer not fully seating. Winchester are a bit on the hard side, but not nearly as CCI it seems, no FTFs since Ive used them.