I've used 'em for years & years with no problem. The last couple lots I've got DO have a serious problem!!!

I'm getting about 5~10% of them COMING APART in the tube and on the primer loading wheel!!!

Sometimes an anvil falls out of the cup when I'm just flipping them over in the primer tray!!!

Some of the anvils are 'just cocked' a little, and sit crookedly on the flip tray.

And some times the anvil comes out and jams the cycling of the Mighty 650 Dillon!!!

What is going on here?

Only thing I noticed is the last few cases I bought are plain brass and no longer nickeled.

I use WLP also and have no issues with them at all. Contact MFG and give them the lot number and see if they have problem with this particular batch. Cost of primers has doubles in the last couple of years. They have not nickeled the primers for years that I have seen. All I have ever used are brass color since 99 anyway.

I have never experienced any problems with Winchester primers. I use both the WSP and WLP priomers for all my semi auto pistol reloads. Thge cyups have been solid brass for more than a decade. I do remeber when they were nickeled and rounded.

Never a problem with the anvils, but I did get a sleeve that had a bunch with burrs on the edge that would get them hung up in the Dillon primer tubes. That was only one sleeve out of many though...

I have encountered some issues lately. I have quit using them.

I've been having the anvils fall out after the spent primers are removed. No problem, but I've not had this happen before as often as it's happening now so I can imagine that there might be some dimensional issues inside.

I use a lot of WLP's. I've never had any problems. I have another 15,000 to go through. If I had a problem like you described, I'd contact the manufacturer. They ought to make good on them. Did you buy them buy the sleeve of 5,000?

I have noticed recently they (WLP) are not nickled anymore. Also, they seem to be a little harder. I have one bullseye gun in .45 ACP that has a "tuned" trigger and it will fail to set them off sometimes. Have not had any trouble with my revolver's setting them off. I reserve my supply of Federal primers for the .45.

Have they outsourced the manufacture? Wolf maybe? Don't know but has anyone checked the packaging to see where they are being made. Just a thought. I'm still running on primers bought in '97, found one hell of a sale and stocked up big time.

My issue with Winchester primers is the current lack of availability in quantities I buy at prices I'm willing to pay. Locally, the best I can do is $149/5K. Mail order is a little better at $130/5K delivered. I purchased 15K of Wolf primers for $95/5k, delivered, a couple months ago. So far so good. They are not identical to Winchester. OD is .001" larger. They also seem to burn a little cleaner. Wolf packaging is similar to Win, but obviously not from the same place.

Only problems I ever had with WLP is in the new style Smiths. The firing pin is too short and won't make them go off 100% of the time. I switched to Federal and put in an extended firing pin and the problem went away.

My M629 Classic had a trigger job though and it was too light. That has been fixed as well.

I use them in 45ACP though that go into my Taurus PT1911 and they go bang every time!

quote:

I have noticed recently they (WLP) are not nickled anymore. Also, they seem to be a little harder. I have one bullseye gun in .45 ACP that has a "tuned" trigger and it will fail to set them off sometimes.

I posted this same concern awhile back. I have a tuned 696 that was always 100% reliable with the old "white box" WLP primers that were nickeled. The new "blue box" brass finished primers will produce an occasional FTF in double action. I do think that the primer cup is a bit harder on the latest WLP's. Perhaps Winchester is continuing to slide downhill in all facets of whatever is left of a once great American manufacturer.........just my 2 cents!

tdan, you are right the new primers are harder.

I say horse hockey to all the nay sayers. I have loaded tens of thousands .45 ACP's and .44 mags with these (WLP) primers. I shoot them in the .45 ACP in accurized 1911's by Clark and Tony Kidd. If you are having a problem, I'd look at your gun. I've been reloading since the early 70's. You guys are way behind on the "new" Winchester primer thing. They have been out for literally years and at first, like a lot of things, since they are "different", some folks had to find fault. There's nothing wrong with them, discounting the remote possibility that there might have been a bad run.