I recently bought a LNIB Performance Center Model 629 Light Hunter. I have been working with some other revolvers and had only shot it a few times. It worked perfectly with Federal Primers. I have shot mostly Federal primers for over thirty years. The revolver is EXACTLY as I received it but I noticed the really sweet double action trigger.
Recently, due to the primer shortage, I decided to load some .44 Specials with some Winchester Large Pistol Primers to kind of "save" my Federals. The Winchesters needed used anyway. At any rate I had a high percentage of Failures to Fire (FTF) single action. I switched over to my 625-6 that has a spring kit and it too failed to fire on occasion when using the Winchester primers. It is absolutely 100% with Federals.
I happened to have two Cylinder and Slide replacement firing pins (typically called "longer" by most people). The C&S firing pins are not really longer but the retaining pin relief is MUCH longer and allows the firing pin to extend MUCH farther into the primer when struck by the hammer.
The 625-6 was not as bad in this regard as the 629 LH was. The Light Hunter firing pin had so little "extension" I'm amazed that even Federals would work reliably.
Oh, by the way of information - I happened to have my Ruger Lipsey .44 Special with me. It has the "New" lighter mainspring of the New Vaqueros. I ran the FTF's through it and everyone of them fired 1st time. Some of them had been hit as many as three times in the LH without lighting up...
At any rate, it's a five minute job and doesn't cost much. I am confident that my FTF's will be a thing of the past. I will be at the range in the next couple of days, and we will see what transpires. Like I said, I am confident that things are solved.
As a matter of information, I have heard good things about the firing pin kits from Apex Tactical. I went to their web site and attempted to buy several kits. I had never bought from them and so I was not allowed to "log in". There doesn't seem to be any provision for "Registering". You cannot proceed to purchase without "Logging in". It's a "catch 22". So, I called yesterday and got a recording that stated that I had to have an appointment to call. I was not sure of being home at a particular time, so nothing was accomplished. I sent an e-mail and have not received an answer. Does anyone know if maybe they are closed down, or...?
Dale53