2,000 Fulminates UPDATE: FAIL! post #12

[glenwolde]

Powder Valley had a Black Friday free hazmat so I thought I'd try some of their Argentine primers they had marked down to "only" $54.99. With shipping it came to $68.15/m delivered. Not exactly retro pricing. I didn't need them too bad but I thought I'd try them.

I primed 100 cases with them on my single stage. Some have complained they are harder to seat but I had no problem. They ran through the Lee Safety Prime as well as anything. They do have a different feel to them. It's like they go halfway in and then you feel a little bump, and a release. Not bad. Not good. Just a little different. I fully expect them all to go bang but I'll let you know.

 

[Nemo288]

If you look at the circumference you can see a little ridge that would cause that bump during insertion.
Possibly caused by a dirty or worn out stamping die used to draw those cups.
I have taken the liberty of rotating your pictures.

 

[glenwolde]

If you look at the circumference you can see a little ridge that would cause that bump during insertion.
Possibly caused by a dirty or worn out stamping die used to draw those cups.
I have taken the liberty of rotating your pictures.

Yeah, I noticed that little ridge after the fact and figured that was probably it. My usual method of rotation doesn't seem to work anymore. I need to work on that.

 

[Nemo288]

If you are using a PC with Windows, I recommend IrfanView as a very good, free, digital darkroom.
It's not Photoshop but the price is right and I have found it do everything I need picture-wise for the last 20 years or more.
I like it so much I registered it about that long ago.
IrfanView

 

[bluetopper]

I have used those Argentina primers and the Ginex primers made in Bosnia Herzegovina. They suit me well and neither has been hard to seat, easy to seat in fact.

 

[505Gibbs]

You have to be a certain 'age' to appreciate 'fulminate' as a word choice!

 

[CH4]

Some of the Argentinian primers are VERY hard - none of our guns would light em off. Hopefully they got it fixed.

 

[glenwolde]

Some of the Argentinian primers are VERY hard - none of our guns would light em off. Hopefully they got it fixed.

I'll find out! Their going in revolvers with big hammers. A Blackhawk can set off anything.

 

[glenwolde]

If you are using a PC with Windows, I recommend IrfanView as a very good, free, digital darkroom.
It's not Photoshop but the price is right and I have found it do everything I need picture-wise for the last 20 years or more.
I like it so much I registered it about that long ago.
IrfanView

Nope. Chromebook. I used to just open them in Paint, rotate them, rotate them back and save. That overwrote the EXIF Data. But in some update it was replaced with an unnecessarily fancier version that does not have the "rotate" feature. I need to find a program that will work I just haven't gotten around to it. I can use the drawing program in Google Drive but it involves uploading/downloading.

 

[CH4]

I'll find out! Their going in revolvers with big hammers. A Blackhawk can set off anything.

For clarification, our ammo was 9mm using in striker-fired guns. YMMV

 

[glenwolde]

For clarification, our ammo was 9mm using in striker-fired guns. YMMV

I've read some have issues with striker fired guns and these primers. I only own one striker fired gun and it's a .380. I'll try some in that gun. I haven't shot it in forever anyway.

 

[glenwolde]

Well, that was a giant bust. In my Model 66 I got about 30% failure to fire. I'll check my strain screw but this revolver never fails to fire.

I gave up and switched ammo. I'll try the rest in the Ruger Blackhawk. It has a giant hammer. If that doesn't work I've got a few others I can try but if the Blackhawk won't set them off I can't imagine anything else will.

As a last desperate act I'll clean out some primer pockets.

 

[BC38]

Well, that was a giant bust. In my Model 66 I got about 30% failure to fire. I'll check my strain screw but this revolver never fails to fire.

I gave up and switched ammo. I'll try the rest in the Ruger Blackhawk. It has a giant hammer. If that doesn't work I've got a few others I can try but if the Blackhawk won't set them off I can't imagine anything else will.

As a last desperate act I'll clean out some primer pockets.

Don't forget to make sure they are all 100% seated. With the ridged-cup seating issue that makes me wonder about whether they are fully seated - or not.

 

[minconrevo]

The Argentine primers mentioned will work fine IF seated hard. I load on a Dillon 550 and find that with these particular primers I must first seat hard THEN, while the primed case is still on the machine, bump the handle a 2nd time HARD. With this process I get 100% ignition with non-customiized semi-auto's and with stock revolvers. That means no titanium strikers/firing pins or really light revolver actions. Save your Federal primers for those.

 

[glenwolde]

I primed these on my single stage not my Dillon but I'll look closely at primer seating. Thanks.

 

[twodog max]

I have will second the seating hard comment. I bought 1000 to try them out had several failures the first batch I loaded but then loaded some more and leaned on the handle somewhat and now they all go bang. I also seated the primers harder on the first batch that misfired and they all fired.
Solution found for me at least

 

[Boogsawaste]

Jumping in to say that fully seating these is a must. I use either my bench mount APS system or my press mount APS. I prime before I load on a progressive but leave the primer ram on the press. When the brass goes to station 2 I make sure give the upstroke a little press just to make side. I’ve had some light looking hits but all have went bang first try so far. Guns tried were all stock springs. Gp100, 442, 60, security six, security 9, shield 1.0 performance center, m&pC 1.0, and Rossi r92. Been through a brick and even the little j frames and the striker fired pistols all went bang.