Bought my first 2k WSP since my regulars (CCI and FED) were not available. I didn't notice it at first, but seating them, in any brand case, sometimes they go in with little or no resistance.
I started looking at the "little or no resistance" thing after three primers fell out of the cases into the box of 100 rounds that I put them into. They all fell out in transit, as I found them all in the box after two of them didn't go off during a PPC match. Two of the cases were WIN, and one was an R-P. In loading the remaining two hundred from the first 1k, I noticed that at least 1/3 of them go in way too easily.

I suppose that the pockets could be worn out, but from my various brand(s) stash of cases, used over the years, I have never had a primer fall out of one of my personal reloads. Once, a friend loaded some for me and one primer fell out. Since then, I only shoot my own loads.

I have since loaded some of the same cases again, this time with CCI primers, and every one went in with a felt resistance. I was paying attention to each one, just like when I noticed the loose WSP's going in.

So now, I will go back to every loaded case with the WSP's and seal them. I did some of the last 200 by putting on a very small dab of plastic cement and smearing it into the back of the case. When dried, you can't feel any material on the case. We'll see how that works.

Have any of you had this problem with (any brand) primers?
What is a recommended primer sealer or technique? I have heard of using finger nail polish, but that stuff is pretty nasty to be around/breath for sealing that many cases. Not to mention trying to smooth it down. And, I still have 1k more from the same lot.

Thanks.

Send them back to Winchester for replacement or refund. That is not right, and it is not a problem to be solved by glue, lacquer, fingernail polish or primer sealer, which is really more about waterproofing that holding the primer in the primer pocket.

I agree with Shawn. There is no way I will ever cement a primer in a case.

That doesn't sound right to me either
I use Federal, Winchester, Remington, and CCI large and small pistol primers and have not had any similar issue.
Do you have a micrometer to measure them with ?
A digital caliper may not give a very accurate reading on primer diameter.

+1;
I think a phone call to Winchester is in order.

I have had primers go into old cases very easy but never fall back out.

If you end up keeping the cases try what I use on my 223 rounds. I use fingernail polish. Just use a little around the primer. Works great. I had some primers blow out and jammed in the trigger. After using the nail polish I have had no more blown primers. Just use the clear or you will hear it from the guys at the range.

__________________
Tom
NRA Pistol Inst

I just finished sending off a very nice email to Winchester. I explained what happened and asked them if there were any known issues or reported problems with that lot number.

varmint243,

I do have a mic and calipers, I just haven't measured them yet. It was some, not all, and I haven't mustered up the patience to go through a bunch of them. I mentioned about 1/3, it could have been as few as 20%-25% that went in loosely. That doesn't mean that they would all fall out either. Heck, another one might never fall out at all. It was just all a little too strange is all.

Darn...all I have is Hot Pink!
Well, as they say, you takes your chances.

You won't have a problem with others picking up your empties.

I use Winchester primers as my standard. When one slips in without any resistance, I will pop it back out and use a pin gage to check the pocket for size. Quite often when I find the pocket has enlarged a little, a CCI primer provides a snug fit. I mark the case with pain on the head and check it after firing and if a CCI primer is going in easy, I chuck it in the recycle box.

Just curious what caliber you are loading for and how worn the cases are. I had that problem recently with my .38 Super and RP primers. Cases were pretty used up though.

__________________
Cliff
CCSO, FPD ret, USN ret.

My experience has been that CCI primers are tighter than win or fed.How many times has that brass been loaded?

depending on the age of your cci primers that were used previously, this is not an unheard of event. cci used to be just enough larger in diameter that once they were used, they had to used from then on. I quit using them so can't comment on the newer ones.

Two were Winchester and one was R-P. All were 9mm.
The last 200, where I noticed the ease of priming, were all SP 45acp brass of mixed brands.
The 9mm's have been around for a while, but I find that the cases usually crack first, rather than wear out the pocket.
I have since loaded all three again with CCI's and they went in nice and tight.

I honestly lost count. Being that these are for ultra low PPC loads (quite a bit below book minimum), I have stopped counting.
I have seen some guys shoot a round that had a small but noticeable crack in the sidewall, and the case came out looking the same as before being shot. Real low power...

Most of my brass Ive lost count on too :-)

CCI pistol primers are slightly larger (.0003) than other brands, as a little harder too. I use them to get one more loading out of marginal brass. I would be amazed if this didn't turn out to be an issue with your cases, especially since only three fell out. You may be at the tipping point on specs, WW primers on the low end of spec, and your cases at the high end of spec.

Quite possibly right...

A few days back I was reading a post where a gentleman stated that the cci was a touch larger than the win spp and that the cci was made for use in the speer cases.

He also stated the federal 100 was warmer than the win primer....... this might be but I did notice that I got higher fps with the cci500 than the f100 in most of my test in my M49 snub.

I figured a small primer was a small primer............not a slim, regular and jumbo fit ? Learn something new every day here.....