The strain screw (main spring tension adjustment) is snugged up tight just where it should be. It's a brand new gun so that is as it should be.
If I didn't mention it: when I look at a moon clip that has been fired and I had a problem, it is with only one round that has a light primer strike and the other 6 primers (It's a 7-shot) are deeply struck just as they should be. Since all the other primer strikes look OK, I am not suspicious of the Hammer power. It is as if the one round was not fully seated and the hammer used up its energy trying to drive the hanging round to full depth in the chamber.
I am suspecting that there may be a lack of uniformity with the extractor grooves in the Blazer Brass cases. Blazer brass has been my preferred range ammo in my 1911 Colt 9mm for years and I have never had any problems with it whatsoever. Maybe small groove variations are OK in a semi-auto but intolerable with moon clips that rely on a positive grip at the groove.
I'm just guessing here so don't take that as an indictment of Blazer in anyway. I have always relied on their products.
At this stage I am not ruling anything out as I try out figure out what's going on here.
I am going to try some Federal and Winchester rounds to see if the issue occurs with any of that ammo.
Evening 97thSignalman
Don't let those deeper looking primer hits on FIRED rounds
fool you. Once the round fires it quickly jumps back against
the firing pin held out by the dropped hammer so even light
primer hits look somewhat deep & normal.
If you want a real primer hit test then take 7 old rounds, then
drill the fire holes in the primer pocket to a larger diameter (to
prevent primer walk-out upon firing)- make the holes well under
primer pocket diameter but larger than stock)-- you will know
if you have them large enough if you don't get primer back out
when firing an empty case.
Now put those primed BUT EMPTY cases in a moon clip &
s-l-o-w-l-y pull the trigger in double action 7 times. NOW look
at the primer indents (bet they are no where near as deep looking
as you see on the fired cases)
My personal 986 would give nice deep indents on fired cases but
very weak looking on primed empty cases.
If you don't reload then just try the primer under the strain screw
trick then fire off the remainder of your Blazer rounds--If you get
no more misfires then you know that you are right on the edge
of having enough hammer power.
Or just shoot single action, if you get 100% ignition then again
you are getting light primer hits in double action.
I have a 986, have been there with light primer hits on a brand
new factory stock gun.
Or you can send the gun back to Smith & they will fix it for you
for free--But all they will do is install a slightly longer strain
screw to increase main spring tension.
