Cheap primers?

[lrrifleman]

Thank you! I appreciate this unexpected post. It is giving me confidence to attempt to try the foreign primers.

 

[teletech]

Nope, nothing on the box suggesting it was hazardous or unusual in any way.
I went to the local Fedex location in-person and was told "Oh, that's Fedex *ground*, different company. Let me give you their number"

Yeah, I know all about the phase out of the old ORMD label. I worked for a Fortune 100 package delivery company for 26 years, and still keep up on the shipping regs for these kinds of haz-mats, because they directly affect me and my hobbies.

The old ORMD label has been replaced by the new "Miscellaneous Hazardous Materials" label (below)

Although teletech didn't mention the "new" label, based on what he posted, I'm suspecting that the package didn't have ANY required DOT labeling.

teletech: did your package of primers have the "Miscellaneous Hazardous Materials" label pictured (above) anywhere on the box?

 

[BE Mike]

Thank you! I appreciate this unexpected post. It is giving me confidence to attempt to try the foreign primers.

For me, "Cheap is as cheap does!" A Hi-Point pistol will safely launch bullets and is reported to be reliable, but that's not all I'm looking for in a pistol. For me Servicios Aventuras primers don't work with my Dillon 550 like American primers. After I've gone through these 5,000, I won't be buying any more.

 

[rockquarry]

Look at the responses here. Some say foreign primers work fine; others (and not just a few) mention some shortcoming experienced with them. I've never used foreign primers, but have had good results with American made primers of all types for about sixty years.

Consider spending a little more and buy American-made primers.

 

[Skeet 028]

I've used foreign made primers for years...including primers made by Fiocchi Nobel Rio Russian and another European Finnish sold by Speer and Hodgdon years ago along with Alcan/S&W...(Fiocchi) both metallic and shotshell. I have been mostly impressed by the European brands I have used. I must say however that for the most part the European primers may not quite measure the same size as US made primers. They DO use the metric system while we still use the old inch system...so there could be a thousandth or 2 difference in size. I have had no problems to date other than with shotshells with primer pocket expansion in American made ammo. Shotshells DO work at usually lower pressures so have never seen a reason to complain. I had no problems with the russkie primers firing but they did seat a bit harder but I mostly used them on a Dillon Super 1050 loading 45 auto...It had a primer pocket swage on it though. Oh and the comment above about Estate Shotshells having paper basewads which could cause the basewad to come out. Federal still makes paper shells in the old manner as do many European brands. I loaded a few 100 thousand of the old shells with no basewad problems other than a Remington pressed in style used for a few years that was insufficient to reload more than twice if that. You could generally never get enough reloads on those rolled paper base cases to create a real concern...even if you ironed the cases(which I did).I even ironed some plastic cases years ago. Forster made an ironer specifically for plastic cases. Occassionaly you could get a shell to shoot off at the base...but that also happened with the Remington Blue Magic case...another almost not quite as good as a AA...Have to add I actually had a few Zingers with AA 410s shooting off at the bases after as few as 3 or 4 reloads.

 

[Tim Stapp]

just ordered last night 2 bricks of the Norma primers. They've been on my radar for a couple of weeks. Wife finally said yes! Not much more than I paid in 2020, than God. I still remember when I squealed like a pig when primers prices went sky high during the Clinton years. Had I known, I'd have stocked up to the rafters and retired by now!

 

[.38SuperMan]

I just shot 75 rounds of 38 special today all using the cheap Argentine primers. I seated them as I normally do using my Square Deal B and not single problem. I’ll add I don’t find them any more difficult to seat than any other brand.

When I first bought these I loaded a few rounds to try. I had two not fire but on close examination they were light strikes way off center. I’m chalking that up to a gun problem not a primer issue. I think I’ve shot about 150 of them and only those light strikes failed to ignite on the first attempt and did fire on the second.

I’ll be shooting more this week and will report back.

 

[Tim Stapp]

just ordered last night 2 bricks of the Norma primers. They've been on my radar for a couple of weeks. Wife finally said yes! Not much more than I paid in 2020, than God. I still remember when I squealed like a pig when primers prices went sky high during the Clinton years. Had I known, I'd have stocked up to the rafters and retired by now!

Ordered on the evening of the 18th.(after hours) free shipping. Received today the 21st. Impressed so far!

I'll measure them and compare to the CCI and Winchester that I have.

 

[glenwolde]

I had some issues with the SA primers, but I'm entirely not sure it's the primer's fault. I got some from Powder Valley on a "free hazmat" sale for $55 /1,000.

I loaded a box on my Lee single stage with the goofy swinging primer system and had about 40% misfires in my Model 66. Pulled out the Blackhawk figuring the huge hammer swinging in a giant arc would set off anything. It did. They all fired.

I loaded another box using the Lee Ram Prime which primes with the full force of the downstroke on the single stage. It will tear the rim off the brass if you get too heavy handed. Those shot fine in the Model 66. So obviously they weren't completely seated. But then I found the strain screw on the Model 66 was backed off a good bit. So now I don't know if that would have been enough to set them off like the Blackhawk could.

I'm going to load some on my Dillon to see if those work in a bunch of different guns to try and sort it out. If nothing else I can shoot them up in my Blackhawk.