Model 14-2 Light Primer Strikes

[gb70840]

I recently acquired a beautiful 14-2. At the range today, I put 50 rounds of my reloads through the gun. The reloads were 158 gn Speer SWC, 3.2 gn HP-38, CCI SPP, new Starline brass. While firing DA, I had two light primer strikes. On inspection, the firing pin dimple on the primer appeared to be about 10% of normal. Both rounds fired on second attempt, again DA.

I know that CCI primers are known to be harder than most other brands, so that is one possibility. I hand prime all of my reloads, so it is possible that I didn't get them fully seated.

A little research found that if the strain screw is loose, that can cause light strikes. Checked that, it was tight. Also, could be weak springs, but I wouldn't know where to begin checking for that.

This is my first S&W revolver, so I'm at the very beginning stage of learning. Should I chalk this up to a high primer or dig for a deeper problem?

I'm planning to use this gun for Distinguished Revolver competition, so it wouldn't be helpful for it to go click when I need it to go bang during timed and rapid fire! 8^)

Thanks for your help!

GB.

 

[gboling]

I have 8 S&W revolvers including a 14-2. I have used CCI small pistol primers for ten years. The only time I experienced the problem you describe was with my son's 686 no dash, immediately after he bought it used. In his case the hammer spring was weak. A new spring corrected the problem.

A local gun smith had earned a reputation for attempting to improve trigger pull by bending the springs. I assumed that this is what happened with this gun.

 

[gb70840]

How can I tell if the springs have been bent?

 

[H Richard]

Remove the grips, and back the strain screw out most of the way. It should straighten out quite a bit. If it has been bent, you will see it still have a more pronounced curve in it or a little "kink" mark. A replacement standard S&W mainspring is very reasonable direct from S&W.

 

[Kevin G]

Several of my revolvers suffer from Weak Strike Syndrome, double action mode in particular.
A fellow club member suggested switching over to Federal primers, no problems since and I'm able to keep the trigger the same.
Note, these guns are not used for self defense.
Kevin

 

[gboling]

A healthy hammer spring will fire any legitimate manufacturer's primers. If I could not test the weight of the trigger pull I would be comfortable replacing the hammer spring.

 

[Snobal]

I have used CCI small pistol standard primers since the early 1970's and never once had a fail to fire (FTF).....

....until last fall when I got a brick of one lot of CCI primers that appeared to be made with small rifle primer parts.....those suckers were "hard as a rock!"

...I have uses my RCBS press to seat primers (since I got in in 1972) and have to be careful not to "smash" the primers flat when seating them.....

...but with that one lot, I could not "smash" them enough to see a flat spot..... and my favorite target pistols (that had never had a FTF) could not shoot (in double-action) that lot of CCI primers without a few FTS's.

Again, in almost 40 years of using CCI primers, I never had a FTF!

The box of 5000 primers I got this spring shoot perfectly in my target guns --- and I will continue to buy CCI primers.

(even CCI can have a "screw up" sometimes)



Just my humble opinion