Problem Solved With My S&W Model 19 Carry Comp

[cremaley]

I had been having light primer strikes with Monarch .38 Special 130 grain FMJ ammo. Out of 100 rounds fired almost 25 primers did not ignite. Switched to Remington .38 Special 158 grain ammo with no issues. Shot 100 rounds of Remington today with all rounds firing. Also shot 50 rounds of Fiocchi Range Dynamics .38 Special 130 grain FMJ ammo with all rounds firing. Apparently, my Model 19 Carry Comp does not like Monarch ammo.

 

[Palmetto Sharpshooter]

Maybe it's just hard primers. Try Federal or Winchester.

 

[chief38]

I had been having light primer strikes with Monarch .38 Special 130 grain FMJ ammo. Out of 100 rounds fired almost 25 primers did not ignite. Switched to Remington .38 Special 158 grain ammo with no issues. Shot 100 rounds of Remington today with all rounds firing. Also shot 50 rounds of Fiocchi Range Dynamics .38 Special 130 grain FMJ ammo with all rounds firing. Apparently, my Model 19 Carry Comp does not like Monarch ammo.

Primers can and do have slightly different hardnesses. That said, a given revolver should reliably set off any commercially made primer with 100% reliability. What I am saying is that the revolver should have a margin of error built in to the spring to exceed the force needed to set off any brand primer. If some brands do not reliably work all the time, something is amiss. Either the Monarch primers are bad (actually defective) or your revolver's spring pressure is too close to the cusp to truly be reliable. I do know a few competitive shooters that have revolvers set up so light they will only work with certain brand primers. IMHO that is too light and I'd not want a revolver set up like that - but that's just me. A .38 Special revolver should ignite any brand with 100% reliability assuming the primers are not defective.

Don't get me wrong, I am glad you have had luck with other brands and the Monarch primers may indeed be "out of industry spec", but I'd verify that by trying them in another trusted revolver that you know works 100%. Unless you are dedicating this revolver to target shooting and plinking 100% of the time and never have to use it for self defense, I'd personally investigate a little more. If the spring pressure is too light, either your strain screw is too short or the spring itself is too light. I have never knowingly used Monarch brand primers so I have no idea about their quality and reliability. I am just trying to err on the side of caution here and if the revolver were mine I'd not want to have to ever think about what primers work and which ones do not. Some smaller ammunition makers use priers made by other company's so Monarch primers may actually be used in other small brands of factory ammo - we would not necessarily know that.

 

[686PC]

The first check you can easily do yourself is to ensure the main spring strain screw located at the bottom of the grip frame is tightly screwed in all the way.

I once bought a 686 Competitor that was not igniting primers consistently and its strain screw came from the factory not completely tight. Sometimes it can also come loose under recoil.

That would be the first thing I'd check.

 

[bobsguns]

I don't think I've ever heard of "Monarch" ammo. Hard primers have already been mentioned, so no need to go there again.

I've skipped ammo brands myself, but almost all were for accuracy reasons. S&B was the biggest culprit.

 

[S-W4EVER]

The M28-2 my Dad gave me had the same problem. I knew nothing about revolvers at the time so I returned it to the LGS he bought it from and learned someone had backed off the mainspring screw (before my Dad bought it). Since then, I have never backed off any mainspring screws or installed lighter mainsprings on any of my revolvers. I have no use for any firearm that isn't 100% reliable.

 

[GnarlsR2]

I had been having light primer strikes with Monarch .38 Special 130 grain FMJ ammo. Out of 100 rounds fired almost 25 primers did not ignite. Switched to Remington .38 Special 158 grain ammo with no issues. Shot 100 rounds of Remington today with all rounds firing. Also shot 50 rounds of Fiocchi Range Dynamics .38 Special 130 grain FMJ ammo with all rounds firing. Apparently, my Model 19 Carry Comp does not like Monarch ammo.

"Apparently, my Model 19 Carry Comp does not like Monarch ammo."

My guess is your Model 19 is a conservative and does NOT like the word Monarch.

 

[Alk8944]

At one time Monarch ammunition was American made and was a trademark of Federal I believe. This is no longer true! From the internet: "Monarch ammunition, often recognized for its affordability and availability at retailers like Academy Sports + Outdoors, is not manufactured under its own brand name. Instead, it's privately labeled ammunition sourced from various manufacturers, primarily in Eastern Europe, including, but not limited to, Serbia and Bosnia." Cheif38 is absolutely correct, that a S&W in good condition should fire any commercial primer with no issue. If your gun does not make sure the strain screw is tight! They do work loose at times from the vibration of firing the gun, even simply dry-firing!