federal Primers

[Gabriel Law]

PJ: releasing the slide to chamber a round should not have let the hammer fall on the live cartridge.  It sounds like you may have a function issue with that pistol.

[PJ Hardtack]

The hammer didn't fall, it was a 'slam fire'. Usually when the hammer "follows" on a 1911, it does so with no force behind it.

I didn't hit the slide release from lock back. I inserted the mag and pulled back the slide to chamber the first rd as I would when on the line for IDPA/IPSC.

This was with a comparatively new R1, maybe 200 rds down the tube mostly plinking. In any case, the gun is now on consignment sale as is. This will pay for my wife's new Ruger SR9 and mags. That leaves me to play with two SR1911's, a box-stock R1 (all my wife's) with '0' play between slide and frame and a sweet long trigger, an R1 that works (mine, tricked out with ambi and right side mag release) and a tricked out Series '70 'Gold Cup'.

Two gunsmith's have given it their OK, so I will accept that in my hands, with my ammo it's not gonna play nice.

[Gabriel Law]

So what could have fired the cartridge?  Are you thinking that just the inertia of the slide slamming the cartridge into the chamber, set off the primer?  That would indeed have been a sensitive primer.

[Gabriel Law]

I use Federal 150 Large Rifle primers in my Henry, Lightning, '76 and '86.  So far, no 'slam fires!!  Maybe I should save my Federal primers for the Sharps, and use CCI's in the repeaters....

[PJ Hardtack]

The first time you experience or witness a 'slam fire' with a Henry, you will be looking for the hardest shell primers you can find!

I supervised the loading of a henry with 10 rds, he slapped the nose cap shut as he placed the rifle on the table and 3 rds detonated! Didn't do much for his rifle or his wrist.
Another time the shooter dropped in 5 rds from the kneeling position, slapped the nose cap shut and again 3 rds detonated.

I also know of another, but I did not witness it. NONE were using anything but RNFP's and denied any high primers, but we'll never know.

I've read that original .44 RF Henry's were known to do the same thing do to sensitive priming mixture.

In the case of the 1911 in question, loading it as I did would not cause the firing pin to move with inertia sufficient to strike a primer and set it off.

[Gabriel Law]

I'm convinced!  It's a simple precaution to use CCI's or Remington primers in my rifle cartridges. 

[Rye Miles]

I also use Federal and have used the Match and Magnum primers and can't tell any difference. I load .44-40 with smokeless and occasionally BP.

[Coffinmaker]

All Right you guys.  Listen up.  Only gonna post this once.  Since we seem to be determined to practice Necromancy on this poor DEAD
horse .......... Beyond a little difference in Briseience (spell) which gives the Federal Magnum Primer a little hotter, further traveling
flame, it is well known the MAJOR difference in the primers =

The different "grades" of Federal primers are CLEARLY MARKED on the BOX!!     BIG letters.

Once loaded into cartridges, there is NO discernible difference in actual performance    they all go BANG

Now that I have been Contrary .... We return you to our regularly scheduled programming 

Coffinmaker

[PJ Hardtack]

First time I ever handled a gussied up, fully 'tuned' '73 repro, I was actually surprised that the light hammer fall ignited primers. It was so light and slow, you could follow the hammer with the naked eye. It creeped me out.

Response from the owner - "Federal primers - ONLY!"

[Coffinmaker]

Hey PJ,
From the standpoint of a long term builder of Competition Toggle Link rifles, anyone who runs the Main Spring that light, is ........
somewhat delusional.  The rifle has a fool for an owner.  Running the lock time that slow defeats the whole purpose of an action
job and short stroke that go with it.  Well, I actually have another term for it.  STUPID!!

The action can be light and positive and still ignite ANY primer you use.  Even those blacksmith anvils CCI produces.

Coffinmaker

[will52100]

I've seen a few guns tuned so light only Federal primer would light off, to me that's a broken gun.  I use either Wolf or CCI primers.  I like the harder cup of the CCI or Wolf for rifle as an added safety feature.

I have noticed that when I used federal primers before the plunger left a large, deep indent in the cup face, where it didn't for other primers.  That tells me the federal primers have a thin and/or soft cup.