cleaning my colt cowboy

[jflmd13]

 I use brake cleaner to clean all my guns, I also use a teflon lubricant afterwards. I have trouble with my Colt Cowboy, it has soft hits on the primers. I cannot get 6 rounds out smoothly.
     I think it is my cleaning method.  Any suggestions?

[St. George]

Your cleaning method removes fouling and detritus - it shouldn't have any effect on how hard the primer is, since that's an ammunition issue - nor should it have any effect on how hard the firing pin strikes, since that's a mechanical issue.

Look to your ammunition - you may have some with hard primers on your reloads.

Look too, at your mainspring - and if someone's put in a 'spring kit' to slick up the weapon, then return it to stock configuration and try that.

Good Luck.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[rickk]

If the gun has had spring work, and you have control over the load, try Federal Primers.

[Cliff Fendley]

Make sure the little piece on the hammer that moves the transfer bar up is not broken and not moving the transfer bar up enough to contact the firing pin solid each hit. I've seen this happen on the Colt Cowboy's, very weak and poor design IMO.

[Camille Eonich]

Soft hits on primers could also be caused by "riding the hammer down".  Make sure that your thumb is clear of the hammer when you pull the trigger.

Federal primers are the softest primers and in my experience have the most consistently good quality.  I had problems with Winchester primers not going off even with good hits.

[Cliff Fendley]

Thanks for the tip on Federal primers. I usually use Winchester or CCI and have had some problems with a couple guns with lightened springs.

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Look too, at your mainspring - and if someone's put in a 'spring kit' to slick up the weapon, then return it to stock configuration and try that.

Good Luck.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

I had this happen with one of my Colt SAA's.  I had the 'smith pull the aftermarket spring out and put the factory spring back in.  It goes "bang" every time now.

[Johnny McCrae]

Federal primers are the softest primers and in my experience have the most consistently good quality.  I had problems with Winchester primers not going off even with good hits.

I've experienced the same thing and now only use Federal Primers.

[Cash Creek]

When I first started reloading I was setting the primers a bit to deep and had some that didn't fire..now that I have reset the primes to where they should be I don't have any trouble..CC

[Lumpy Grits]

When I first started reloading I was setting the primers a bit to deep and had some that didn't fire..now that I have reset the primes to where they should be I don't have any trouble..CC

You MUST ALWAYS seat the primer to the bottom of the primer cup in your cases. 
If it doesn't fire.....Then you have other problems like weak springs.
Respectfully,
LG

[wildman1]

As much as I like to disagree with LG, he's right this time.  WM

[Lumpy Grits]

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[wildman1]

    WM