Thread: Why we have miss-fires

Just happened to notice this while loading the primer hand press.
A dud compared to normal.

when you consider the monstrous volume of primers produced , the number of duds is a very small percentage.

I would imagine they all run over a scale in the manufacture process and any underweight ones - like the one shown - should get removed. Or not.....

Looks like it's missing the anvil, outta curiosity did you hit if with a hammer to see if it still went pop ?

@Tahr
Was the absent anvil inside the tray of primers or completely missing ?

Almost got caught with something similar. Was depriming some Norma brass with, presumably, Norma primers which I intended to reuse. Done this problem free numerous times with other brands so wasn't expecting issues with the Norma. Took me a little time to realise anvils in the Norma primers were very loose and several separated altogether from the primers. Had I not noticed when depriming I would have seen it later when repriming but I guess it just reinforces the importance of being alert to any possibilities. Did make me wonder how Norma didn't strike problems when assembling the ammo in the factory.
I purposely tested some of these primers later and manually placed the anvils into the primers before priming cases. Absolutely all ignited so all good I guess. Still havd a few to use up too.

Originally Posted by 30.06king

@Tahr
Was the absent anvil inside the tray of primers or completely missing ?

Almost got caught with something similar. Was depriming some Norma brass with, presumably, Norma primers which I intended to reuse. Done this problem free numerous times with other brands so wasn't expecting issues with the Norma. Took me a little time to realise anvils in the Norma primers were very loose and several separated altogether from the primers. Had I not noticed when depriming I would have seen it later when repriming but I guess it just reinforces the importance of being alert to any possibilities. Did make me wonder how Norma didn't strike problems when assembling the ammo in the factory.
I purposely tested some of these primers later and manually placed the anvils into the primers before priming cases. Absolutely all ignited so all good I guess. Still havd a few to use up too.

No, it wasn't.

Originally Posted by dannyb

Looks like it's missing the anvil, outta curiosity did you hit if with a hammer to see if it still went pop ?

No I didn't.

I have only ever experienced misfires due to under sized factory brass. Quite good for you shooting form when you are not sure which ones are going to fire

Yeah, if you want to see if you have a flinch a misfire will do it...

I am not sure if the anvil is just to direct flame or whether it is for the compound to be hit against...either way it's probably recommended to have one. Load it in a case and then bang it off with the muzzle in the neck of a 2 litre plastic coke bottle or similar. (Soft pop, not loud at all.) In the interest of science.

In the last twenty years I think the only misfire I could blame on the manufacturer was when I found there was no compound in the primer at all. Otherwise they are all my fault - a handful one day which I deduced were from oversized brass, combined with the primers not seated deep enough, with a rifle that gives light strikes. And more recently when shooting ammo with bullet lube which had leaked through the powder and primers over time.

Primers are actually pretty robust and reliable. I am a great one for disassembling cartridges and reusing components. I think I have loaded and unloaded some primers three times and they all still go bang.

I got some primers from a friend that were all still in CCI and Federal boxes from the 1960's and they all work perfectly fifty years later.

Reloading you check the primer before you seat [ primer tray]and check the case before you seat projectile. Life in the slow lane. 2C. Only use Fed or WRE now.

The Rem were available (Federal not) and good value at under $200/1000
Never tried them before. Am not worried about the dud one.