All kind of problems with Servicio primers

Can you confirm the primers were seated to the bottom of the cup? Sounds a lot like they needed seating deeper since they fired on second strike. Seating flush is likely not deep enough.

I’ve had the same problems with these primers that I bought from Browning. My Beretta 92 did not set any of them off, even on the second try with them. This was a test with 25 rounds and none fired. I switched to my Glock with these same reloads and most went off the first time, but this was after two light strikes with my Beretta. I then went back to reloads with Winchester primers and no problem at all in the Beretta. Very disappointing.

blackd24 said:

drband said:

Can you confirm the primers were seated to the bottom of the cup? Sounds a lot like they needed seating deeper since they fired on second strike. Seating flush is likely not deep enough.

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I seated them like I would any other primer. I guess there’s a chance they weren’t seated deep enough.

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If primers fire on second strike, it's definitely case of primers not seated fully as first strike seated the primer deeper to set the anvil tip against the priming compound and second strike ignited the primer.

FYI, "primer" on seating primers properly - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-and-discussions.778197/page-11#post-12417636

1. Initial resistance we feel is the primer anvil feet hitting the bottom of primer pocket
2. Second resistance we feel is the primer anvil feet pushing against the bottom of primer pocket setting the anvil tip against the priming compound under the cup.

CCI SP seated to .004" below flush in FC case, S&B SP seated to .003" below flush in R-P case, PMC SP seated to .005" below flush in WIN case, PMC seated to .003" below flush in Blazer/R-P cases - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ing-for-oal-consistency.911743/#post-12442618



CCI/S&B/PMC/TulAmmo SP primers in various headstamp brass (Blazer/.FC./R-P/R-P"."/WIN/FC/G.F.L. pictured) with moderate pressure on the ram lever, primers were seated to .004"-.005" below flush with most seating around .004" - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...3-lee-pro-1000-unboxing.916672/#post-12567479

blackd24 said:

servicio primers. They all went bang on the first try except 1 round, which didn’t go bang after 4 more attempts so I think that’s a bad primer.

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If primer doesn't fire after multiple strikes, it could be due to harder cup - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/primer-cup-thickness.893660/#post-12030914



I had similar experience with particular lot of TulAmmo SP primers with harder cups that didn't fire even after multiple strikes. I took one primer that had several strikes (As shown by enlarged primer indent below) inside two stainless steel bowl and set it on top of side burner of gas grill. When it got hot enough, it set off leaving indentation marks on both bowls - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ts-your-experience.630512/page-3#post-7806689



But all hope was not lost as I found these Tula SP primers with harder cups fired 100% in 45ACP cases with SP primer pockets. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

rperyam said:

I’ve had the same problems with these primers that I bought from Browning. My Beretta 92 did not set any of them off, even on the second try with them. This was a test with 25 rounds and none fired. I switched to my Glock with these same reloads and most went off the first time, but this was after two light strikes with my Beretta. I then went back to reloads with Winchester primers and no problem at all in the Beretta. Very disappointing.

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My Beretta 92 sets off cci small rifle primers no problem. Those must be some really hard primers.

N555 said:

My Beretta 92 sets off cci small rifle primers no problem. Those must be some really hard primers.

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I’ve had this Beretta for 35 years. I’ve never had a misfire until using these primers.

rperyam said:

I’ve never had a misfire until using these primers.

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I've read some other threads on these primers... I think it's an issue of the anvil shape. In one of the pics I've seen, the anvil legs don't protrude below the edge of the cup.

I almost bought some of these primers... but then CCI's popped up for sale at PV, so I grabbed those.

blackd24 said:

I even snuck the 41 out for some fun..!

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Well, then, your day wasn't a total loss!

The idea that these primers not being seated completely causing the light strikes is nonsense. Experienced reloaders know they're simply sub-par primers.

BC17A said:

The idea that these primers not being seated completely causing the light strikes is nonsense. Experienced reloaders know they're simply sub-par primers.

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Really? We have also gotten same complaints regarding domestic "normal-par" primers from some THR members not fully seating primers.

We don't need to speculate. OP can "myth bust" for us to certainty.

Seat them properly around .004" below flush to set the anvil tip against the priming compound and run finger tip over the seated primers to QC check (Any flat/high primers will be readily felt). Heck, OP can even deprime separately to inspect/clean primer pockets as necessary.

And if primers ignite 100%, then OP will know the primers were not fully seated.

If primers fail to ignite 100% with light primer cup indent, then OP will know the cups are harder and need to use harder hitting firing pin/striker pistols or load them into small primer pocket 45ACP cases.

I guess I could be called an "experienced" reloader. Started reloading in 1970, and have worked my way up to 14 calibers, but have dropped down to 9 that I reload a lot. Long ago I quit trying to measure "below flush" for determining primer depth (I got no info other than how far the primer cup was from the case head). I seat primers all the way to the primer pocket bottom and disregard "below flush" measurements. From cruising reloading forums since 2007, I believe 95% of FTF complaints can be blamed on light primer seating. I tried SA primers in 3, 9mm pistols and 2, 38 Special revolvers. I seated primers with my RCBS bench prime (not quite the best for testing primers as I occasionally get light seated primers no matter how hard I push on the handle.). I got 3, IIRC, FTF two in 9mm and 1 in 38 Special out of 80 handloads. I have since reloaded more SA primers but I used my best priming tool, my trusty old ram prime (I have not had a light seated primer/FTF in mebbe 25-30 years using my ram prime). I reloaded more 9mm, 32 H&R magnum and some 45 ACP small primed. Unfortunately it's been raining here for 3 weeks straight and the "range" is 3 miles up a muddy, slippery logging road (out of cell phone range), 10 miles up hill from town and haven't tested them yet. Using my ram prime will tell me if any FTF is from gun's light strike or poor primers and definitely not from my seating methods...

Kinda windy post, but my mind was on a roll, sorry...

It has been my experience that you need a good firm strike on these primers to set them off. Most of my reloads using these have been in stock hammer fired guns, and I only have issues with my Charter Undercoverette. That said, these primers are a little harder to seat than some other brands, so I always give a little extra effort when seating them just to make sure. I think I read somewhere that they are physically a smidge wider than domestic primers.

I’ve witnessed and heard of plenty of instances of experienced reloaders having problems with these primers.

Purchase at your own risk.

I am not buying any.

I have had light strikes with PMC primers too. Don't know if it is their hardness or a light spring in my M18 Mauser. I'll have to try them in my 243 Rem. 700.

I bought 5,000 Servicio&Aventuras small pistol primers.
They do fit a little tight but I’ve not had any failures to fire. I’ve limited them to 9mm and .40S&W, .32 and .380 loads. A G22, Taurus G2C, 4- 9mm M1911’s, Beretta M81 .32, and Beretta M85 .380 have all fired them.

I wouldn’t expect my PPC tuned revolvers to pop them. For that, I’ve still got an adequate stash of Federal SPP to tide me over…

I have use 1,050 loaded on a LNL and so far No problems at all, but your mileage may very. Have 6,000 to go I will give you an update by June on the whole batch.

earlthegoat2 said:

I’ve witnessed and heard of plenty of instances of experienced reloaders having problems with these primers.

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Captcurt said:

I have had light strikes with PMC primers too. Don't know if it is their hardness

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GooseGestapo said:

I bought 5,000 Servicio&Aventuras small pistol primers ... They do fit a little tight but I’ve not had any failures to fire. I’ve limited them to 9mm and .40S&W, .32 and .380 loads. A G22, Taurus G2C, 4- 9mm M1911’s, Beretta M81 .32, and Beretta M85 .380 have all fired them.

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dannyd said:

I have use 1,050 loaded on a LNL and so far No problems at all

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< Pondering back through 30 years ... >
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Walkalong said:

Experienced reloaders recognize the symptoms of primers that haven’t been seated completely.

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I thought about what Walkalong posted this morning while I did some yard work on our acreage and there is something we didn't consider.

I mean, how can some THR members have no problems while other members have problems with the same primer?

What maybe happening is what I experienced with Wolf LP primers back 15 years ago when Powder Valley sold them and also with PMC/Tula/Fiocchi/S&B primers I bought in previous component shortages when they were harder to seat. These were "Metric" sized primers with slightly larger diameter cups manufactured using "millimeter" measurements instead of "inch" measurements of domestic brand primers.

I recall running comments about Wolf primers that they were good for using in enlarged primer pockets to extend the life of brass. And while I liked the consistency of Fiocchi SP primers, they were slightly tighter to seat fully .004" below flush and in some once-fired 9mm brass with tighter primer pockets like S&B/RWS, I could not seat them even to flush and ended up sorting these headstamp brass out to prime with domestic brand primers.

Interestingly, I did not have primer seating problems with Magtech SP, S&B SP/LP/SR/LR, Tula SR/.223 (copper/brass colored) primers. Of course, I haven't had any problems with various CCI/Federal/Remington/Winchester SP/LP/SR/LR and CCI 41 primers.

So, if you are using mostly once-fired brass with tighter primer pockets, you may have seating issues with slightly larger "Metric" sized primers. But using brass with enlarged primer pockets that have been reloaded multiple times may allow fully seating of these primers to slightly below flush around .004" that we aim for.

Of course, YMMV.

34 years for me just went over 200,000 rounds of pistol, rifle and shotgun. Don't if I qualify as experienced yet.