Primer Rupture - no ignition

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alfsauve

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(This is factory ammo, so this thread doesn't belong in handloading, no?)

I have a 6" 686 who is very picky about ammo. So today I was running through everything I had .38spl and .357mag to figure what works best. (158grs are best, 124gr print about 12" at 25yds )

Anyway I got a "Pfffft" with one shot and gas shot out the side of the BACK of the cylinder.

I believe it's a primer hole that doesn't go all they way through. Happens. I'll add pictures of the primer hole once I pull the bullet.


20191115_134118.jpg

BTB, S&B give me the highest Power Factor without going to a +P defensive round.

+BTB, the rest of the box shot just fine.
 
I had my first primer failure yesterday. 270 Winchester. Federal. Pfft and smoke and a waiting period. It looked just like your picture.
 
(Wasn't sure which forum, so thanks for moving it.)

To make a short story long: Here's a picture after I "pulled" the bullet and pried out the primer. Ruptured one on the left. Normal one on the right.

20191115_175437.jpg

The problem wasn't with the brass. I pried the primer out from the rear and this is what it looks like (right) vs a normal one.
You can see where it was trying to expand into the primer hole. It's like there wasn't a cup but more of a cylinder closed
at both ends? That can't be. Maybe something got into the primer pocket.





20191115_175533.jpg


Another view from the other angle. It looks almost like the primer got inserted upside down, which I obviously didn't notice
when I put them in the cylinder. BUT look at the first picture. Does that look like it was upside down?

20191115_175630.jpg

Another fun day at the range.
 

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(Wasn't sure which forum, so thanks for moving it.)

To make a short story long: Here's a picture after I "pulled" the bullet and pried out the primer. Ruptured one on the left. Normal one on the right.

View attachment 871754

The problem wasn't with the brass. I pried the primer out from the rear and this is what it looks like (right) vs a normal one.
You can see where it was trying to expand into the primer hole. It's like there wasn't a cup but more of a cylinder closed
at both ends? That can't be. Maybe something got into the primer pocket.





View attachment 871755


Another view from the other angle. It looks almost like the primer got inserted upside down, which I obviously didn't notice
when I put them in the cylinder. BUT look at the first picture. Does that look like it was upside down?

View attachment 871757

Another fun day at the range.

Looks somewhat like it may have gone in sideways, rather than upside down.
 
I am going to guess a brass flaw in the primer cup. Maybe a pin hole. But, clearly a bad primer.
 
Many years ago I had a fail to fire. I reload so was saving brass. Store bought ammo, so long ago I cannot remember any details except that, upon disassembly, the case did not have a flash hole. I have been kinda partial to my reloads ever since.
 
I'm coming round to the sideways theory.

This is why I always open the boxes in front of the sales clerk when buying ammunition and inspect the primers. It is not uncommon to find a primer sideways like yours or upside down.

Not so easy when you buy by the thousand. Or by mail
 
IMO OutLaw75 got it right. "Looks somewhat like it may have gone in sideways..."

That's what I thought from the first picture. The picture in post #5 confirms it.
 
Yup, installed sideways.

I’ve had the small pistol primers occasionally flip sideways and get inserted into a .38 or .357 case using a Lee hand prime.

A PITA, when it happens, as the case won’t slide back out of the shell holder. You have to slide out the shell holder with the case still inserted, use a small flathead screwdriver to pop out the now-ruined primer, then reassemble the hand primer and get back to work.

Oopsies do happen with factory loads too, I’ve had an entire lot of sixteen cases with 3-4 per box with no flash holes in Win 9mm, Federal Match .223s with a backwards primer, etc.

At least the primer flame didn’t ignite the powder and send a jet of high pressure burning powder gas back out the flash hole, through the gap in the primer pocket and into the recoil shield of your 686. Having that hot gas loose around your support hand/thumbs could be nasty.

Stay safe.
 
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