.44 special primer problems

[1mathom1]

I had purchased a few boxes of the W-W cowboy ammo at Wally World over the last year. In the process of reloading the brass, I am having the some of the primers separate and leave the "walls" of the primer in the pocket. Just the anvil and the "cap" of the primer comes out. Of course all of this is happening on a progressive that drops the spent primers in covered area so I don't get to see the problem till the case is in the reprime station and the new primer goes just a little way then stops. Frustrating.

Just wanted to give folks a "heads up" on that brass.

 

[HMFIC]

What do you think is going on? Bad primers being too soft or something?

 

[NikatKimber]

I've had that happen on old ammo, where for whatever reason the primers had corroded to the case. But never on recently purchased ammo.

 

[1mathom1]

I don't know. Just looking at them, I cannot see corrosion but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. In all instances, they separated right at the point where the cap rolls over to the walls. There is some possibility that I got a few old cases mixed in with the new stuff but there is no visual difference to be able to sort them out now. We had three of us shooting .44 special at the range the last time and I cannot guarantee the other two bothered to make sure they kept the brass separate.

 

[NikatKimber]

So it left a little ring of primer in the pocket? That's exactly what mine did.

Mine when they did it were spent .38 spl cases that had been in a bag for a long time.

Sucks, but from what I can tell, not a lot you can do about it other than toss those cases.

 

[1mathom1]

Yep...exactly. Been weeding them out as I load the case feeder.

 

[Blitzfike]

I've had this happen lately as well. I think the primer cup extrusion process has made the
cup brittle at that point. I expect some of that with old military brass with corrosive primers
but not the new stuff. I have had about two dozen 223's do that as well. Blitzfike