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Primed 40 S&W Cases - New Brass - Iffy Primers

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markr6754

Elite
Founding Member
Came across a possible deal that comes with a caveat.

https://www.evergladesammo.com/brass/40-cal-new-primed-brass-clearance-1000ct.html

The brass is new, the primers are installed, the primers may be 90% effective. With a primer there's no way to know which may be defective. Everglades claims their testing showed about 10% failed to ignite.

For someone looking desperately for both primers and new brass for plinking/load development (like me) these could be right up your ally. I was trying to pick up some once fired 40S&W brass when I encountered these. I've ordered 2000 of them If nothing else I got new brass at a reasonable cost.
 
Pitdogg2 said:
Until one of those "iffy" primers leaves a bullet lodged in the bore.

What are your plans for those that don't go boom?
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These primers work, or they don’t work. No one said anything about producing squibs. I’ve never had a squib that was caused by a bad primer. I have had factory ammo cause squibs due to lack of powder. Nonetheless, once you’ve removed one squib load, though not fun, removing any others is hardly a challenge. That said, my plan is to use these with my thousands of 7.5 cent frangible bullets. They literally turn to dust when smacked.

On the other hand....new 40 S&W goes for $0.28 to $0.46 per case. Here you get 1000 new, sized, primed cases for $0.10 each. Even if I pull all 2000 primers, I still have brass for less than 1/2 price. I call that a win. Those who do not shoot or need 40 S&W cases will not consider this a bargain at 1/4 the price.
 
Cases came in. Ran 150 through my expanding die, followed by the primer arm...none of them budged that I could detect. My hopes that some failures to ignite were due to high primers appears unfounded. I've loaded up a small 30 round ladder using my 135gr Sinterfire bullets and CFE-Pistol. Initial estimates are for 3 FTI/FTF (based on reported 10% primer failure rate).
I'll post back after testing.
 
Made it to the range to test out my first loads with this brass using the 135gr Sinterfire frangible bullets I recently bought on clearance.

My first ladder...135gr Sinterfire frangible bullets with CFE-Pistol powder. It was an interesting experience, made all the worst as I don't have a chronograph, and I'm shooting indoors. I have 2 pistols in 40 S&W, a Springfield Armory EMP 3" barrel, and a Beretta PX4 Storm 4" barrel. This was my first test of CFE-Pistol with the 135gr Sinterfire. I made up 10 rounds each with 4.9gr, 5.1gr, and 5.3gr, all on the low side for a 180gr projectile (the 135gr SF bullet is longer than traditional 180gr projectiles). I then shot 5 of each, low to high, from each pistol. During the case prep, I attempted to reseat each primer on the press (Hornady LNL Classic Single Stage). I detected no movement of the primers.


Without all the boring details:


Springfield EMP - the loads were quite soft, and I experienced multiple primer failures, 4 out of 5 failing primers fired on the 2nd or even 3rd strike of the hammer. Good malfunction clearance practice. One round endured 5 strikes without igniting...I'd even turned the round in the magazine and tried to fire it again. Happily, the pistol seemed to like getting rid of the last round, as it locked back the slide each time. In the end, 14 of 15 rounds fired, eventually, in the EMP. Sadly, there's no way to distinguish when a primer will ignite beforehand.


Here's where it gets interesting...


Beretta PX4 Storm - every round fired without issue. 16 of 16...the extra being the round that refused to fire in the SA EMP. There were no repeat strikes...every primer ignited on the first attempt. Now, the loads felt even softer firing out of the Beretta, and I had multiple failures to eject/load, whereas I had none of these problems in the SA EMP.


The problem with the SA EMP is one I've experienced since I purchased the gun. Light Primer Strikes, even shooting factory ammo. However, these primers looked like they were getting a solid strike...nice, deep indentations, yet they failed at a higher than expected rate, while the same rounds in the Beretta PX4 Storm had no ignition problems at all.


All in all, quite the interesting outing, but I need to develop a new ladder, perhaps starting at 5.4gr or 5.5 gr and working up.
 
markr6754 said:
These primers work, or they don’t work. No one said anything about producing squibs. I’ve never had a squib that was caused by a bad primer. I have had factory ammo cause squibs due to lack of powder. Nonetheless, once you’ve removed one squib load, though not fun, removing any others is hardly a challenge. That said, my plan is to use these with my thousands of 7.5 cent frangible bullets. They literally turn to dust when smacked.

On the other hand....new 40 S&W goes for $0.28 to $0.46 per case. Here you get 1000 new, sized, primed cases for $0.10 each. Even if I pull all 2000 primers, I still have brass for less than 1/2 price. I call that a win. Those who do not shoot or need 40 S&W cases will not consider this a bargain at 1/4 the price.
Click to expand...


Out of curiosity can you explain your method for removing squibs from the barrel? The one and only time I fired reloads ( factory reloads at that) from an automatic was with my first Makarov 9x18. I took it back to the LGS where I bought the reloads and chewed them a new A-hole. They got it out, but I didn't see how they did it. I did check the barrel right in front of them as I told them I was going to do.

Anyway, just curious.
 
Brass rod, though many folks just use a cleaning rod. Depending on where the squib is you either push it out the muzzle, or back the other way and out the chamber. It doesn’t take a lot of effort.

Onlinemetals.com carries brass round bar rod in nearly every imaginable “caliber”. Solid brass in 12” lengths is perfect for handgun barrels. Need one for 380ACP or 9mm, order the 0.3125” or 0.3438”, which should also work for 40 S&W, or you can order 0.375”. Need one for 45 ACP? Order the 0.4375”. In actuality, you could get by with just the smallest diameter and use it for everything 380 ACP to 45 ACP. You can use the same small hammer from your roll pin kit, if you have one.

Remember to tap it out...not drive it out. I don’t carry one in my range bag, but lots of other shooters do...especially competitive shooters. My indoor range has a small kit available, though I haven’t had a squib since 1996.

Don’t be tempted to use steel because that’s all you have on hand. But aluminum also works...and finally, some guys just use a wooden dowel. I never have, but I wouldn’t be opposed to it if that’s all I had.

Just always, always use a rod/dowel that is smaller than your lands.
 
markr6754 said:
Brass rod, though many folks just use a cleaning rod. Depending on where the squib is you either push it out the muzzle, or back the other way and out the chamber. It doesn’t take a lot of effort.

Onlinemetals.com carries brass round bar rod in nearly every imaginable “caliber”. Solid brass in 12” lengths is perfect for handgun barrels. Need one for 380ACP or 9mm, order the 0.3125” or 0.3438”, which should also work for 40 S&W, or you can order 0.375”. Need one for 45 ACP? Order the 0.4375”. In actuality, you could get by with just the smallest diameter and use it for everything 380 ACP to 45 ACP. You can use the same small hammer from your roll pin kit, if you have one.

Remember to tap it out...not drive it out. I don’t carry one in my range bag, but lots of other shooters do...especially competitive shooters. My indoor range has a small kit available, though I haven’t had a squib since 1996.

Don’t be tempted to use steel because that’s all you have on hand. But aluminum also works...and finally, some guys just use a wooden dowel. I never have, but I wouldn’t be opposed to it if that’s all I had.

Just always, always use a rod/dowel that is smaller than your lands.
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I would also remove the mag and reset up to 3 times and pull trigger each time. If you want the brass and not the primers then chamber and fire each 1 before depriming. Bought some 357sig primed that were not very reliable, but were cheaper the brass only.
 
TEXASforLIFE said:
I would also remove the mag and reset up to 3 times and pull trigger each time. If you want the brass and not the primers then chamber and fire each 1 before depriming. Bought some 357sig primed that were not very reliable, but were cheaper the brass only.
Click to expand...
Strange post to respond to in this manner. I was explaining the method I use to remove squib loads, if any. Your instructions, in your response, could potentially produce additional problems. It implies that you want to force out the squib with another fired round...not advisable.
 
markr6754 said:
Strange post to respond to in this manner. I was explaining the method I use to remove squib loads, if any. Your instructions, in your response, could potentially produce additional problems. It implies that you want to force out the squib with another fired round...not advisable.
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These were not loaded rounds just primed cases.
 
I did have 1 that didn't go off but the primer had been struck by the firing pin. Tried 3 times for it too ignite before removing with a wooden dowel. I was not chambering another round too force a bullet out. With your last response I see where you are going. It's like hitting a guy with glasses take?
 
TEXASforLIFE said:
Knowing that a bullet is still in the barrel would DEFINITELY be a bad idea/decision too use another round for removal!
Click to expand...

I've seen it done inadvertently...basically getting a squib in a rapid-fire cadence, and not getting off the trigger in time.

Both bullets were sent downrange, with no harm to the shooter...but the pistol (Glock 21) was locked up tight on the bulged barrel.

IIRC, it happened with factory ammo, and Glock took it back, inspected it, and replaced the barrel with no charge. (Or possibly a nominal charge...).
 
HK did that purposely in testing the USP before they came out. HK wanted to test the artillery ordinance steel the USP barrel and maybe others in the HK line are made out of. It didn't affect the functionality or the accuracy of the firearm in their 10,000 round murder test on that USP pistol.

That's one test I don't plan on trying myself I'll take their word for it lol
 
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