light primer strike on commercial ammo question

[Kb! Bob]

Hey guys,
I have a quick question for you because I do not reload, and am not too familiar with the inner workings of the round itself. I took out my new (to me) Ruger LCP today to do a little function testing with it before I started carrying it. I had 4 different types of ammo and 3 magazines. Ammo was Buffalo Bore hardcast 100gr +P, unidentified HP that came with gun (believe to be hydrashok?), American Eagle 95gr FMJ, and Hornady Critical Defense. After running enough FMJ to be comfortable with function, I loaded "staggered" magazines with Buffalo Bore for penetration and Critical Defense for expansion. Out of the 12 rounds of Critical Defense in the 3 magazines, I had 5 light primer strikes! 2 of those ignited on the second attempt, 3 were discarded with 2 dents in the primer without firing. This happened with all three magazines, and the gun ran flawlessly with all other ammo during the session. What gives? Can their be a bad batch? How can I regain confidence in the round, I really want to like it? Has anybody heard anything about this, like perhaps Hornady puts thick primers on and my LCP has a weak spring? Thanks in advance!

[Steve_NEPhila]

I had light primer strikes last week in my Kahr MK9 with Hornady critical defense. The same rounds (from the same box) worked fine in my HK P7. I am not quite sure what this is all about. Light primer striked have not happened in the MK9 with other ammo as of yet...

[Kb! Bob]

I had light primer strikes last week in my Kahr MK9 with Hornady critical defense. The same rounds (from the same box) worked fine in my HK P7. I am not quite sure what this is all about. Light primer striked have not happened in the MK9 with other ammo as of yet...

Huh...in 9mm too?... Maybe they have thick primers and certain guns without diesel firing pins have trouble igniting them?

So whats you decision? Will you just not use them in that pistol or did you lose confindence in the round altogether?

[max384]

I've heard of this happening to P3ATs as well using Hornady Critical Defense. From what I have heard, hornady is beginning to use foreign primers. The only foreign primers I have any experience with have been Russian made, and they were the thickest primers I have ever dealt with. I have had numerous FTFs with those primers. I am not saying that hornady uses Russian primers for sure, but you could give them a call and see what they say.


Hornady Manufacturing Company
3625 West Old Potash Hwy
Grand Island, NE 68802-1848
USA
Phone: 1-800-338-3220
Phone: 308-382-1390
Fax: 308-382-5761

Business Hours
Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Central Time


Or you could email them here

Also, some guns just do not fire some types of ammo. That is why it is so important to run at least 50-100 rounds of the SD ammo that you will be using in the gun that you will be carrying... that way you don't find out about light primer hits when you need the gun to work the most.

Bottom line, if I were you, I would suspect the ammo was the problem, and find another SD ammo that works for your gun.

[Steve_NEPhila]

My decision is to run a number of different ammo types in the Kahr. If I get good performance out of say SXT's or PDX-1 ammo, then so be it. However, if a similar problem happens with the other ammo I will drop the Kahr off at my local gunsmith to look it over and change out springs.

[Kb! Bob]

I've heard of this happening to P3ATs as well using Hornady Critical Defense. From what I have heard, hornady is beginning to use foreign primers. The only foreign primers I have any experience with have been Russian made, and they were the thickest primers I have ever dealt with.

I'm at least glad its probably not my gun. Whats most annoying about that is that, ostensibly, Hornady developed the CD round specifically for smaller caliber SD handguns, the LCP and P3AT being the bread and butter of that category. You would think thye would have made provisions for that!

I'll be OK though, every other round I tried worked flawlessly, including a couple other hollow-points, FMJ, and a questionably over-powered Buffalo Bore 100gr. hardcast lead round that is currently giving me a boner.

I am going to write a quick email, thanks for the info

My decision is to run a number of different ammo types in the Kahr. If I get good performance out of say SXT's or PDX-1 ammo, then so be it. However, if a similar problem happens with the other ammo I will drop the Kahr off at my local gunsmith to look it over and change out springs.

Mmmm....that sounds good....i'll have that.

[Rundownfid]

I suspect it is your gun. Hornady may use CCI or Wolf primers, but unless the primer is defective an unmodified firearm should fire it. Target shooters often use Federal primers as they are the "softest" i.e. most easily ignited. CCI are notoriously hard. The culprit is probably a defective spring which is not delivering the smack that the harder primers require. Will you be satisfied if it weakens further and you can't depend on it to fire other ammo. You should contact the manufacturer, I doubt they will tell you that Hornady, a well respected company, makes ammo that their firearm can't fire. You need to fix the problem not the symptom.

[BrowningBoy]

I've been using CCI primers for the last 20 years and I've never had one failure to fire. That said, it does sound like its the ammo considering everything else fired without a problem. I'd try a few more different loads in that gun before I'd trust it with my life though.

[Rundownfid]

I, perhaps, wasn't as clear as I had hoped. I mentioned target shooters because we often have lightened the springs for a smoother & lighter trigger and are willing to risk the occasional misfire. When this is done it is the practice to use Federal and lighten use the minimum spring to get ehem to ignite reliably.

What makes me think he may have a defective firearm is that it fires most ammo, but not Hornady. This sounds very much like a marginal firing pin strike. Ok on most loads, perhaps a 100% on softer primers. However, unless that box of Hornady is defective I would want the pistol fixed. A self defense handgun should fire 100% of the time with quality factory ammo, you are betting your life on it.

I apologize if I was unclear on the first post.

[Iron Sights]

I had a Walther PPK/s that worked fine until it didn't want to. I could fire 30 without any problems and then nothing. Double tap and it fired. Worked fine for 15 or 20 and the same thing. Sent it back to S&W and it worked fine.