Thread: Primers burnng through

Is this common?
This is a brand new box of eley alphamax 32 gram loads.
I noticed that a few of them have a hole blown out where the firing pin has hit them.
Never noticed this before, but it's an older SxS hammer gun.

Is the firing pin seating too deep on firing?

Pin shape or protrusion
Pull it apart push the pin out of the breach face
As far as you can and measure how far they protrude
Also they want to be nicely domed not sharp on the nose of the pin

Your not having very good run are you. First to light ,now to deep. Maybe the third gun is just right.

Originally Posted by Quackers

Is the firing pin seating too deep on firing?

I was wondering if it had something to do with that, but not too sure how to test.
It's the first time I've used this brand of ammo through it and not noticed it before, not all the rounds have done it.
The previous ammo I used has not experienced this so was wondering if it was the nature of the primers used.

Originally Posted by NCGNSMITH

Pin shape or protrusion
Pull it apart push the pin out of the breach face
As far as you can and measure how far they protrude
Also they want to be nicely domed not sharp on the nose of the pin

They look fairly round to me, but have no idea on what work if any was done on a gun this age.
I will take a look when I get a chance and try and take some measurements.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Your not having very good run are you. First to light ,now to deep. Maybe the third gun is just right.

Well I've got my other gun sorted thankfully, this is more of an antique but is in mint condition, seems to shoot ok.

What are they doing in your other gun?
Alphamax are quite a hot load for an old hammer gun

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

What are they doing in your other gun?
Alphamax are quite a hot load for an old hammer gun

I have not tried them in my semi yet, but I guess it's a good idea to test them out.
The gun is nitro proofed for 32g loads and is not Damascus.
Modern powders may be different i guess, but ive also used falcon and fiocchi through it.
Most ammo I see available typically seems to be around the same velocity, regardless of brand.
Taken out a fair few possums with it so far.

This happens in my DT10 on about 1 in 100 trap loads, mainly Falcon V1 from Target Products. It will definitely cause the tip of the firing pin to erode and pit, so would be good to solve before it does any significant damage to the pin on an old gun. I was told not to worry too much about it on mine as a DT10 is a competition clay buster and the intent of the intense primer strike was to ensure the cartridge went off no matter what, and replacement pins are readily available.