Had a bad experience with a CCI magnum primers , had two from the same box , fail in two different rifles , both were hit hard , click , contacted CCI and asked if they would want them back to check out why they failed - Reply was - Since we all seat primers by "feel" the problem with misfires is
normally attributed to insufficient seating depth, they should be set to
0.003-0.005" below flush. If not, the primers will not fire.
Shoot Straight!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
CCI/SPEER Tech. Service Coordinator
BS
Been using CCIPrimers for years with no problems ? But when these are gone that is it for me I will finish them off at the range on targets , but not use them for hunting do not want to wonder will it go click or bang. Any one ever have a problem with them ?

That same "tech" will also tell you that if you fail to seat the primers flush and leave them slightly protruding, that there's a grave danger of them firing when you chamber the round! Okay, so which is it?

The problem may or may not be in the manufacture of the primers, but for the "tech" to blow off an experienced reloader with such an obviously inaccurate answer is not acceptable. If I were the manufacturer, I'd want to find out what went wrong and would ask you to ship me the remainder of the lot.

I have been reloading for 25 years using CCI primers exclusively ( excepth for that period about 7 - 8 years ago when primers were hard to find ) and have only had two misfires. Both of those were attributed to tumbling media plugging the flash hole.
I seat primers by feel using a Lee hand primer. I never touch them with my fingers and am meticulous with case preparation - no oil or grease.
I never wonder if my reloads that are built on CCI primers will fire.

I shoot CCI's by the thousand, and they alway seem to work well for me, but then so do Federal's, Remington and Winchester.

I have been using CCI primers since the early 1960's and have never had one not go "bang".

Linren2 what lot # do you have . I had the same thing happen to me last month with CCI mag primers in my 35 whelen loads three that failed to go bang.
Craven

CCI 250 Magnum - LOT# K08K Not saying CCI makes bad primers , just that they may have a problem with this lot# ?

- flip a coin

15 or so years back I had a thou. CCI small pistol mag primers that did the same thing for me .
I went so far as to check primer depth ,then cut a case in half and reinsert that primer to check if I had the primer in to the bottom of the primer pocket.

They told me I was not seating the primers deep enough and the firing pin hit was seating the primer the rest of the way .


I sent 5 rounds that failed to fire and the rest of the 1000 back to CCI

I got no answer as to the reason for the problems .
I just got 5000 primers delivered to me

Johnch

If the lot # is correct, those primers were made in Oct of 1979. Primers properly stored will often times last that long, those that are not, reliability can pose a problem. Check the lot # to ensure it is correct. My job is to get you and keep you shooting. I would be the first to tell you "whipping the messenger" will accomplish little. xxx



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Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 8:44 AM
To: cciexpert
Subject: RE: cci-ammunition.com - Ask the Expert Form


K08K was on the boxes 1979 BOUGHT THEM 2 MONTHS AGO 1000 - BETTER CHECK YOUR CCI 250 STOCK # BUT THEY SURE DO LOOK NEW , HUMMMMMMM

I was just about to chime in with my inquiry as to where and at what temperatures those primers had been stored.
I have seen Gun Show types leave their wares out in damp, dank, moist garages where temperatures went from zero degrees to above 100 degrees and then they would be in that up and down environ for years until they sold.
I was just wondering if Linren2 knew how the primers got to him? From a store or a Gun Show type deal?
I used to use CCI exclusively and never had a missfire. But I kept my primers in the house and away from dank storage areas.
I went to Federals many many years ago and have never looked back.
I would investigate the history of those primers as best one could and if they were manufactured in 1979 (26 years ago!) I would strongly suspect incorrect storage during that time somewhere!
Better luck with your next batch of primers - I would throw those away.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Fifteen years ago I was using CCI large rifle primers in several calibres and experienced several FTFs which prompted me to change to Winchester. Have yet to have one of these fail. My wife preferred Remington primers in her ammo and was never disapointed. Going by above posts there was a crook batch of CCI around '89/'90.

I had the same problem with a set of cci 250 large rifle magnums which were loaded with reduced loads for my 300 win mag. I switche em out with some win large rifle primers and had no problem. I picked em up at the local Gander Mtn along with some Hornady bullets and those had some rust specs on em from improper storage somewhere. Problem is Gander Mtn has a policy of no returns on reloading stuff so I kept the bullets and the primers are history. NEver had a problem with CCI before but I'm sure the storage facility is where the problem. Funny thing is that 2 different loading books show reduced loads with magnum primers and another shows large rifle, go figure.

Scott

i had several bad ones from a lot for the 50 BMG

Had a batch of bad CCI Small Rifle primers back in 1968, no problems since then until two weeks ago when I had a bad Remington Large Rifle Magnum primer. Don't know why these primers failed, but I suppose that is not too bad of a loss rate over 40 years of hand loads.
LLS

I've never had a CCI primer (or any other) fail to ignite. I've used about 4000 CCI primers over the last 20 years.

I did have some CCI 550 magnum pistol primers pierce. They were about 12 years old, but it may have been a loading error on my part too - I won't guarantee infallibility.

I have noticed that one batch of Winchester WLR primers were loose in some brand new Winchester 30-06 cases. Those same WLR primers fit just fine in R-P brass, and CCI primers fit just fine in both brands of cases.

I think that nothing in this world will ever be 100%. Stuff nowdays is of amazing quality if you ask me (which you didn't).