I just wanted to post this to the group. I recently purchases 2k of CCI 250M primers to reload my 357 H&H, 416 Rigby and 458 Lott. I'm getting 15-40% misfires with solid primers strikes (I can post pictures for the nay sayers) This is in 4 different rifles. I have NEVER had a misfire before this with any primers ever. I tried to contact CCI and got a generic Email form NO PHONE number listed (?) I hope they can make good on this one since I've never had to bug them before I will keep the group posted. For now I'm sticking with 215M fed's and remington 9 1/2's. Anyone elese had this problem?

Thanks Brad

Hi Brad,

I've been using same in my 416 Weatherby (WBY Custom Safari) and 600 Overkill (AHR on GMA action) as well as my dad's 300 SAUM (Rem 700Ti) and 585AHR AHR on CZ action) but have not had that experience. All 100% ignition and we have shot about 300 rounds between the four rifles with those primers.

Can you post the lot number? Might be helpful in narrowing down the problem primers. No chance of contamination of the bricks in transport or at home?

Paul

I'll post the numbers when I get home. All of my primers have been in the same spot under my reloading bench. The 2 year old rem's and fed's have done just fine. These came out of sealed boxes hot off the shelf from my dealer a few months back. I can not say what the distributor did with them but they didn't sit out in his shop for more than a couple of days.

Brad

Brad, I also have a bunch of CCI mag primers that I bought when I couldn't find Federals. Have not had a problem.

Brad;

I'm sure you are an experienced reloader however I've never had any primer fail that was properly seated.

I have been in hurry and not seated primers firmly to the bottom of the primer pocket. These have had some fail to fire. They look like they should have with the firing pin mark and everything but no bang. The primer gets moved forward but the pin but not enough force once the pin hits the anvil in the primer. A fine fellow at Speer explained this to me when I called with sames issue many years ago.

I got this most often with priming on the press as it it is harder to "feel" the primer seat, especially with big presses we need for these kinds of cartridges.. I now use a simple Lee hand priming tool for just about all my loading. You get a nice "feel" for the priming step with these.

Not sure if this solves your problem but a low cost alternate to try.

Pete

quote:

not seated primers firmly to the bottom of the primer pocket

Way back when, I had the same experience and it because I hadn't really seated them firmly to the bottom of the pocket. Once I reseated them all went off. CCI is known to have the hardest cup material of any primer and this is not an isolated incidence. When speaking with Dillon Precision over the purchase of one of their presses, I was told not to use CCI primers in it. I have used them since but make sure that they are firmly seated and have not had any further problems.

+1+1+1 with everyone else. I have used many CCI Mag primers and never had a misfire. I seat them in my press and seat them solid. My RWS 404 cases have very tight primer pockets and primers are flat with the seating pressure but never have misfires and achieve fantastic grouping. You have to seat primers firmly. Can;t stress that enough.

I've used alot of CCI primers with no problem, but have never used the magnum version. I make a habit of running my finger over the head of the case after the primer has been seated to check for any high primers. If the primer is raised even a litle, you'll feel it.

I had a problem with CCI primers in my tang safety Ruger '06 a while back. Switched to Federals and never had a problem. Used a RCBS hand seater. Primer pockets uniformed, etc.

I've been loading for about 20 years. Haven't ever had that problem before or since.

Thanks everyone for the info so far. I checked the boxes last night for a lot number and found nothing. I don't know if CCI marks them or not? As far as seating the primers I use an RCBS hand priming tool and really give it a good squeeze each time. I will closely inspect the rounds to see if the primers are high or not but since I haven't had the problem before I have not inspected them in great detail. I'm not trying in any way to bad mouth CCI since I like their stuff I'm just perplexed an why this is happening. I'm on the hunt for some Fed 215's for now. I may play with the 250's some more but for now I'm going to only use Rem 9.5's or 215's for my hunting loads. You would think CCI would address this issue since I can't understand why they need to use such hard metal. I hope they contact me an confirm wht you all are saying. My concern was that they are turning out so many primers that a contaminant got into the mix? Just a thought.

Thanks

Brad

Update: 12:30pm PST

CCI did call me back and told me about the seating depth issue 3-5 thousands below case bottom. They want the lot number to check it out. I'll call them back when I get home and tell you what we find out.

Look at the front of the cardboard sleve it will be stamped with a letter-number code (impressed, not inked) this is the number they need.

I've Never had a miss Fire because I use Fed. primers, and I never used CCI primers in my big bores.

If I read your post correctly you recently purchase a large nos of CCI 250 primers and they are failing.Well I will related to you why I NEVER EVER use Federal 215's in any of my rifles-338,378,416 Rigby and 500 Nitro.Years ago I was in the local major gun store and was offered a good deal on a bulk purchase of Fed 215's.I bought a thousand.When I got around to using them a year or two later in my first 500 double about one in three perforated and burnt the s**t out of the breach face.I have never used 215's since.It unfolded that a large batch of crap primers were unloaded to Australia,many similar reports subsequently emerging.I have only used CCI 250's since with excellent results.I suspect you have been sold a defective lot of CCI 250's,as I was sold a dud lot of Fed 215's.Dump the lot and move on.

Brad, I may have missed this but have you contacted CCI or not? At this point you know (where to find) the lot number. You should give them a chance to research the problem. As to the hand primer seating tool, the arm that moves the primer into place is made of pot metal and wears out thereby not seating the primers as deep as they should. I would try seating them using the press, which, for my big bores, is the method I use.
Peter.

Update:

I was contacted by phone yesterday by Coy in technical services. We discussed my problem this morning in detail. The lot number is B12Q for all that are interested (date of production per CCI is Feb 09). He suggested I try the following. prime up 20 once fired cases using my large single stage press. fire each case only once in my rifle and report back him my results. (he insisted that I make sure the primers are 3-5 thousands below the case base)
I'll give it a try. He did report their failure rate is one in 3,000,000 on average. No issues with that lot thus far. Again I am willing to blame myself for this issue until proven otherwise.

Thanks

Brad