Most sentive pistol primer?

Who makes the most sensitive small pistol primer? My father in law has a S&W revolver that someone has done some "work" on. The double action trigger pull is very smooth and requires very little effort. Because of this he has some mis-fires with my reloads unless he fires them in single action mode. Most factory ammo will fire in double action OK. I use Winchester primers in my reloads, but I've heard that some manufactures primers are more sensitive than others and thought if I changed the primers I use it might solve the problem.

Sensitive primers; I am the fan of killer firing pins, if the hammer on the pistol has been altered it will bounce when the pressure in the primer smoothes out the dent. I am not the fan of bouncing hammers and firing pins with reduce spring pressure. Reduce spring pressure can cause pierced primers. There is something about hot high pressure metal cutting gas that is not good for a pistol when the gas escapes out the back of the case.

When sensitive and primers comes up in the same sentence most have an automatic response that include ‘Federal primers’. The automatic response when discussing Federal primers include R. Lee. R. Lee claimed Federal primers were more powerful; and that sold me on Federal primers because I want more powerful primers. In R. Lee’s book he claimed he did not test Federal primers because Federal did not donate primers to be tested. I have considered there are 3 different issues of R. Lee’s book on modern reloading. That would be the first issue and then the second issue and the ONE I have. I also considered the possibility I am the only owner of R. Lee’s book that actually read it.

F. Guffey

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Originally Posted by WHG

Who makes the most sensitive small pistol primer? My father in law has a S&W revolver that someone has done some "work" on. The double action trigger pull is very smooth and requires very little effort. Because of this he has some mis-fires with my reloads unless he fires them in single action mode. Most factory ammo will fire in double action OK. I use Winchester primers in my reloads, but I've heard that some manufactures primers are more sensitive than others and thought if I changed the primers I use it might solve the problem.

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Not a uncommon issues with a other than service use pistol. Federal primers do have a reputation for being easy to ignite. Worth a try. FWIW, have used Rem. SP primers with extremely good success in target/competition .38 Special loads fired in K and L frame S&W revolvers. Have used Federal SP primers. No issues. However, have not had my revolvers set up for the lightest possible SA/DA trigger pull. Weigh the SA and DA trigger pulls using reliable equipment. Install a mainspring that is slightly heavier. Adjust weight of pull by the expedient of adjusting the strain screw. Once you find what works to give you the reliability you desire with the primers, etc., you are using, then lock everything down and have fun. HTH. Sincerely. bruce.

I got a good buy on a 686 from a guy that said it has FTF. It did on two chambers. He had a guy loosen the strain screw. Tightened it up. Polished some parts and cut one coil off the rebound spring. Shoots like a dream and is one of my favorites.

You can buy spring kits or Google Smith and Wesson trigger job, it might be as simple as replacing the hammer strain screw in the grip. This screw was shortened to lower hammer spring tension and a new screw may fix the problem.

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Originally Posted by bigedp51

You can buy spring kits or Google Smith and Wesson trigger job, it might be as simple as replacing the hammer strain screw in the grip. This screw was shortened to lower hammer spring tension and a new screw may fix the problem.

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That is good advice Edward. It is far better to fix the problem by restoring the ignition system to its original power, which on Colt's and S&W's is guaranteed to give reliable ignition, than by messing around trying to find primer brands and primer lots which will ignite most of the time.

In so far as primers, Federal has a reputation for being the most sensitive, but, Federal does not guarantee this, they do not guarantee that their primers are anything but "SAAMI" spec. The next lot of Federal primers might turn out to be rather insensitive, just due to production variation.