Problems with WLP primers

I have heard that many people have had problems with WLP primers.   In the posts I have read, they have been with loading.  Is there a performance issue as well?  If so, what is it?  

I am current using them with no problems.  But it is time to buy more and I am wondering if it's better to make a change.

I load for myself and two others. I’ve loaded several flats(5000 primers) through a 550 without a single problem. Not a single misfire that I’ve heard of.

What  he said above.   All I use are Winchester.

David

I've predominately used WLP for decades. I've loaded tens of thousands of them mostly for .45 ACP bullseye pistol loads. I used the nickel plated ones and then when they changed to bare brass, I stuck with them. They always worked well with Dillon presses and back when I was machine rest testing, the ones used for .45 ACP always seem to produce good groups with the right bullet, powder, brass combo. I also use them to load .44 Mag. I remember getting a 3" 12 shot group at 50 yards, hand held from my 5" S&W 629. I was using Magnus bullets at the time. There is nothing wrong with other primers, but Winchesters have always been adequate for my purposes. One caveat is that the only time I've had them not ignite is when I was getting tired during a long loading session and didn't get a few seated sufficiently enough (my fault alone).

I quit using them a few years ago. I did have a couple to maybe 5 not go boom. Thankfully it was in practice. I can remember I loaded them back in my mags and they still didn’t go boom. Now this wasn’t all the same time maybe 5 in a few years. I switched to blue box federal and haven’t had one

I've been using Winchester primers since 1975. I've never had one not go boom.

I had a lot of soft hits with WLP. No issues with CCI. YMMV

Other than the old S&W Alcan primers back in the 70s, I've run nothing but Win primers on all my standard rifles and pistols. I do use federal match for my high power match loads..Never had any issues with the Win..

Hello Vinkemulder,

Not to dog pile but I've used Winchester primers exclusively for decades and have had nothing but excellent results.  No issues whatsoever.

Jim

I have used 1000's of them and have not had any problems, a friend of mine did have some problems with them but it could have been a moisture issue when he loaded cases that had been washed in an ultra sonic cleaner and loaded them when the cases where not dry.  Of course now that I have typed this I will have a problem

I also exclusively use Winchester primers. Never an issue and I shoot a fair amount of revolver.

I bought some around 2008 when they were hard to find, just one box. didn't get around to loading them until about 2013. Mild load of TG under a 200 lswc in mixed cases. All went bang ok. When I was cleaning the gun, a fairly new SA RO, I noticed pitting on breech face. Go to the bucket of brass and find several like the picture shows (hope I did that right).
You can search around and find several folks that had this problem, some got WW to pay for repairs. In my case the pitting was caught early and it don't bother the function at all. I found that the problem was much worse in the Remington cases, they have a more pronounced radius at pocket mouth.
Not bad mouthing WW, I shot many thousands of them without issues until this lot and never had one fail to go off. However I have switched to CCI for LP.

My only issue with Winchester Primers is in loading they had a greater tendency to flip over or sideways in my Dillon 550. Not a lot of them, but any is too many to me. Never an issue with CCI. I never experienced any firing issues but decided based on this to stick with CCI.

I've had primer flipping issues with all brands on my 650.  I found that the threaded cap on top of the primer tube needs to be snugged down not loose, after that the problem completely disappeared.  As for WLP specifically, like many others that have responded, I've used cases of these and greatly prefer them over all other brands (I've tried them all).  Never had an issue with a light strike, use them in 45 and 44 magnum revolver loads.  They give a much cleaner powder burner with light loads than Federal or CCI.  Velocities are more consistent.

I had changed the carrier on my Loadmaster and started having light hits ( flinch detectors) that went off the second time. My problem wasn't the primer but the seating depth. Slightly proud absorbed the strike. So you may have a similar issue, especially if you change brands; a carbon ring can be present that prevents full depth seating of a new brand primer. You can sometimes feel that by reseating with a Hand priming tool. I have never had a primer go off but they can move in a tad. Good luck

Ditto, dozens of cases without issue.

Polishing the inside of new primer tubes on a dillon will resolve many feed issues

Thanks for all the replies,   Please feel free to correct me here.  But, to summarize, there was a bad batch or two back in the primer shortage years (2008-2013).  Since then then they have been functioning properly with respects to igniting powder.  The only remaining issues are with loading.  Correct?

Thanks,

Jason Vinkemulder

In my case, if I had not caught the bad primers early they would have ruined a slide. I can deal with all the other loading issues and I never had one fail to fire. I loaded many thousands in LR and LP before the splitting issue. I can deal with a lot but messing up my gun is not one of them. Not saying I won't find a problem with another brand but no more Win LP for me.

blindshooter wrote:In my case, if I had not caught the bad primers early they would have ruined a slide. I can deal with all the other loading issues and I never had one fail to fire. I loaded many thousands in LR and LP before the splitting issue. I can deal with a lot but messing up my gun is not one of them. Not saying I won't find a problem with another brand but no more Win LP for me.

Thank you for posting... I had only heard vague references to WLP being "bad"  You spell it right out.

Thanks,
JV

No problem with WLPs for me.


John