[Jim18611865]

This weekend I tried out a batch of reloads with the Fed 209A primer as I am low on the W209s.
Hodgdon as data for them so I though I was good to go.

I am dropping about 16.1 so I doubt I am over pressure.
I am shooting a 20 gauge Citori with tubes. The gun is difficult to open 1/2 of the time when I use the Fed 209A primers. The firing pins are dragging.
I had two boxes of factory with me and had no issues with those. You can see the drag marks on the W209s but it is slight and not hard to open the gun after shooting.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Jim

 

[D McMillen]

Sounds like your primers aren't getting seated. Look at the factory shells and compare with your reloads.

 

[skip dillin]

Primer pockets might be slightly OS from previous primers and/or the number of times the hulls have been loaded. Perhaps a slight migration of the spent primer after firing causing the difficult to open situation.

 

[AHI]

The FED 209A primer is slightly smaller than the Win 209. Believe they are also a little shorter. Its been some time since I have had a Fed primer. Did you run a similar load using the WIN primers?

 

[Jim18611865]

I have been loading the W209s for a little while. No issues with those either.
They (the Federals) look seated properly.
It appears the primer cup is flattening out and surrounding the firing pin.
I'll get a pic tonight if I can.

Jim

 

[Turbo 213]

What you are describing of the fired primer sounds like signs of high pressure. In a rifle I would for sure describe that as high pressure, The 209a is a hot primer for sure. Back off a 1/2 grain and see what happens.

 

[dogchaser37]

What you are describing of the fired primer sounds like signs of high pressure. In a rifle I would for sure describe that as high pressure, The 209a is a hot primer for sure. Back off a 1/2 grain and see what happens.

Flat primers in a fired shotshell are not a sign of over pressure. You cannot derive anything pressure wise from a fired shotshell.

The Winchester hull on the left, fired a 1 1/4 oz. buffered lead reload with a chamber pressure of 11,300 PSI. The Federal hull on the right, fired a 7/8 oz. lead load with a chamber pressure of 8,600 PSI. Both were fired in the same shotgun both are Federal primers. Yet the primer in the Federal hull is flatter than the primer in the Winchester hull that has a chamber pressure 3,000 PSI higher.

 

[Turbo 213]

I would consider the above normal but the op said his are"flattened out and surrounding the firing pin". Not too sure about that. I wonder if he has punctured primers? A pic of his hulls could help.

 

[shotgun red 52]

Are you sure your tubes are not trying to back out. Are you using fitted tubes or companion tubes.

 

[Pmollo]

Primer pockets might be slightly OS from previous primers and/or the number of times the hulls have been loaded. Perhaps a slight migration of the spent primer after firing causing the difficult to open situation.

When I switched to the fed209a with this same load for 410 in the AAHS hulls I ended with a similar issue. The primers weren’t backing out but a lot of them would leak the gasses. I got the UPP from Creative Reloading Solutions and was able to tighten up the primer pockets enough to stop the blowback.

 

[J.Fred_Muggs]

Federal 209a is not a good 410 primer.

Federal made and used dedicated 410 primers in their 410 factory loads for a reason.

 

[Jim18611865]

Here is a picture.
Left to right. Unfired with Fed209A, two fired with Fed209A, and fired with W209.
The three fired all have drag marks.

I'm going to load up some in 20 gauge 3/4 oz. and see if I have similar difficult opening and drag marks from the same gun without tubes.
I did notice the inside face of my receiver was very dirty compared to shooting 20 gauge.
They are the Briley off the shelf tubes.
They didn't back out. They are super tight. I ran a straight edge over it before I took them out.
I suspected the same initially, but the last round I shot was Factory AA ammo. No issues with those.


Jim

 

[novashooter1]

I don't see anything wrong with those primers. If your pins are sticking out, it's a gun problem. You need to figure out why your pins are not retracting, especially the bottom barrel.

 

[J.Fred_Muggs]

This weekend I tried out a batch of reloads with the Fed 209A primer as I am low on the W209s.
Hodgdon as data for them so I though I was good to go.
View attachment 50673
I am dropping about 16.1 so I doubt I am over pressure.
I am shooting a 20 gauge Citori with tubes. The gun is difficult to open 1/2 of the time when I use the Fed 209A primers. The firing pins are dragging.
I had two boxes of factory with me and had no issues with those. You can see the drag marks on the W209s but it is slight and not hard to open the gun after shooting.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Jim

What gun?

It many be your firing pin spring.

 

[AHI]

Could it be the primers are priced? Pin stuck in the hole causing the drag marks? Maybe look at them with a magnifying glass. To see.

 

[RGuill96971]

Could it be the primers are priced? Pin stuck in the hole causing the drag marks? Maybe look at them with a magnifying glass. To see.

Sure looks like it to me

 

[novashooter1]

They are not pierced. If they were, the dent would be black.

 

[AHI]

Blow the picture up. They look like they could be pierced. That's why I said to look at them with a magnifying glass.

 

[fiver]

I'm with Novashooter.
my old 3200 has been banged and clanged so many times the bottom pin makes drag marks on everything. [all the way from the primer to the edge of the case rim]
the top one doesn't do it, but i only used it to shoot doubles and the occasional round of 27yd handicap, it probably only has 40-50K rounds through it, i could only guess at 100+K in the bottom barrel.

 

[Flyn'dutchman]

I have a sxs that the firing pins hang up on all US made primers causing it to be very hard to open. Does not do it with Cheddite, Fiocchi, or Rio primers. I think it has in do with the material the primer cup is made out of and the firing pin protrusion or angle. Should not be a pressure problem, more a gun problem.