Firing Pin - Light hits

[RBL661]

I have a 16 ga Sterlingworth made in 1935. I frequently get light hits on the primer-shooting Remington game loads, not uncommon to get 10 or more out of a box. Shot some Winchester Expert, got one light hit out of the box. Have never got a light hit on Fiocchi.

Anyone having a similar experience?

Should I have the gun checked by a good smith? If so, any recommendations to locate one in Michigan?

[Dan Rossiter]

I have noticed in the past certain brands of ammo will have their primers set deeper than others (rem game loads commonly have this characteristic). If you couple this with a firing pin that is set to near minimum protrusion you can encounter a light strike. We are only talking about perhaps .005 of an inch or so but that can make all the difference. My suggestion is to compare different brands of ammo and their primer depth and go with whatever brand is as close to flush (with the cartridge base) as possible. You will be able to tell by sight and feel. Experiment some and you may find a brand that is close to 100% reliable. This is a shot in the dark based on the information you provided, the best I can do without seeing the gun.