Flash-Over Incident Using Hornady Hand Primer

I have used an RCBS auto priming tool (some call it the bench primeing tool) for 40 yrs and so far no issues....

One thing about it is that the primer being seated is nowhere near the rest of them - they are still in the tube

A good reminder though about not having open powder on the bench when priming...
 
Johnyy said:
Oh great, I have the Lee primer & mostly Federal primers.
Click to expand...

safety glasses and a face shield and maybe wear some leather gloves?

as for everyone else's stories here .... ya'll don't give me much confidence :)
See , I have been saying for years that I'm getting into reloading.... still haven't reloaded a single round but my collection of tools and loading components has grown considerably over the past decade or so. LOL
Most of my primers are CCI and Winchester but I do have a brick of federal large rifle.
I'm painting my shop right now and when I'm done the plan was to build in the reloading bench so I'm glad this thread popped up so I can add some ideas to the safety features like the blast shield mentioned earlier.

glad the OP is okay despite the hand abrasions and thanx for posting this for some of us to learn from
 
45ACPKING said:
safety glasses and a face shield and maybe wear some leather gloves?

as for everyone else's stories here .... ya'll don't give me much confidence :)
See , I have been saying for years that I'm getting into reloading.... still haven't reloaded a single round but my collection of tools and loading components has grown considerably over the past decade or so. LOL
Most of my primers are CCI and Winchester but I do have a brick of federal large rifle.
I'm painting my shop right now and when I'm done the plan was to build in the reloading bench so I'm glad this thread popped up so I can add some ideas to the safety features like the blast shield mentioned earlier.

glad the OP is okay despite the hand abrasions and thanx for posting this for some of us to learn from
Click to expand...

Yes, I forgot to mention, glad the OP is ok. I'm in the same boat as you. I Just bought a Lee Anniversary Kit, some powders & the Federal Primers, other random components. I have some CCI's as well, but not many. I've been collecting up since the ammo 'shortage', but still haven't set up the equipment & started reloading.
 
Scumbag
I take it the revolver you are loading for has a light hammer spring which is why you are using Federal Primers?
 
Might be a good idea to wash out primer trays with water and dish soap and let dry every once and awhile. One of my old reloading manuals lists a build-up of priming compound particles as being a potential concern in regards to flash over of the whole tray once one goes off...
 
I use my Hornady progressive press to de-prime and prime (pockets get cleaned in between). I seat the bullets using the ultramag in a separate step.

Primer seating depth is correct and quite consistent. The primal rights unit is just too expensive - it is on the list however.

Safety and depth consistency ruled out the Lee hand primer after my first attempt at using it.
 
Lee put some "safety measures" into their hand priming tool on the second version, which is the first square tray. I have a third version, the current one, that I can't even get a primer to feed thru to the ram because of the one in the body, so, apparently, it must work. THe others have feed cutoofs that are supposed to be used to help prevent tray detonation. I've done some horrendous things to primers, no issues yet, used plenty of Fed's, too. Maybe it's a matter of odds over time. But handprimers aren't the only ones to set off the "tray", happened on plenty of the progressive presses over time at one point or another. About the same odds as setting off a round with an impact style bullet puller, which does occasionally happen.
Glad it didn't cause any major issues for the O.P.
 
Federal small pistol primers are almost too sensitive. Federal makes them with a thin, soft cup and an more sensitive compound. The rest of their primers don't seem to have such issues with oversensitivity. All said and done realistically having a primer go off regardless of your system is extremely rare.
 
Sorry to hear of your accident. I had to replace a worn out Lee priming tool with one of these Hornady units because that's all my LGS had. My Hornady jams and mangles small rifle primers constantly. Also the plastic is so warpy I have to use it with a large metal spring clamp to hold the lid on the pan tightly to prevent the primers having room to accidentally flip. I miss my Lee Auto-prime and always wear safety glasses while doing this.
 
My Hornady unit would not work properly, the plunger kept hanging up on the poorly finished interior of the body. Thought I could polish it out, but couldn't get quite high enough in there to get at the spot it was hanging on. It wound up in the garbage. I did manage to come up with a brand new round tray Lee a couple of months ago, still keep an eye out for trays and lids in decent condition.
 
New Camper said:
Until now I've only heard of this being a thing by manufacturer warnings. Glad you weren't hurt more: Ears still ringing?

It's just an ergonomic thing with my hands but I have used an old Lee hand primer for years willfully backward. While this does point case mouths toward my face when aligning primers for seating, I tip it away (for obvious reasons and ergonomics) for the seating and in so doing all remaining primers in hopper drop away. It's a constant rocking/jostling movement that works very well and should I ever crush a primer to ignite, I hope I'll only be writing about accidentally detonating one primer.
Click to expand...
I do exactly the same and have had just one primer go pop. I don't know why but it was a Federal as well which my one revolver needs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom