Has anyone ever had a primer go off when seating it?

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rideonjon

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Has anyone ever had a primer go off when seating it?

i had one go off on Sunday while installing some Federal LRP into some .243 Win brass.

Luckily it was pointed away from my face,gave my wife a scare though.

Hornady hand primer with the appropriate large rifle primer rod.

First time out of probably 5000 rounds loaded.
 
I have seen such real life reloading incidents used in adverts for shooting safety glasses. That was long before they were required at ranges for actual shooting.
 
I had some go off years ago with the old manual lee loader when knocking the sized case out and on to the primer, startled you but that was all. In hindsight I believe ny case lube was poor and I was whacking the brass out too hard
 
Had one go off in my LEE Loadmaster years ago. Had just filled the primer tray and it blew those primers all over the garage. Didn't use that loader again until I installed the "blast shield."
 
Nope ! Been reloading shotgun, rifle and pistol all my life. Started in 76 with shotgun/brass cases with cards, fiber wads and wax for sealing them. Always seated all my rifle primers using a Lee hand primer. Still do. Always wear my safety glasses too when I'm doin it. Been lucky ? I guess ?
Pistol was done on my Lee progressive..no issues..ever !
** I did try seating a few small batches of rifle on my Lyman turret press ...just had no feeling to it. So I went back to my old Lee.
 
Many moons ago, I asked my son to go into my locker and get me a card of WLR primers...instead of handing them to me he tossed them. I caught them but 15 or so went flying out on my concrete porch floor.
I found 9 or 10..that was it. Fast forward a few years, we bought a new dryer. Stays in the porch beside my upright freezer. As I was twisting and sliding the dryer out of the slot...feet scraping on the concrete~ ***BANG*** I twitched hard..my son hollered...the wife said WTF was that....I reminded them of what he did yrs before...I said 4 more bangs to go....LMAO

Eventually on a spring clean up yr or so later and severe sweeping..we found the rest !!!
 
I prime by hand and have never had a primer go off when priming. 30 years of handloading with Lee stuff.

I know an experienced reloader who had his new Dillon blow a whole tube of primers. After an underwear change he also installed the blast shield.

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The "mix" that Federal uses in their primers is more sensitive than what most other manufacturers are using. What that means is that if one primer goes off then other primers close to it can go off as well, that's why Federal package's their primers in their own individual pockets with space between them and the other primers. I believe that one primer setting off others is called fratricide. That's also the reason that Lee says not to use Federal primers with their hand tool, if one primer goes off then the other ones in the tray will likely go off too.

Having said all that, I've used Federal primers in the Lee tool for years and never had a problem but there is always a first time for everything.
 
I've been handloading since 1982, never had a primer discharge while seating them, and for any other reason around and on the bench. I always go slow and deliberate.
 
Falconflyer said:
The "mix" that Federal uses in their primers is more sensitive than what most other manufacturers are using. What that means is that if one primer goes off then other primers close to it can go off as well, that's why Federal package's their primers in their own individual pockets with space between them and the other primers. I believe that one primer setting off others is called fratricide. That's also the reason that Lee says not to use Federal primers with their hand tool, if one primer goes off then the other ones in the tray will likely go off too.

Having said all that, I've used Federal primers in the Lee tool for years and never had a problem but there is always a first time for everything.
Click to expand...

In the defence industry we called that 'sympathetic detonation'.

I use the Federal primers for my revolver with its very light springs, but always wear my safety glasses when priming. The hand primer makes it hard for one exploding primer to set off the rest. I use an older Lee Ergo prime, but have a new 'AutoPrime' on the shelf - perhaps I should get it into action!

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Never on the press while loading but I have rolled my office chair over a large rifle primer that managed to find the floor.
Chain of following events let me know I can trust my dogs. My scotch went air born. Wife screamed. Dogs on full guard. One by my wifes side the other checking every room of the house for the threat
Amazing how loud they are when they go off inside a small room
 
In over 50 years tens of thousands of rounds using a Lyman All American and Mec Jr 600...Never.

Also only ever had 2 rounds not go off when fired and they both happened this winter in very cold conditions...More than likely light strikes.
 
rideonjon said:
Has anyone ever had a primer go off when seating it?

i had one go off on Sunday while installing some Federal LRP into some .243 Win brass.

Luckily it was pointed away from my face,gave my wife a scare though.

Hornady hand primer with the appropriate large rifle primer rod.

First time out of probably 5000 rounds loaded.
Click to expand...
Yes, once (out of thousands of rounds loaded). Using a Lee hand priming tool, CCI large rifle primers. No idea why that one went off, it wasn't particularly tight and I didn't push that hard on the lever. This is why I wear safety glasses when priming and keep the case pointed away from myself.

brybenn said:
Amazing how loud they are when they go off inside a small room
Click to expand...
Yes they are, my ears rang for hours after that.


Mark
 
Spilled primers and powder in a room with a carpeted floor is a recipe for disaster..
These items tend to ignite or detonate in the canister/bag.
Be prepared with either a fire extinguisher or use a clean bag if this happens to you. (spilled powder/primers indoors)
Have a clear path to a exit to egress the vacuum too.
Btw, I have never had one go off .....yet.
 
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Never have had one detonate, surprising as using a Lee Auto Prime II in a press its easy to apply pressure
enough that more than one occasion have seated a primer crooked or into a crimped ppocket causing some severe deformity
 
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