How hard can you hit a primer...

SKScanuck

SKScanuck

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Well I found out...

I was reloading some 7.62x54r in my lee-loader this afternoon. I was setting a primer and of course Brooks and Dunn "Ol Red Dirt Road" came on thwe radio and I guess I tapped the primer too hard..BANG..

Damn things are loud. I got a nice circular powder burn around my palm and bells in my ears...:redface:

Well, I stop and look things over, maybe I put the primer in backwards..not paying attention...:cool: whatever, back at 'er.

About ten casings later BANG

I pop another one.

I really look at things now, since my hand looks like I got in a fight with a bag of charcoal..:mad:

After a bit I figure it out. Some of the primer pockets are a bit looser than others. Most take two good taps and they are set. A FEW seat with the first tap and even a light tap. Of course I picked two loose primer pockets to wack twice...

Made an interesting afternoon...
 
YOU PUT THE PRIMER IN THE CENTER OF THE RELOADING TOOL- the reason it's going bang is because it's gone off center while your priming rod was coming down-but you know that-now- alternatively, get the auto prime and have it never happen again
 
You are not supposed to tap the primer in, this is the wrong way, but gently push them in and seat them until the anvil make contact with the bottom of the pocket and from there, you increase the pressure until the primer cup make contact with the bottom of the pocket. I never had one going off on me in 30 years of reloading... you should review your reloading practice, you gonna end up injuring yourself.
 
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He's taking about the original Lee Loader, and yes, you do use a hammer.
You don't however, hammer on the primer, but on a rod, inside the case, while the case is in a special primer seater, that completely surrounds the head of the case. It works quite well, I suggest he only needs to use a few more and lighter taps, and not be so worried about the few seconds more it takes, and avoid any cases with crimped in pimers.

leeloader.jpg
 
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??!!! Holy cow, I thought my single stage spartan was mickey mouse!

they use the same hammer to put the bullets in? :eek:

Buy a hand priming tool, any of them are better than that. :)
 
agilient_one said:
The lee-loader strikes again!
I still can't quite fathom loading ammo with a hammer......
Click to expand...

I love my lee loader, best reloading kit I own, slow yes but very portable!


Buy a hand priming tool, any of them are better than that.
Click to expand...

Yes, I admit I never actually tried to seat a primer with my Lee Loader because I got a 15$ hand primer at the same time I bought it.

I kind of use my Loader as a single stage, do all the resizing, then hand-prime, then do all the seating. I used to try and use the roll crimp (imagine that, hitting a bullet from the PRIMER END with a hammer!! :cool: of course it is in a primer protector so it cannot go off:D ) but I now have a hand press and the factory crimp die. works great, all fits in a small toolbox/ammocan and goes to the range for load development.

And, very consistent. Not much slower than my single stage press.
 
Well I've never had one go off accidentally BUT (don't ask how I know:redface: :redface: :redface: ) a small rifle primer will go off if placed in the breech of a 177 cal. air rifle and fired at a concrete wall :eek: :eek: ( a old style strike anywhere match is cool too:D :D :D ) too much time on my buddies hands.....yeah thats it.......lol
 
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