Just exactly how sensitive are primers, anyways?

I have dropped them, no problems at all.

I have partially crushed them in a reloading press, and they have not gone off (anvil not seated, and it got popped out, instead of setting things off.) I got lucky, I could have blown it.

I have not (so far) tested the 2 pound sledgehammer activation method, and choose not to at this point in time.

I will however, note that when firing a primer only, from a dis-assembled round (no powder or bullet, only the primer) from a 9mm pistol, do not do this into your carpet. It is bad for the carpet, and will actually burn/singe it.

Yes, there's a little round circle, 9mm in diameter, in the carpet on the floor of my gun room.

NS
 
when we were kids we used to use small rifle/pistol primers (0.175") and shoot them out of a .177 pellet gun against a wall or whatever (usually whatever). lotsa laughs
 
Sensetive enough to be carefull, would be my answer.
You can throw them off a building and not have even one bang (most of the time), but, if you get carried away and complacent, you might lose your sight to one miss step.
 
NavyShooter said:
I will however, note that when firing a primer only, from a dis-assembled round (no powder or bullet, only the primer) from a 9mm pistol, do not do this into your carpet. It is bad for the carpet, and will actually burn/singe it.

Yes, there's a little round circle, 9mm in diameter, in the carpet on the floor of my gun room.

NS
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LOL me too, only my hole is from 12G, don't underestimate primers!
 
I haven't set off any primers yet (knock on wood) and I've used the manual Lee depriming tool to pound many out of cases that got fubarred in the reloading process. I've been okay so far but I don't under estimate the potential they have and always wear eye protection and expect the worst. I have some plastic Speers .38 Special cases along with Speers plastic wadcutter bullets that use a large pistol primer as the propellant. These primer powered bullets supposedly travel at 500 feet per second and will punch a hole in a playing card 6 yards out...

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edited to add photo.
 
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I had a Lee Progressive 1000 reloading press at one time, had a primer get sideways or something on the priming station and it went off. It set of a chain reaction that went right up the primer chute. Just about every primer in the chute went off. Blew the chute all to hell, primers everywhere. Good thing I had glasses on, because I had little powder burns all over my face. Packed up that SOB press and sold it at the next Bud Haynes Gun Auction. [Poor bugger that bought it then] I bought a Dillion Square Deal after that. Used it for about 15 years then, upgraded to a Dillion 650 last spring. Have never had a primer go of since, but if one did, I believe the Dillion has a safer primer system then the old Lee 1000. I know that lots of people use the Lee Progressive 1000 press, but I never had anything but problems right from day one with the SOB. Most of all trying to keep it timed. By the way, the first reloading tool I ever had when I started reloading was one of the Lee Handloaders that you use with a hammer. Hammer+ Primer, guess what happens once in a while. That's when I went to the Lee 1000.
 
I had one go off in my pro 1000 too took out about a dozen primers before it stopped,it was the only one in 10 plus years of reloading,damn near had to go empty my drawers though! But in all fairness my primer chute was worn out and needed to be replaced.
 
R. Pennock said:
I had a Lee Progressive 1000 reloading press at one time, had a primer get sideways or something on the priming station and it went off. It set of a chain reaction that went right up the primer chute. Just about every primer in the chute went off. Blew the chute all to hell, primers everywhere. Good thing I had glasses on, because I had little powder burns all over my face. Packed up that SOB press and sold it at the next Bud Haynes Gun Auction. [Poor bugger that bought it then] I bought a Dillion Square Deal after that. Used it for about 15 years then, upgraded to a Dillion 650 last spring. Have never had a primer go of since, but if one did, I believe the Dillion has a safer primer system then the old Lee 1000. I know that lots of people use the Lee Progressive 1000 press, but I never had anything but problems right from day one with the SOB. Most of all trying to keep it timed. By the way, the first reloading tool I ever had when I started reloading was one of the Lee Handloaders that you use with a hammer. Hammer+ Primer, guess what happens once in a while. That's when I went to the Lee 1000.
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I've had a Lee Pro since the early 80's..crushed many primers by accident and never had one go off. I've only used CCI or Winchester primers as recommended and always kept the unit clean and maintained. I think you were very unlucky if you followed the manu's recommendations.
 
Killer Kanuck... chime in here will ya.

I wasn't there but Killer kanuck was., a mutual friend was doing some gunsmithing that involved an angle grinder. There was a shelf full of primers powder etc, right in the path of the sparks.
I don't believe Killer Kanuck heard a bang but there was a loud ringing in his ears, pieces of plastic and primers were found for over a year after the incident.
 
Alright, I see. Thanks.

I suppose this puts an end to the 'primers for party pops' idea, but I'm glad that at least they won't blow up if I have to jog home with them in my pocket.

when we were kids we used to use small rifle/pistol primers (0.175") and shoot them out of a .177 pellet gun against a wall or whatever (usually whatever). lotsa laughs
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*perks up*

*mischievious smile follows*

- Dave.
 
man its a good thing i aitn into reloading yet as i live in adjoinging townhouses with staunch antigun hopolphobes next to me. knowing my luck i'd end up wit ha bunch of them going off at 2 or 3 i nthe morning and they'd call the cops thinking there was a gang war or something going onLOL
 
damn if i had a tray of them going of sequentialy i'd have the entire ottawa ERT team in my living room in under half an hour LOL i think i will wait till i get a detached unit before i start reloading LOL
 
bill c68 said:
Killer Kanuck... chime in here will ya.

I wasn't there but Killer kanuck was., a mutual friend was doing some gunsmithing that involved an angle grinder. There was a shelf full of primers powder etc, right in the path of the sparks.
I don't believe Killer Kanuck heard a bang but there was a loud ringing in his ears, pieces of plastic and primers were found for over a year after the incident.
Click to expand...

He wasn't gunsmithing, he was grinding screws off a shelf.
And I heard the bang. The concussion was enough to throw me against the wall.
When 1-2 thousand of those suckers go off :runaway:

They still make me nervous.
 
I've only used winchester primers and have crushed several (in a lee pro 1000) and never had one go off. Even put one in a set of pliers once and squat it pretty good, it didn't go off. :evil:
 
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