Lee 1000 auto prime blew up about an hour ago *PICS*

pinnedclip

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1st. This thread is about the importance of eye protection.
2nd. This thread is about the use of federal primers in a lee 1000 progressive

I began rotating out some 40cal on my lee1000. There were no other primers available at p&d besides federal, so I took bad advice from so called gurus who have reloaded thousands of bullets with federal in lee bla bla bla. The lee 1000 instructions say to specifically not use federal primers. I should have listened

long story short, I must have had an alignment problem, however with no more force then usual, my primer tray EXPLODED after about 20 rounds.

Human error on my part is completely possible, but how I got through 20 with no problems is beyond me.

Anyways, the tray fractured into sharp plastic , there was a casing or two, a bullet from my left hand, and about 50 primers and these became shrapnel.

From the following pics, you will see the damage created on my reloading bench, as well as my hand. In addition to my hand, I have puncture shrapnel type injuries on my face (approx 10), and my arms. My cotton shirt was imprinted with pokes that are still evident.

My lee 1000 will go to the garbage I think, and a dillion will soon grace my bench. Whether it was 100% the presses fault or not who knows, but I know that it is at least partly to blame with its bulls**t loose tolerances.








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it was crazy. Never in a million years did I think it would happen.

worst part is the fiancee is freaked out about reloading now.

and yes, I could be in emergency right now. Could be a whole lot worse.
 
J.C..glad to see you have all your parts..thats nutz how that blew up..what color are your drawers? lol

at first I didnt know how bad it was, so I was concerned.

My hand was pouring blood, and I didnt realize it, so I grabbed my face to make sure it was intact, and then I saw how bloody my hands were. Dripping bloody. I thought I really effed myself up. I thought my face was pouring blood.

I called ,y fiance for a towel as I held my face and hand over the sink. 3yo was crying. Fiancee was panicking. I was stressed.

I asked her how bad my face was and she said really bad. I wrapped my face and hand in towels and went to bathroom to see for myself, and was soooo f**king relieved. It was not pretty, but not bad. No stitches required.
I have about 10 holes in my face and forehead that are like bb gun wounds. My hand is gashed, and my arms are cut up.
Otherwise I am tip top and want to reload some more, but am just drinking beer instead.

Funny thing is, is that family pictures are wednesday
 
At least you're not badly hurt, it could have been worse.There's loosely two types of primers, "simple" and "basic". Unless I have it backwards Federals are of the "basic" type, but which ever way Federals are of the more sensitive type. Lee has been claiming for years that basic primers aren't safe in any auto primer feed while many people just said he was full of crap. Now that the full of crap guy has been vindicated, do we believe him that it applies to all brands of primer feed mechanisms or do we believe those that denied that the potential exists?
For what's its worth, I'm a big fan of Federal Primers. I just don't run them through auto feed mechanisms.
 
at first I didnt know how bad it was, so I was concerned.

My hand was pouring blood, and I didnt realize it, so I grabbed my face to make sure it was intact, and then I saw how bloody my hands were. Dripping bloody. I thought I really effed myself up. I thought my face was pouring blood.

I called ,y fiance for a towel as I held my face and hand over the sink. 3yo was crying. Fiancee was panicking. I was stressed.

I asked her how bad my face was and she said really bad. I wrapped my face and hand in towels and went to bathroom to see for myself, and was soooo f**king relieved. It was not pretty, but not bad. No stitches required.
I have about 10 holes in my face and forehead that are like bb gun wounds. My hand is gashed, and my arms are cut up.
Otherwise I am tip top and want to reload some more, but am just drinking beer instead.

Funny thing is, is that family pictures are wednesday

It always happens when there are pictures to be taken..we hit a deer on our grad night party..blew the windsheild in our faces..pics didn't look so good..lol Glad your Okay none the less.
 
At least you're not hurt, it could have been worse.There's loosely two types of primers, "simple" and "basic". Unless I have it backwards Federals are of the "basic" type, but which ever way Federals are of the more sensitive type. Lee has been claiming for years that basic primers aren't safe in any auto primer feed while many people just said he was full of crap. Now that the full of crap guy has been vindicated, do we believe him that it applies to all brands of primer feed mechanisms or do we believe those that denied that the potential exists?
For what's its worth, I'm a big fan of Federal Primers. I just don't run them through auto feed mechanisms.

I will only use auto primers with a face shield from now on. Its just too big of a boom. Also, had the powder reservoir been damaged, I could have had a much bigger boom or at the very least a hot fire possibly on my face
 
Same thing happened on a guy's Dillon 650 from work and a shooting buddy out at Genesse shooting range's dillon 550. Not just lee stuff but any progressive press with Fed primers can spell disaster if one is just slightly misaligned.

I am glad that you are alright and the importance of always wearing PPE for reloading is apparent.

Had a guy show up one time to learn how to reload at my home and he #####ed and complained that he looked like Darth Vader with the face shield and apron and long sleeve shirt on. I stated if you want to learn at my home that is what you wear, end of story.
 
I feel bad for you and hope you don't get anxious about reloading, luckily any shrapnel from the press will be plastic or cheap "pot metal". I don't believe the Lee BS about primers, and think it would have happened with any make of primers, as it sounds like the alignment is out or not precise, and that caused the problem. IMHO
 
Wow. On my history of Lee-1000 usage, I've sheared primers into unimaginable shapes, put primers in sideways into cases and everything, but never once used federal primers (Almost always Winchester). Maybe what Lee has been saying for years was true (about not using federals in their presses).

Worst I ever did was press too fast and hard on a hand primer (RCBS) and set off a primer. Loud.

Glad to hear that you are OK, Family Picture will have a story to tell for years and years.
 
Same thing happened on a guy's Dillon 650 from work and a shooting buddy out at Genesse shooting range's dillon 550. Not just lee stuff but any progressive press with Fed primers can spell disaster if one is just slightly misaligned.

I am glad that you are alright and the importance of always wearing PPE for reloading is apparent.

Had a guy show up one time to learn how to reload at my home and he #####ed and complained that he looked like Darth Vader with the face shield and apron and long sleeve shirt on. I stated if you want to learn at my home that is what you wear, end of story.

what happened to those guys as far as injury and damage?
 
First I'm glad you weren't hurt real bad and you had your safety glasses on! It could be a lot worse. Now I'm going to tell you off!

It's not human error on your part, just sheer stupidity!! The manual says "DO NOT USE FEDERAL PRIMERS" for a reason and you were aware of that fact. Yet you still used them. There are warnings about a possible chain expolsions if you do because they are a very soft primers, designed to ignite with a light hammer strike! You ignored your own safety by disregarding the manufacture safety warning about what there product was designed for.

Don't throw out the Lee, I could always use a back up press! lol...Sorry but I had to tell you off because your alive and not blinded by the expolsion!
 
I feel bad for you and hope you don't get anxious about reloading, luckily any shrapnel from the press will be plastic or cheap "pot metal". I don't believe the Lee BS about primers, and think it would have happened with any make of primers, as it sounds like the alignment is out or not precise, and that caused the problem. IMHO

I am not concerned in the least besides will now make sure I wear a face shield.

In my opinion, its the lee press and fed primer combo. but hearing about the dillion accidents, I am thinking more its the primer issue
 
First I'm glad you weren't hurt real bad and you had your safety glasses on! It could be a lot worse. Now I'm going to tell you off!

It's not human error on your part, just sheer stupidity!! The manual says "DO NOT USE FEDERAL PRIMERS" for a reason and you were aware of the fact. Yet you still used them. There are warnings about a possible chain expolsions if you do because they are a very soft primers, designed to ignite with a light hammer strike!

Don't throw out the Lee, I could always use a back up press! Sorry but I had to tell you off because your alive and not blinded by the expolsion!

I acknowledge that it was a risk. And hopefully my post will bring awareness to the many internet posts that google brought up saying it was okay.
 
I don't think lee is totally full of #### in their warnings. As you have so aptly demonstrated.
Thank god your alright.

And Holy sh--
That must have freaked you right the F--- out.
 
Nice bench!

And lesson learned about face and eye protection. We forget that our sport includes lighting a fire to highly combustable materials inches from our faces and hands. Remind your sweetheart that this was an exception to the rule, and thank yous for administering first aid.
 
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