primer detonation

tomL

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I had a primer firing on me the other day when I tried to use my inertia bullet puller to empty a case. Fortunately the primer cup was the least path of resistance and it got blown off instead of the flash going into the flashhole.
Has anyone else experienced this? Tom
 
Yes, this has been described before.

Always the same, the powder never ignites and the primer blows out of the case.

The theory is that it happens when the primer pocket is loose and he primer can move in and out with each blow of the puller.
 
Weird and kind of scary. I have heard of issues with using a shellholder in place of the collet but not the other way around. I suppose if you are banging around primary explosives it's bound to happen to someone.
 
Absolutely! I have one and though I've only had to use it rarely, it is an excellent and simple tool.

The only problem with it being that it doesn't pull all bullets. I had to use my inertia puller after buying the whole puller setup because the collet wouldn't grip the JHPs I was trying to pull. FMJ were a cinch, too bad I had 350+ JHP and 6 FMJ to do.
 
I heard of one other case of this happening (and rumours of others), and the guy was not sure that something hadn't got wedged between the shellholder and primer as there was a mark on it (see link). http://shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=50347 There were many "stars lining up" theories presented, but nothing short of some kind of object denting the primer makes sense IMO. I continue to use mine without fear.

Can you post pics? I'd like to see the primer in particular.
 
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Scary! I have exactly the same puller and it would seem impossible by looking at it.

I can just imagine myself having to change my shorts if this happens to me pulling a 300 gr TSX out of a 375 RUM case with almost 100 grains of powder in it!
 
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