Upside down primer

[TACTICAL111]

Had a primer seat that was upside down in a 9mm case on my progressive which I only caught by blind luck.

What would happen if one fired a round with an upside down primer?

Cheers.

 

[Cleftwynd]

First, it wouldn't ignite the powder, second, it might even not set off the primer! Best thing to do would be pull the bullet, empty the powder. I myself would dispose of the casing unless its something you want to keep, then I hope someone else has a safe procedure for removing the inverted primer.

 

[zuke]

Do you happen to drive by any lake's or river's?
Give it a good toss and be done with it.

 

[mr.e moose]

It probably it would result in a case of nuclear Armageddon.Take all of your components and mail them to me in a lead box.I will carefully deconstruct them into harmless bits of scrap metal!!!

 

[Ganderite]

Pull bullet, dump powder and deprime as usual.

 

[tiriaq]

The flash is going to blow back into the firing pin/striker channel - if it fires. Depending on the design, there might or might not be any gas coming back towards the shooter. Not likely going to do any harm.

 

[kbracey]

Pull bullet, dump powder and deprime as usual.

+1. I've done this several times. No problem de-priming as usual.

 

[Spawn-Inc]

i tried once, but it wouldn't fire. as stated just pull the bullet, and slowly deprime the shell, it won't go off. (do this at your own risk.... blah blah blah)

 

[BattleRife]

Saw this happen to a guy at my range, there was a muted pop, smoke came out around the bolt, eject the bad cartridge, have a chuckle and carry on.

 

[LUTNIT]

I've deprimed 2-3 inverted primers in the past year using a Lee universal decapping die. I've also deprimed over a hundred primed cases over the past couple years using the same process. I have had exactly zero detonations even when I'm not totally gentle. Primers need to be crushed against a hard surface or receive a very rapid strike to go off. Pretty much all detonations you hear about in progressive presses are from being crushed in the mechanism. Make sure the primer has somewhere to go and you're fine.

 

[Spawn-Inc]

I've deprimed 2-3 inverted primers in the past year using a Lee universal decapping die. I've also deprimed over a hundred primed cases over the past couple years using the same process. I have had exactly zero detonations even when I'm not totally gentle. Primers need to be crushed against a hard surface or receive a very rapid strike to go off. Pretty much all detonations you hear about in progressive presses are from being crushed in the mechanism. Make sure the primer has somewhere to go and you're fine.

false, i've crushed 100+ primers, and i mean crushed, in my pro1000 and they have never gone off. when i feel it crushing i sometimes get angry and crush it even more so it's flush with the case head and it has never gone off.

the only time i've had a primer go off is with my lee loader in 357 mag.

 

[LUTNIT]

false, i've crushed 100+ primers, and i mean crushed, in my pro1000 and they have never gone off. when i feel it crushing i sometimes get angry and crush it even more so it's flush with the case head and it has never gone off.

the only time i've had a primer go off is with my lee loader in 357 mag.

I didn't say all crushed primers detonate, but that most detonations are crushed primers.
It's like how Kleenex are tissues but not all tissues are Kleenex.

I've also had primers detonate using a Lee Loader kit. Mine was in .303 British though. Since the rod was in the case it just made a small "pop", the rod jumped up about 1/2", and some smoke came out.

 

[jdman]

^^^ shouldnt use CCI primers?

 

[Spawn-Inc]

I didn't say all crushed primers detonate, but that most detonations are crushed primers.
It's like how Kleenex are tissues but not all tissues are Kleenex.

I've also had primers detonate using a Lee Loader kit. Mine was in .303 British though. Since the rod was in the case it just made a small "pop", the rod jumped up about 1/2", and some smoke came out.

True enough, didn't intend to make it sound likeiy would never happen.

Have to wear hearing protection when I load with the lee loader now.

 

[ATOM]

Pull bullet, dump powder and deprime as usual.

Bingo. Odds are that the primer will not fire when pushed out by the depriming pin, but you should be wearing protective lenses anyway.

 

[Andy]

This could be part of a "Reloading Myths" sticky, except one will never exist because so many people cling to their myths, especially when safety is involved, so there'd be too much controversy.

Deprime as normal - wear safety glasses as normal. Re-use the primer.

 

[dead meat]

Hey Spawn-Inc what do you do for a living, just curious as you say when you feel a primer crushing you get angry. Must be a lot of pent up rage.

 

[R. Pennock]

Crushing primers and rage?...probably using a lee progressive 1000

 

[Spawn-Inc]

Crushing primers and rage?...probably using a lee progressive 1000

you go it! that being said i still love those presses and once i get more calibers (eg 40cal) i will likely get a 4th one for the .40's.

they can be problematic, but the cost out ways the extra anger. later one i will upgrade to a LNL.

 

[joe-nwt]

i tried once, but it wouldn't fire. as stated just pull the bullet, and slowly deprime the shell, it won't go off. (do this at your own risk.... blah blah blah)

Since there would be nothing for the anvil in the primer to push against while depriming, you would be doing something really creative to get an inverted primer to go off.