federal primers

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moooose102

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is it me, or does anybody else dislike the packaging for federal primers? anybody elses will drop right into a primer tray, but the federals require me to dump them out, then fill the tray by hand. :banghead: plus, it seems to me like a huge waste of materials. any idea why they package them the way they do?:confused:
 
They package that way because their packaging machines are set up for it. The last CCI primers I bought were also packaged the same way, since ATK owns them both. And yes, I hate that packaging, but Federal is my favorite primer for a lot of applications.

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
Yea they are in those big boxs, side ways, they way i do is dump them in a flat tray, then dumo them in my priming tool try, shakem till they are all upside down, is there a better way? Csa
 
I dump them in my tray, give it a shake and the ridges in the tray flip them to their proper position. It takes longer to tell how to do it then it does to do it.

Federal packaging is designed to help prevent accidental discharge in shipping. The primers are held seperate, and widely spaced as a safety precaution.
 
Love their primers but hate their packaging. Dont look for this to change anytime soon either.
 
I dump them in steps into the primer tool tray. Try 20 to 30 at a time then slide the cover sideways and say 20 more until the whole box is dumped. BTW I err on the safety side and only have 50 max in the tray at one time. It's even more so now as I do not want to loose a whole box of primers should they ever detonate.
 
I prefer the Federal SPP.

They are light strike primers and are probably packaged that way to prevent detonation of more than a few.

I slide the package open to expose two rows of ten & dump them straight into my Lee Safety Primer Tray, and then repeat 'til I have how many I want.

It is a little awkward, but practice makes (almost) perfect.
 
Dillon primer flip tray. Big enough for Federal packages.

When filling the trays for my hand primers I just kind of cup my hand around the package while dumping the primers. Didn't know it was a big deal...

And FWIW, I once got a spark into a sleeve of Federal primers and detonated several hundred at once, which absolutely scared the daylights out of me. So if the packaging is designed to prevent multiple detonations, it doesn't work.
 
Honestly, I don't buy Federal primers solely because of the packaging. They might be the best primer in the world, but the package takes up too much space and the hassle of filling a tray isn't worth it.
 
All seriousness aside another thing about the packaging, don't open the thing unless it's upright. 101 i guess.
The question is lee doesn't recomend federals because they have been reported to go off in lee tools. Has anyone had any experiance with this?
Lee site says safety glasses are all that's neccessary, DUH.
Richard
 
Federal packaging is designed to help prevent accidental discharge in shipping. The primers are held seperate, and widely spaced as a safety precaution.
Click to expand...
Remington currently has the smallest packaging but they also pack their primers on their side.
The Federal primer packaging means nothing to me. ??
Click to expand...
Sorry but their packaging is almost 4X as large as the others. For the space 5,000 Federal primers takes up in my storage area I can store 20,000 or more of any other brand.
Honestly, I don't buy Federal primers solely because of the packaging. They might be the best primer in the world, but the package takes up too much space and the hassle of filling a tray isn't worth it.
Click to expand...
EXACTLY, as I also stated above. Their primers just aren't worth it. I use Winchester and CCI primers and have never had a problem.

It ATK changed the CCI packaging over to the larger box like Federal I'll switch over to Winchester exclusively. I like the Gold primers anyway!! LOL
 
I do like the packaging of the CCI primers that I can't get better than the packaging of the Federal primers that I can't get :)
 
Don't see what the big deal is. Put the open side of the tray up with the primer flip tray on top. Turn the whole thing over and shake it a few times. Good to go.

If the worst problem you've got in life is the way primers are packed, you're pretty spoiled.

Some guys would bitch if they got hung with a new rope.
 
I have also cut down my use of Federals based on the way they are packaged.
 
The story I recall is that Federal changed their primer packaging after the earlier version failed a worse-case transportation sympathetic detonation test.

My recollection is that involves a remotely triggered blasting cap inserted into a cubic meter of "as packed for transport" tight-packed assembly of primers. Apparently the earlier packaging went high-order! Back to the drawing board.
 
For all you folks that don't like Federal primers, please send them to me and I will properly dispose of them.:D
 
.38special: I don't think any packaging will prevent detonation if you set it on fire.
Lightningman: +1 I'll pay freight to get those sorry poorly packaged primers off your hands.

RichardKCMo: If you check with LEE you'll find that its ok to use 100 Federals in the Safety Prime. Works for me.
 
.38special: I don't think any packaging will prevent detonation if you set it on fire.
Click to expand...

I was doing a bit of poorly-conceived angle grinding and managed to get a spark into a primer. No fire, just a hell of an explosion, a broken shelf, and a fresh pair of boxers. The kind of packaging required to prevent that probably includes several inches of space between each primer.

Which would actually be worthy of the whining on this thread. :neener:
 
They are packaged that way for safety in shipping. Federal primers are considerably more sensitive to mechanical shock. Think about picking up a pallet of them with a forklift. Do you want safety or convenience? I used to load cargo aircraft with a forklift while sitting very close to a 8,000 gal fuel truck. I remember an article years ago when they made the change after testing what happens when a whole pallet goes off. Federal claimed people who lived miles from the test were calling the authorities wanting to know what just happened. So sorry some of you reloaders find it so horribly inconvenient. Deal with it.
 
Drail: I suppose that experience, or point of view, already merits (merited?) a call to Winchester, CCI, and nearly everyone else that uses the smaller/dense packaging you pick up with the forklift exactly the same as any other pallet, including Federal primers.

Truthfully, if they're more sensitive then so be it. If it saves the lives of one airport, trucking, or "etc" worker then I'll deal with it. MOST likely the Federal lawyers are more sensitive than the other manufacturers.

I use and love Federals, the packaging takes up more space but fortunately I've yet to live in a house or apartment that was too small to store "however many" federal primers I may have had at any one time. Never really thought about it. I have a Lyman primer tray, and if you hold the SLEEVE still and slide the plastic primer tray out of the packaging they pile up right across the middle where they barely fit across without spilling. Then the "pile" is easily shook out from there.

Difficult problem to think out ;)
 
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