Close calls during reloading

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

cobra246

Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2015
Messages
75
Hey guys i guess im lucky.. today i was loading up a new batch of .223 and was getting ready to prime the cases with my rcbs turret press's priming tool. Anyways i loaded up about 50 primers in the primer tube and inserted it into the little slot for it. Well it seemed a little tight but i was like "whatever its in there". Not so. I pushed on the little priming plunger on the side and BOOOM!!!! Smoke everywhere! i cant hear crap for like 10 seconds..and the priming tower/tube is totally ruined as well as the little primer ram thingie itself. e479af197b91abba5a0b7a5fe00a8fec.jpg
Lucky my hand wasnt closer.


Whats y'all's experiences/close calls on the bench? Powder fires? Primer bombs? Skinned knuckes lol?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
It happens. NEVER force a primer, anywhere. :eek: Glad you're OK and didn't suffer any injury. Bet you don't do that again!
 
Nah i think i learned something today haha..proble go with a hand primer next time

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
Glad to hear you are okay. That's the important part. The hardware can be replaced, body parts are often a different story.
 
I hand prime and began reloading in '72 in a quest to make more accurate ammunition than I could buy. Fortunately while a few things over the years did not go as well as they could have I have been spared any primer mishaps. Glad you are OK and got through that.

Ron
 
Holy Cow!

Glad your ok. I have only been loading for a couple years. No incidents yet. There have been a few mentioned on THR. I think Blarby had a pretty bad one last year.

Thanks for sharing - guys like me need a reminder. Safety glasses, do not force anything, pay attention and stop staring at the Dillon calendar.

Swanee
 
Last edited:
Lol thanks..ive always been of the opinion that it takes a bit of force to make one go off but apperently once one goes all the ones stacked on top go too

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
cobra246 said:
Lol thanks..ive always been of the opinion that it takes a bit of force to make one go off but apperently once one goes all the ones stacked on top go too

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
There is a name for it:

2. If primers are loose or in bulk, having contact one
with another, one primer exploding can, and usually will,
cause a violent, sympathetic explosion of all primers so
situated. In other words, one primer exploding for any reason
under these circumstances will normally cause all of
the primers to explode in one violent blast.
Click to expand...

From our friends at SAAMI.

Unfortunately primers can be unpredictable little creatures. They do not always behave in ways we expect. Treat them with respect and expect the unexpected.

You seem to be having some issues with primers.

Ron
 
Last edited:
I had the primer column go off on me twice on an AmmoLoad machine back in the 1970's. It will get your attention!

I do my priming these days with a Ram Prime unit from Lyman, and the RCBS equivalent, priming one case at a time on the top of my Rockchucker. I've tried hand priming, and as you get older, it becomes harder to hand prime. And those hand priming apparatus can also go off on you.

If you haven't done so, call RCBS and they will send you the parts that were destroyed at no charge, as long as they're RCBS parts, and not body parts........

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
I didnt know about calling rcbs...thanks!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
Easy fix for the primer thingy, they make little blue pills for that kind of uhh, floppy problem...
 
RCBS is really good about replacing things, even if they are simply worn out.

On another note, I recall seeing a picture, maybe on the Dillon forums, of a primer tube that detonated and the tube went into the ceiling above the machine. That's one thing I like about the Dillon machines, the primer tube shield which is essentially a piece of 3/8 steel pipe that surrounds the primer tube.

So far I've been spared that particular bit of excitement......
 
I've never like priming on the press. I have both the RCBS & Hornady hand priming tools. I like the Hornady best.
 
Thanks for the reminder.
In 30 years of reloading, I've only detonated a single primer when seating but I do most of my reloading on a Dillon progressive. IIRC Dillon claims thier design will direct blast debris straight upward in event of a primer chain det but I don't plan to test it.
I always wear safety glasses. My hearing is already bad and I don't think I'm ready to add ear protection.
(Can't be much louder than the .257 Roberts that bounced a sear off in the gunrack behind my head in an old ranch truck with no headliner or soft door/floor upholstery and the windows rolled up. a story for another thread...)
 
I use cci..last night was with #400 small rifle...i wonder what would happen if it was magnum primers?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
CCI is a hard primer. I've mangled a couple pretty badly, but never had one detonate.

Now that I've made that statement, I'll probably detonate ten of them today. :p

Karma works that way.:)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

E
  • Locked
Dillon square deal primer problems
Replies
5
Views
347
jmorris
jmorris
N
  • Locked
LNL AP primiing system notes
Replies
23
Views
3K
Bowfishrp
B
Olympus
  • Locked
Lyman All-American 8 - Review after 6 Months
Replies
7
Views
6K
Olympus
Olympus
C
  • Locked
Keyhole issue
2
Replies
39
Views
2K
carbine85
carbine85
captain awesome
  • Locked
Dillon XL 650 update and review
Replies
21
Views
3K
Texas10mm
Texas10mm
Back
Top