Reversed primer

Eye and ear protection is good, but how many of you, like me sat on the ground as a kid with a big box of those rolls of snap caps for your toy revolver? Just a banging away on the ground with a hammer till your ears rang?

Just get the primer wet before you press it out slowly from its upside down spot.

or hit it with a hammer!

be safe

Glad I joined here and saw this post I have about 10 rounds I was trying to decide what to do with no I know just go slow. Thanks

Pistoleropete said:

Thanks for all the input guys. Not cheap mostly curious.

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Not cheap?
You know that's a prerequisite, right?

Those who are apprehensive about removing an upside down primer, remember you are in much more danger driving out of your driveway and going to work or the range.

Push it out and replace it in the correct manner.

Eye and ear protection is good, but how many of you, like me sat on the ground as a kid with a big box of those rolls of snap caps for your toy revolver? Just a banging away on the ground with a hammer till your ears rang?

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Yep, that was me. Ears are still ringing but I think now it is more of an age onset thing. Hearing degradation, including tinnitus, occurs as we age. Many on here and other forums have lost some hearing ability and blame it on gunfire when in reality it may be just age onset. I am in favor of good hearing protection, and promote it all the time, but we older guys must face the fact that getting older also causes it.

Sorry I went off topic.

Lou

First, let me say that I always wear eye protection when loading or shooting – you cannot replace an eye(s).

As mentioned above, I’ve “carefully” deprimed live primers, mostly from split cases that I catch when checking powder level in the Dillon 550 – don’t normally catch upside down primers when using the 550 until the round is complete. I reuse the decapped live primers in practice ammo and have never failed to have one go off.

Only experience with primer detonating when being seated was 50 yrs ago and involved an original Lee loader where you stuck a steel rod in the case and used a hammer to seat the new primer. Was startled by the noise, but the seating rod didn’t move at all in the case.

Recently, I managed to fire a backwards seated primer – first one in over 50 yrs of reloading. When I dropped the hammer, I couldn’t figure out why no recoil, no noise, and smoke was coming from the rear of the gun. Knew something wasn’t right, and wanted to make sure a bullet wasn’t lodged in the bore. I stopped, tried to cock the gun (to get to half cock to remove the cyl), and the cyl was locked up. Thought I had a bullet lodged between the barrel and cylinder. Grabbed the squib rod I always have in the range bag and measured the depth of the bullet in the barrel prior to deciding on a course of action. Turns out the bullet was still in the case – further inspection revealed that the primer had backed out and was lodged against the recoil shield. When I finally managed to turn the cyl and unloaded the offending round, sure enough, the primer was seated backwards and had detonated when hit by the firing pin.

FWIW,

Paul

Only experience with primer detonating when being seated was 50 yrs ago and involved an original Lee loader where you stuck a steel rod in the case and used a hammer to seat the new primer. Was startled by the noise, but the seating rod didn’t move at all in the case.

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For those out there who might still use a Lee Loader for the 1st time.

DO NOT use a hammer, a mallet or even a wood hammer handle is more than plenty when using these tools.

I still take mine to the range to use when working up loads.

Definitely +1 on eye protection when handling primers.

For the Tula SP primer thread, I took a primer that was struck 3 times without igniting and applied heat to show that it was still a live primer. The "dud" primer was placed between two stainless steel bowls and placed on top of a propane grill side burner.

It didn't take too long before I heard a "POP" and I was surprised to see a dent on the bottom bowl and a smaller dent/gouge on the top bowl (see red arrow in the picture below) - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=7806689#post7806689

And you can dent the bowl with a hammer and use the same force behind the hammer and hit yourself, it may hurt but little to no damage will be done.

These primers have little force by themselves, much less than a firecracker. Or are we this afraid of firecrackers.

As far as the eye protection, it should always be worn, I seldom think about it as I wear glasses and have since I was 5 yrs. old.

With that said I fail to see how a primer going off when removing it could possibly create a dangerous event. Case with primer is held by shellholder, only way for primer or shrapnel pieces to exit is down, rest of case is contained by the die. Nothing can exit upwards as its held in place by the decapping pin.

Or are we this afraid of firecrackers

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Of course not.
But firecrackers have no flying metal parts going mach 2 either!

I had a friend years ago who was setting at the kitchen table reading the morning when a primer in an empty case cooked off in his oven while he was drying wet cases.

The primer cup hit him in the top of his bare foot several feet away.

And he was in the ER an hour later getting it cut out from between the bones in the top of his foot.

See this thread about the power of a primer.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=7001165&postcount=15

Given half a chance, they can wound you, or shoot your eye out!

rc

In the open, possible.

Now explain to me how in an enclosed shell holder and die?

Interesting RC. never thought about anything going off and causing problems after wet tumble and cooking 180 in a closed oven.

I have a hunch the oven door was open. Would have been a heck of a primer to make it thru an oven door.

JC, I found my pic of that case with the oven door destroyer primer.
You may be familiar with it. It's the 105mm on the right.

Well that sure isn't a 45 or even a 30/06 for that matter,is it?

Yes, the oven door was open.

The guy had washed a bunch of .38 Spl sized & deprimed cases in the kitchen sink that morning.
Then put them on a cookie sheet in the oven to dry. (With the door open!)
Somehow, one primed case got in the mix, but that was all it took.

Old Ralph was unlucky like that though.
The last time, he left an open keg of Bullseye setting under his workbench.
Right under his bench grinder in fact!

So one morning while sharpening his lawn mower blade, sparks from the grinder got in the powder keg and lit it up right between his legs.
He was horribly burned all over his body, and later died from it.

He wasn't that dumb either.
Just terribly accident prone, and not given to paying attention to little details like putting the lid back on powder cans..

rc

Wow. I wasnt prepared for that story to end with the guy dying. Geez, that's terrible.

are we this afraid of firecrackers.

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Im not sure afraid is the word, but I generally dont like to be in the vicinity when one goes off.

Like Potatohead said, WOW, bad, painful way to go.

Would not wish that on anyone, well mayhap there might be exceptions to make that rule true.

Here's the story!

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/aug/26/40-years-ago-lawrence-man-severely-injured-explosi/

rc

15 lb barrel of Bullseye? I'd say that's probably enough for a pretty big boom.

No boom.
Just a huge flash fire.

rc

Poor guy. Ralph B Freed now though.

Been there and done that more than once. Kind of embarrassing at the range.

At least Fritz The Cat was playing that weekend to lift some spirits!