How dangerous is a primer?

[DWARREN123]

Take a old pair of panty hose and make a filter/screen from a single layer, put this in one of the hose connection ( if you vac uses a hose) and vac the floor. the panty hose screen will capture the primer in the hose and keep from damaging your vac.

 

[Khornet]

Years ago

I primed a 20 ga. case and pushed the mouth into a bar of soap. At 20paces I shot it with my air rifle. That primer flew across the room and struck me on the right thigh...2" more left and I would have been a lot more sorry. It really smarted, and when I pulled down my jeans I found a red welt imprint exactly like the base of the primer. VERY dumb.

I still deprime live primers in my single stage press when necessary, but I do it with slow, gentle pressure and have never had a problem. But I have a lot of respect for them, I'll tell ya.

 

[rcmodel]

I have got to know why friend was drying cases with his foot in the oven?

He was actually setting in his kitchen/dining area, in his bathrobe, with his legs crossed, reading the morning paper.

A few inches further right and he would be singing soprano!

small pistol primers are not too powerful.
When I started reloading and got my lee classic loader I
got too used to that popping once in a while. The worst that can happed (unless it pops near your eyes) is that your fingers get blackened by residue and they may hurt a little.

That's just bad information there!
The reason nothing serious happens when a primer pops inside a Lee Loader, or the reloading die on your press is because the flying cup & anvil are contained inside a steel die.

Unconfined out in the open, they can do you serious bodily harm!


rcmodel

 

[Ranger J]

Popping primers with a Lee Classic loader was what convinced me to get an auto prime. The small primers didn't bother me much but having a large pistol primer go off kinda got my attention. At one time when I was younger and smoked a pipe I got some #11 caps mixed in my tobacco pouch and having a couple go off in the pipe was a sure surprise. They didn't do any damage just kind of went pop and scattered ashes around. They didn't do much for the taste of the tabacco though.

RJ

 

[Deavis]

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Ok I lost a primer on the floor in the basement.
How powerful is this? Would it take off my whole hand or just a few fingers?
Would I lose a foot of just have a big hole in my heel?

where do these rumors get started? We can't blame Hollywood because they haven't done a movie featuring the powerful human shredding primer yet.

Primers aren't actually all that easy to set off unless you try. Stepping on them casually won't do it under most conditions, so rest assured you aren't walking among landmines. Sweep them up when you clean up and grab them if you are cheap. With the costs the way they are, I would!