Is it safe to reseat primers?

[.38 Special]

To be clear: Never attempt to reseat a primer in a live round!

Reseating a primer in an empty case is acceptable if done carefully, very carefully!

I am curious - do you use more care in reseating than in initial seating, and if so, why? I can't imagine that reseating would be any more likely to detonate a primer than initial seating.

 

[nettlle]

I am curious - do you use more care in reseating than in initial seating, and if so, why? I can't imagine that reseating would be any more likely to detonate a primer than initial seating.

That's the way I have always looked at it. I have never had a misfire or detonation doing this. Not saying what others should do. Just decades of reloading experience speaking.

 

[Ironicaintit]

While I don’t think there’s a whole helluva lot of risk, the consequences would be a bit more severe if it happened on a completed cartridge.
I have to admit it was a little unnerving on the occasions I’ve done it (inherited a ton of ammo that I was inspecting)

 

[higgite]

That's the way I have always looked at it. I have never had a misfire or detonation doing this. Not saying what others should do. Just decades of reloading experience speaking.

I'm inclined to think that reseating a primer would be less prone to ignition than when it was initially seated. Most, if not all, documented primer ignitions while seating that I've ever heard or read about occurred when the primer got flipped over or sideways in the primer pocket and was then crushed by the seating ram. I can't see that happening while reseating a proud primer. ymmv

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Light primer strikes, or change to primers with thicker cops?

I had problems with a pistol that would fire standard small pistol primers on first strike, but not magnum small pistol primers nor small rifle primers.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

As for reseating primers on loaded ammo, I wouldn't. Because I have popped at least three primers while seating them in empty cases in the past four decades.

 

[dcloco]

Thanks for the thread... I didn’t know it was unsafe. It’s my first time using a progressive and I had a few finished ammo that needed to be seated deeper. I used a hand tool.

I guess welding gloves, face shield, and 5 gallon bucket is on my Amazon cart now.

Probably 5000 years of reloading experience posted responses, a couple with FIRST HAND experience of the effects of reseating primers on LIVE rounds.......and now you are buying welding gloves, face shield, and 5 gallon bucket?

There will ALWAYS be one or two that say "I do this all the time because of......." A high primer (NOT seated correctly) is a major screw up. Correct the process.

 

[Soonerpesek]

A high primer (NOT seated correctly) is a major screw up. Correct the process.

That's probably the best advice yet......

 

[.38 Special]

Probably 5000 years of reloading experience posted responses, a couple with FIRST HAND experience of the effects of reseating primers on LIVE rounds.......and now you are buying welding gloves, face shield, and 5 gallon bucket?

There will ALWAYS be one or two that say "I do this all the time because of......." A high primer (NOT seated correctly) is a major screw up. Correct the process.

It seems to me that the majority of responders here have reseated primers with no ill effects. And it seems to me that few times, over the decades, when I have had high primers, it did not strike me as an especially grievous mistake.

Now, if I was regularly popping primers during seating, that would indicate a serious need to "correct the process".

 

[Soonerpesek]

Now, if I was regularly popping primers during seating, that would indicate a serious need to "correct the process".

I don't think he was talking of popping primers during seating......I'm guessing he is saying if the primers are seated high, then the seating process needs to be addressed...

 

[Mark_Mark]

I don't think he was talking of popping primers during seating......I'm guessing he is saying if the primers are seated high, then the seating process needs to be addressed...

It’s been addressed... JEZZ! the process is to push up on the blue machine leaver, the problem was not pushing up hard enough.

so after inspection, if a primer does not feel seated, I’ll give it a bump with the hand primer... yes, with welding gloves, face riot shield, 5 gallon bucket, and doing it outside. Have 911 predialed on the phone, and check my life insurance!

 

[Walkalong]

Life is full of risk, some is low, some is high, some has worse consequences than others..........Y’all be careful out there.