Primer ignites in kinetic puller

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Ken13113

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Earlier tonight I was loading some 45's and had a couple of errors that I needed to correct. I loaded the puller and on the third hit the primer pops! The primer was no longer in the pocket, the bullet was pulled and contained in the puller along with the powder. I am glad that the powder was not ignited and that I still have all the parts I started the day with. I was wondering if this has happened to any one else before? The reason for the puller was the primer was not fully seated in the pocket. Is it possible that the primer was able to move enough to activate it? I am fairly new to reloading and any advice would be appreciated.
Also, I have been a long time lurker and have enjoyed and learned a bunch from you guys already, THANKS!
-Ken
 
Were you using the puller's shellholder or did you use a reloading shellholder? I don't remember why it makes a difference. (Maybe it doesn't unless the primer goes off, then the cartridge is ejected vs. the puller blowing up if the powder ignites)
 
This is a new one for me. Never have known anything like it, approaching 30 years of reloading and knowing many others with even more experience than I.

I have to wonder how you didn't ignite the powder. Did you seat a primer on top of a spent primer?
 
I was using the collet that comes with the puller. After looking at my puller closer I can see some gouges on the inside lower base where the cap screws down. I think those could be caused by the collet being used upside down either by myself or previously (I purchased the setup used). I don't think I inserted the round backwards in the collet but I am sure I'm not perfect so it is possible. Trying it now with no primer/powder I still can't figure out how the primer was hit even if the collet was backwards.
 
I know this is a silly question, but I gotta ask it. Which face of the puller were you striking against the floor/anvil/whatever? The cap, or the other side?
 
Is it possible that the primer was able to move enough to activate it?
Click to expand...

The primer itself moving would do nothing. But the anvil being able to go forward and then back would do it. If the primer wasn't fully seated, there's nothing to keep the anvil from coming out just like the bullet does; It must've had just enough conserved momentum on the rebound to ignite the compound.

I do have to ask, why did a case get charged and a bullet seated if the primer was hanging out?
 
I don't think there are such things as silly questions when looking for an answer but I wasn't striking the primer end :). I don't think I could have primed on an old primer. I am using a D550 so if I missed a decap I would have missed a seating, crimp and powder on the other dies. I am thinking that I inserted the bullet backwards in the collet and the dome cap on the flat portion of the collet squeezed the rim enough the ignite the primer since it was not fully seated?? I have another round with the same primer seating issue so think I am going to soak that in oil and try the puller again with the collet backwards then check to see if the primer or primer pocked in distorted.
 
Do you still have the suspect primer? Where, if any, is the defect on the primer. Primers need a solid hit to the center in normal circumstances...
If the bullet was on its way out or already out, and the powered was following suit, then even if the cap ignited it, I'de bet you'd have a flash in the puller and maybe some shattered and burnt plastic, and your hand still attached. At bit shaky and well behind your head, but attached..
 
Why didn't you just re-seat the primer?

The rounded part of the collet faces OUT of the puller, I believe.

Makes you glad you wear eye protection when seating primers or pulling bullets, doesn't it?
 
Here's a crazy theory, it wasn't the force of the blow, but a static charge that set off the primer. Are you hitting the plastic hammer on the carpeting of a floor???


Jim
 
have another round with the same primer seating issue
Click to expand...

Stop there. Troubleshoot the priming issue. Cut the remaining cartridges with a hand held (hacksaw) instead of pulling bullets.
Just balance the cost of injury to the cost of some brass, bullet, and powder.
 
I see that joined the forum today and this is your first post....welcome.
Do you happen to have any photos of the mishap?
 
What kind of primers? How high were they? Did you buy a lottery ticket? Will you pick the numbers for mine?
 
I think that if you were unlucky enough to ignite a primer using a bullet puller, I would forget about trying to further seat a primer into a loaded case and/or cut into a case. Can't be more than a quarter your throwing away. Cheap compared to an emergency room visit.
 
To deal with the next similar cartridge: Take the die out of the press. Put the cartridge into the shell holder and insert it into the press ram. Raise the ram until the bullet protrudes above the press (through the die-hole). Place some type of protection on top of the press to preserve the threads and grab the bullet with pliers. Lower the ram to remove the bullet, dump out the powder and then either seat the primer deeper or remove it using the de-capping die. Wear galsses and gloves!
 
I am glad that the powder was not ignited
Click to expand...
I'm not sure I'm buying this.
If the primer fired in the puller, it would have ignited the powder charge, either before or after the bullet came out of the case.

rc
 
Depends on the powder. For a 45 I was thinking the same thing but I have some that I doubt would light outside of the case. I can't even get it to burn very well with a lighter stuck to it.
 
I just looked everything over again and discovered something else that could helped cause this. The primer pocket of the case looks a little different. The case "FC 96" head stamp is federal brass with a crimped primer. That would explain the primer seating. I went through the rest of my brass and found two other cases and tossed them. I am a little upset with my self for not noticing this during the loading as the primer would have been hard to press in even partially. I am still going to try and seat a primer in an empty case and try it again in the puller just to regain my confidence in using it. I think my lesson learned is a couple compounding mistakes can cause big problems. I consider myself lucky to learn the hard way WITHOUT injury.
 
You'll shoot your eye out!

JK. No way you will be able to get it to happen again.
 
I'm not sure I'm buying this.
If the primer fired in the puller, it would have ignited the powder charge, either before or after the bullet came out of the case.
Click to expand...

Eh, there's a good 3" between the back of the case and the bottom of the puller, plus a .45 caliber bullet will cover most of the powder laying at the nose of the puller. It's plausible.
 
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