Primer Tube Safety Question

[BHFG]

I am researching how to get started in reloading and what all the myriad of choices there are. As such, I am reading Richard Lee's "Modern Reloading". In there he continually attacks primer tubes as a huge safety issue because if one goes off, the whole tube does. His only example of where that is likely is if the tube is dropped on a concrete floor. He says to never by a press with a primer tube.

Is this really a big concern? I know Dillon and Hornady LNL use tubes and probably others. I think the Hornady also supports CCI strip, which Lee hints strongly he would like if they would allow other press mfgrs to use it. But tubes are pretty popular across many brands. So are they really unsafe?

It would seem similar safety issue exists with the Lee Safety Prime tool (or any other) if it was dropped on a concrete floor in the same way, unless they expect that the breaking plastic would absorb the impact energy and protect the primers. Am I missing something?

I talked to a few reloaders around here, and searched the Internet. I can't find any real-life information to support the concern.

Now, Mr. Lee is a whole lot smarter than I am, and I am sure his concern of injury is valid if a certain scenario occurs. But, is it really a common occurrence that a dangerous scenario occurs enough to support the stern warning against primer tubes?

Tnx,
Rick

 

[lgbloader]

I have 3 presses that have primer tube systems and have never had a problem.

LGB

 

[D. Manley]

While I admire Lee's ingenuity for a few of their innovative products, I also have to say he is more than a little prone to hyperbolize regarding his products vs. some of his competitors. As far as the tubes go, your point is well taken that Lee's plastic thingys dropping on a concrete floor would give me no more of a warm, fuzzy feeling than dropping a Dillon primer tube...either can't be good.

I have both types and truth is, I don't consider either safer than the other with, one caveat. That is while running the machine, Dillons & Hornady's are both contained within a steel blast shield. If one blows the stack (and, it's happened), the primer follower and any blast will shoot straight up and other than maybe a damaged ceiling and ringing ears, I've not heard of any injury resulting. I did hear of one loader who had a tube explode while loading it, cutting off a finger. In that case, a primer had stuck sideways in the tube and instead of emptying the tube, he struck the tube on a hard surface attempting to "settle" the mal-aligned primer resulting in an explosion.

As I said, Lee is known for his innovation but IMHO, all of his ideas are not great ones and some are horrible (his scale, for example). My take on Lee is to own his manuals, read his comments then, balance one man's opinion against that of his well respected reloading competitors. In some cases, if he's right then the rest of the world is wrong.

 

[Jim Watson]

There are reliably reported cases of primer feeds gang-firing. But the percentage is so low that if you are reasonably careful and don't poke at a jammed tube, you are probably safer than while driving to work in the morning.

I have not popped a primer in any reloading tool, of seven different types used; but then I have only been doing it since 1970.

 

[Otto]

Hornady's LNL AP has a steel primer housing that encompasses and shields the primer tube, this is a safety design.
The Lee Auto Prime on the other hand, has no safety design.
Mr. Lee also regards case tumblers as unsafe. That's why Lee doesn't manufacture one. His suggestion is to wipe off each case with a rag.

 

[MCMXI]

I am reading Richard Lee's "Modern Reloading". In there he continually attacks primer tubes as a huge safety issue because if one goes off, the whole tube does.

Three comments ... first, given that RCBS has sold hundreds of thousands of primer tubes, and STILL sells them, you'd think they would have been sued out of business years ago if primer tubes were a real danger. Second, this is anecdotal but I've loaded tens of thousands of rounds since '92 and every one of them using a primer tube without incident. These days I wear safety glasses during the priming step "just in case". Third, the RCBS primer tube priming system on their Rock Chucker presses (and progressive presses) is excellent. I've never had a slamfire, misfire or other FTF since I started loading back in '92.

I have six primer tubes that I use for different primers ... small pistol, small pistol magnum, large pistol, small rifle, large rifle and large rifle magnum. I cut a section off the box of primers with the relevant information on it and tape it to the tube so that I know what's in it (more to identify brand/lot rather than type). I even leave the primers in the tube for extended periods without any problems.

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

Mr Lee also advertises that their classic turret press will reload cartridges as large as 50 BMG, even though it will not accept dies for cartridges that large.

Andy

 

[Steve in PA]

I've been using nothing but the primer tubes in 15+ years of reloading.

 

[paperpuncher49]

QUOTE:
I am researching how to get started in reloading and what all the myriad of choices there are. As such, I am reading Richard Lee's "Modern Reloading".

Rick, there are far better sources for reloading instruction than the publication you have mentioned, which would more aptly be named "Modern Snake Oil Salesmanship." While Lee products fill a niche for the economy minded and will load perfectly good and accurate ammunition, this book would have the reader believe that Lee products are the best available. I mean, we decided on the name for the powder measure because it was "just PERFECT???????" Yea, right.

 

[rfwobbly]

Now, Mr. Lee is a whole lot smarter than I am....

Rick -
Let me remind you that Mr. Clinton is a Rhodes Scholar and a whole bunch smarter than any 3 of us put together. So do you also believe he never had sex with Monica?

No doubt, primers represent the most dangerous part of reloading, and certain safety rules should always be observed for their storage, handling, and loading. However, the "safety situation" starts when the 10+ primers are put together in close proximity to begin with, so it doesn't matter how it's done.

Sounds like Mr. Lee would have us shaking one primer at a time in our primer trays.

 

[BHFG]

Thanks for all the input. Being an engineer I have 2 rules.
(Rule #1) only trust what I can verify - and -
(Rule #2) treat anything I read as opinion until Rule #1 is met.

Hence my healthy suspicion of some of Mr. Lee's claims.

I read the Lyman Reloading manual first, and have the ABC's of Reloading on order. I hope to read the Speer manual as well.

If there are any other recommended books or websites for beginner's, please feel free to suggest them.

Tnx!

 

[The Bushmaster]

Even though I use a lot of Lee products I seldom listen to his "blather"...I will continue to use Lee products except to purchase his reloading manual. I will stay away from that too. By The way...I have been using the primers that he recommends NOT to use in his Auto Prime II without issue too...

Though his products are of good quality he must either be bi-polar or very prejudice...I hear he is a nice man to talk to though...