What kind of protection while reloading?

[Steve Smith]

According to my audiologist, a very short term exposure to a very loud noise will rarely damage your hearing at all. While it may "get your attention" a single primer going off is not really an auditory concern.

 

[Pelon]

What´s a ground strap?

What´s a ground strap?

 

[Steve Smith]

A strap, usually made of braided copper, that attaches (at one end) to a ground (like the ground in an A/C socket) and (at the other) to a bracelet that goes around your wrist. The bracelet has tiny wires that touch your skin in order to make a connection. This prevents a difference of potential.

 

[Edward429451]

What´s a ground strap?

(You ever shuffle your feet on the carpet and touch a doorknob and get a spark?)

It's a elastic bracelet with metal electrical contacts that ride against your skin that's wired to an alligator clip that you clip on some metal so you're grounded and wont get the spark of electrostatic discharge (ESD) when you touch somethin metal. Some computer repair people wear them so they wont fry computer boards or chips when they're tinkering around inside you're computer.

I had a primer kaboom while reloading on my Dillon press once and it

may have been caused by ESD, I'm not sure. I don't remember a spark, but then, I had a primer detonating at that moment too, so I could have missed it.

 

[only1asterisk]

I wear mine esp. when reloading for blackpowder rifles/revolvers. It serves a secondary purpose; to tether me to the reloading bench, keeping me from leaving during the process (I'm prone to distraction). It keeps me grounded in more ways than one. I carry a gun to protect against the (now) unlikely event of an assault on my person, I think I should safeguard against other things just as unlikely.


David

 

[Johnny Guest]

You ask - - -

What kind of protection while reloading?

Usually just my pocket revolver. But there's a big pistol on a shelf nearby.





Oh, and, uh, eyeglasses.

Best,
Johnny

 

[Mal H]

David, well said and I tend to agree with the use of a ground strap when working with large amounts of BP. It is far less forgiving of sparks than smokeless and the very rare instance of it igniting is far worse than if the same amount of smokeless was ignited on your bench.

 

[P95Carry]

Generally just eye protection .. and that is my usual 24/7 glasses. Never really thought too much re hearing protection gotta say.

The ground strap is good thinking .... I usually only use one when handling chips and sensitive PC cards etc but .. very valid consideration ..... BP in particular. Probably any suitable electrical connection to ground will suffice .. even from ankle and thence to an earth spike in ground.

''Honey ....... I think I've found another use for them handcuffs''.!

 

[Mike Irwin]

"According to my audiologist, a very short term exposure to a very loud noise will rarely damage your hearing at all. While it may "get your attention" a single primer going off is not really an auditory concern."

You want to be the one covered under your audiologists "rarely" exception?

 

[Steve Smith]

Have you heard my truck stereo? A primer is hardly a concern anymore.

I could have been smart and just did "audiophile quality audio," but no...I did "audiophile quality" AND "powerful" audio. Dumb dumb dumb.




WHAT??!!!!

 

[mark mcj]

I'm wondering how I could set a primer off in my press. I've managed to crush a few, put some in upside down, and some in sideways. But I have never had a primer detonate.
I try to keep my press clean and in good working order. I also understand completely the operation of my press. I don't know, but maybe it helps.
In reguards to the noise, I have heard a few hundred gun shots and still have outstanding hearing.
With all that said, I protect my eyes and ears all the time when shooting and my eyes when reloading. Those are just good shop rules.

 

[Mike Irwin]

My guess is that the most likely cause of primer detonations is from accumulated primer dust, which flashes and sets off the primer.

I know one gentleman who was almost killed years ago when the primer tube on his reloading press detonated. He's blind in one eye, pretty much deaf in one ear, and still has chunks of scrap metal embedded in his neck.