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je2140je2140 Member Posts: 225 ✭✭
edited May 2010 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
Had my Lee hand priming tool set off with a tray of 60 large federal rifle primers today, when seating into a tight 308 pocket. Plastic tray and lid where shrapnel around the living room. a few small cuts on my hand but nothing band aids can't handle. Ears still ringing.

Glad I had on glasses, although I didn't get anything in the face. May drop back to only loading 10 primers in the tray at a time. A leather glove might also be in order.
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Comments

  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am very glad you were not injured!

    That is THE reason I use the RCBS priming tool.
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  • guntech59guntech59 Member Posts: 23,188 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I worry about that sometimes myself. Glad you didn't get any serious injuries.

    Was it military brass?
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  • sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I hate to say it but, the worst offender here is you and I picking up all that cheap milsurp brass and not reaming the crimped primer pockets correctly. I've got a ton of Winchester LE that isn't crimped and takes primers like nothing. I've also got a bunch of Federal and LC brass that I've run through the RCBS swager and the Lyman reamer and still doesn't want to let primers in there.

    FWIW, I had one let go a couple weeks ago myself. But, it just blew the one (or two) being loaded. In the immediate commotion that followed I let the hand primer system go on a hard centrifigal curve. It got put back together and still works okay now though.

    I've sworn off priming crimped cases for now.
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  • GONESHOOTINGGONESHOOTING Member Posts: 2,450 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think lee wants not more than 20 primers at a time[?]
    Glad you were not hurt.
    I have a couple of them and never had any problems[:)]
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  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 14,088 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    LEE does put a restriction on the number of primers in the tray unless using CCI.
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  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,438 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Federal primers are more sensitive, thus easier to set off. They are made that way deliberately to enhance reliability. But the downside is that if several of them are close together and one goes off, they all will. Primers in a tray or in a tube are especially hazardous.

    That's is precisely why Lee warns about using certain primers in certain numbers.
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
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  • Bubba Jr.Bubba Jr. Member Posts: 8,304 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Whenever I get used brass and find that the primers were crimped in, I just toss them in the trash. I don't feel it's worth the effort to fool with them. But that's just me.[:)]
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  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    I wouldn't want ANY primers going off in my hand. Still, Lee says to use Winchester or CCI in their hand primer. Yes, I sometimes use other brands too, but limit it to how many. Glad no real damage was done.
    For tight primer pockets I use a ram prime for this reason.
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  • lksmith03lksmith03 Member Posts: 1,742 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    all the lee instructions I have seen said "DO NOT USE FEDERAL PRIMERS"
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  • je2140je2140 Member Posts: 225 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the ideas, I think will only have 10 primers in the tray at a time now.

    The brass has all had the primer pockets sized and had been reloaded at least 10 times.
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  • john wjohn w Member Posts: 4,104
    edited November -1
    Are you sure you did not cock the primer in sideways as i had that happen once and from then on always looked at the primer before setting in the shell casing. I load the tray with 100 primers and hald it away from my face when priming. I never have used federal primers. Did it set off all the primers or just the ones in the chute?. I cant see it setting them all off but hell just one is enough to make you skid mark your pants i bet.
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  • sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Bubba Jr.
    Whenever I get used brass and find that the primers were crimped in, I just toss them in the trash. I don't feel it's worth the effort to fool with them. But that's just me.[:)]


    I was talking to a guy that I shoot with up North over the winter and he says there is someone who cleans and does primer pockets for $.03 each. You pay shipping each way. I'll try to get the name for this post. He also sells cleaned and de-crimped brass for $.10 each. Not a bad deal I think.

    Edit: will post back if I get it.
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  • v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I complained to RCBS that my old buttons didn't reform circular crimps sufficiently. They sent me gratis some new buttons which I haven't tried yet.
    Probably if you forced a 1/4-3/8 dia ball bearing against the pocket the crimp would swage back into the case head but a proper radius at the base of the stem should take care of that.
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  • v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I read in Hatcher's Notebook about a man in an arsenal walking along carrying a bucket of primers and jiggling them as he went.
    The resulting explosion made him disappear.
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