I have had primers turn sideways while seating them with my RCBS priming tool, and I've had them hang up on mil crimps that weren't removed enuf. In both cases, the only way I had to clear it was to crush the primer enuf so I could remove the case from the holder. ( I remove the tray from the tool first ).

I have had need to remove live primers, and have done it with my regular decap die. I don't oil the primers first cuz I don't want to contaminate the cases. Figure if it does pop, it's all enclosed in the die, anyway.

In both cases I actuate the tools slowly to avoid shock. Don't get on my case - I know it's "bad practice".

However, in all this misuse, I've never had a primer actually pop.

I was just wondering if anyone has had a primer pop unintentionally while reloading?

Horror story time, guys…

I have had primers turn sideways while seating them with my RCBS priming tool, and I've had them hang up on mil crimps that weren't removed enuf. In both cases, the only way I had to clear it was to crush the primer enuf so I could remove the case from the holder. ( I remove the tray from the tool first ).

I have had need to remove live primers, and have done it with my regular decap die. I don't oil the primers first cuz I don't want to contaminate the cases. Figure if it does pop, it's all enclosed in the die, anyway.

In both cases I actuate the tools slowly to avoid shock. Don't get on my case - I know it's "bad practice".

However, in all this misuse, I've never had a primer actually pop.

I was just wondering if anyone has had a primer pop unintentionally while reloading?

Horror story time, guys…

Only whe getting ham-handed using the old Lee "bet it with a stick" loader. Set off one shotgun primer this way...and with taht tool coming in from the top, force had no place to go but to blow out the side...which stuck some small brass bits in my knee (was knealing on the floor to prime).

As with RS, only had detonation when using the Lee Classic Loader in 44 Mag. Have backed out many primers and then reused them. All went "bang!" As you say, gotta do it slowly, though and wear eye/hand protection when doing so.

Have on occasion, seated a primer backwards in a case usually when giving someone my attention which I shouldn't do while reloading. Have also on occasion, decapped a primer from a range pickup so as to avoid using a primer from a full box. Reused that salvaged primer in my practice ammunition. Things like this are embarrassing to recall much less reveal openly.

Decapped all of these primers in the normal way with a slow steady push and a towel wrapped around the loading tool in the event of detonation which fortunately never happened. All of the reused primers fired normally after being reseated although I couldn't tell whether they resulted in an "X" or a "5" on the target.

Best thing to do is to avoid having to decap a live primer and definitely would not use one in any "serious" ammunition. :)

No AD's here. I just had one seated upside down this week. Was using Lee Auto-Prime II. I gave it a spritz of WD-40 followed by a drip of oil. Let sit for a day and pushed it out.
I wonder if it would have fired if struck backwords? There is no reason to find out, other than knowing!
Cheezywan

I used to set them off regular with a Lee Loader, I was only 15-16 years old (invincible) so it didn't bother me much. Used one of my Mom's old rolling pins for a mallet.

Never set one off otherwise.

I wonder if it would have fired if struck backwords? CheezywanDoubt it as the charge would have to penetrate the primer cup and it would be far easier to flow around the face of the bolt. Depending on the length of the firing pin protrusion through the bolt face, it may not even be long enough to fire the primer. This is a SWAG and not based on actual experience.

Doubt it as the charge would have to penetrate the primer cup and it would be far easier to flow around the face of the bolt. Depending on the length of the firing pin protrusion through the bolt face, it may not even be long enough to fire the primer. This is a SWAG and not based on actual experience.

I was not clear enough! I just wonder if the primer would have popped? I would have tried in a uncharged/empty case. I see no value in finding out. What would I use the information for?
Cheezywan

I was not clear enough! I just wonder if the primer would have popped? I would have tried in a uncharged/empty case. I see no value in finding out. What would I use the information for?
Cheezywan


Depends on how fr the firimg pin reaches...most firing pins (at least in bolt rifles) wouldn't come close to touching the center of an inverted primer....an inertia pin handgun should, but the firing pin's retrun spring might have slowed it down enough so that it wouldn't fire.

Even if it did, the falsh has little chance of getting to the falsh hole and setting off the powder charge...certainly not a test I intend to run.

RCBS Jr was famous for flipping primers inside the ram when you couldn't see them. Numerous inserted sideways, upside down. Crushed quite a number of them not knowing and not being gentle seating them and only had one fire in this manner. (I always had the seating die screwed in part way should one fire I figured it was best to contain it as much as possible....WRONG thing to do!!! Primer fires, blows into die and die re-directs all the blast back into the spent primer tray which causes all the sh%t in the tray to get blown into your face...yep, right up your nose and under your glasses into your eyes. Far better to remove any combustibles from the area, keep your face away from the top of the press and let the blast go strait up.

As with others that have posted, the only time I had a primer fire was (many years ago) when using the old Lee Loader; the one with a "punch" and hammer. Detonation sent the punch up to the ceiling. It amazed me how much power there was in a primer. Seems hammers and punches and primers don't go well together.

I have since "seated" some small rifle primers sideways when loading the 17 Rem with normal RCBS press and dies, and none have fired. Reloading tools and practices have greatly improved.

My dad had a friend who had a tubeful go off in a Dillon. Naturally, the tube was pointed at the the only light in the room and he had to walk through broken glass, barefoot, in the dark to get out.... :rolleyes:

I've had a piece of lead shot get down in the primer seater on a MEC.... kind of disturbing when a loaded round comes out with a perfect dimple in the middle of the primer, but never set one off.

Had one at the range several years ago. Guess everything was just right (primer depth, firing pin length, etc). The shooter had a puzzled look on his face and smoke was wafting from around the action. Upon extraction, the primer had been inserted backwards and when the pin hit the anvil, it set off the excess oil in the receiver area.

Have seen numerous Wolf and other Russian 7.62x39 ammo discarded out there due to primers installed backwards and hairlipped in other configurations by the factory.

I have a friend that virtually destroyed three walls in two different rooms because he wouldn't take the advice to seat his primers more deeply. He was doing a good thing by checking the reloads for his .30-06, but just was not putting enough ooomph in his primer seating to seat the primers all the way home. I always stand my primed cases on a table to make sure there is no wobble present. At least they won't ignite if you slam the bolt home too hard. As far as primers failing to ignite that may have been a problem some years ago, but I haven't noticed it recently. I suspect the problem was in the primer compund because the firing pin dent was present in the primer. Maybe we're just making the products better now. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Cal,
So, how did the walls get destroyed?

Only seated one sideways while priming .357 with my hand primer. Felt it go "odd" and stopped. Hd to disassemble the priming tool and then remove the shellholder and case together. I pressed it out nice and slow using a decapping pin holding the case over a block of wood with a nice big hole in it.

Gave me the willies that one time so I have become ever more vigilant. Somehow the idea of getting surprised by a primer while priming with a full tool makes me a bit nervous. Go figure... :)

I use RCBS single stage and Lee Load all for shot shells -Never had and AD of a primer. Don't use a feeder for either- maybe that's why I haven't had a problem. Deprime live primers as well - slight pressure and they fall out!

Hello gmd3006,

To make sure the cartridges chambered properly he would put one in the chamber and slam the bolt home. A protruding primer will ignite and did. The bullet hit a wall at an angle, tore **** out of it and then entered the next room behind it and proceeded to wreak havoc on that as well. He was renting the apartment and the owner was more than a little mad when told of how it happened. It's not a bad idea to chamber your rounds before going on a hunt but it's crucial the primer is seated all the way home. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Safety Rule #2: Don't load until you're ready to shoot!

I thought #2 was, keep finger away from trigger till ready to shot...

Couse, I only know 4 rules..

#1 keep your muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

#2 Don't load until ready to shoot

#3 Don't put your finger on the trigger until ready to fire.

Hello gmd3006,

I've always found it's a good idea to run the reloads through the chamber to make sure they work smoothly, especially for a new reloader who's apt to be mistake prone. Since I've seen other examples of his handiwork I suggested he buy factory ammo and forget about reloads for his hunt. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

I suspect there may be more to the storyabout the primer igniting on slaming the bolt. Slamming the bolt should have seated the primer without ignition, and if it did ignite at that point, the bolt would not have been locked, so his hand and face would also sustained some damage. He may just pulled the trigger, and didn't want to admit that. DM

I have never had a primer go off by accident, and to me, that's pretty amazing. It also says a lot about the Lee Auto-Prime, which I've used since they first came out. In that time I have loaded over a half million rounds of assorted ammo, mostly pistol, without any A-D's.

Now back in the days when we loaded our own practice ammo at the PD (1970-something?) the ceiling of the reloading room had about a hundred holes in it from priming rods of the Lee Loaders we used.

And a buddy was shooting a factory 357 in his duty gun years ago when he fired on an inverted primer. the tip of the firing pin had to be removed from his right cheek, missed his eye by an inch. No glasses, back then. He was lucky.

BTW, never make the mistake of informing your children that small primers are the same diameter as a BB. It doesn't take them long to figure out how to launch explosive projectiles from their Red Ryders, and your supply of primers will dry up very quickly! Don't ask me how I know this.... :rolleyes:

Papajohn

. . . He may just pulled the trigger, and didn't want to admit that. DM

Could be, but I've had a "slam" fire on a bolt gun, so I know it’s possible. Fortunately, it occurred on a live range when the gun's muzzle was pointed downrange. This was on a Savage 10FP (pre-Accutrigger model) during the PR-1 class at Gunsite. Another fellow attending the class with the same model had the same thing happen. These weren't true slam-fires (the reason for the quotation marks), but rather occurred upon turning the bolt handle down. That action keeps one’s trigger finger well away from the trigger, so I know they weren’t accidentally operated. The ammo was PMC match purchased on-site for the class.

The Savage bolt mechanism is cock-on-opening, so the firing pin is bearing on the cocking cam until the bolt handle is fully closed. If you press the trigger with the bolt half-closed, the expanding firing pin spring closes it the rest of the way for you (via the cam) before the pin is free to protrude out of the bolt-face. Good thing, too, for the reason you cited. If you make the firing pin close the bolt from half-closed, it doesn't have a lot of energy left, which is why I surmise the sear let go when bolt locking completed. We were working the bolts pretty rapidly, and this likely created a jolt.

I and the other fellow both adjusted trigger pull upward after class that evening and double-checked and detail cleaned the trigger mechanisms. I've fired a few thousand rounds through that gun since, and the problem has never occurred again. Needless-to-say, I don't try chambering live rounds in this gun at home. It is permanently disqualified for home defense (I just can’t see myself lugging something that heavy around doorways to clear my house, anyway).

Unless you have a drum full of wet sand or other proper bullet stop, I don't recommend any live highpower reloads be "tested" for chambering when you are in a populated area. That's what sighting-in at the range is for. If you must try chambering to test your reloading die settings, keep a few odd-brand range foundlings around, drill out the flashholes so no primer can possibly stay in place in them, then load one as a chamber check dummy during the loading session. This is also a situation where the RCBS Precision Mic or the Stoney Point gauges can be used to verify your handloads by comparing them to a known good round. If you use the same components repeatedly, it is always good to make up a “standard” dummy for quick comparison and to test gun function after reassembly.

Nick

I am a little confused about this also, had a primer go off once in my primer seating tool, but no big deal if you dont have your face right over the case being primed but cant imagine a primer destroying walls as they are not as potent as a medium sized firecracker.could understand how a slam fire might cause some damage, to avoid this I just put my 160 pounds on the end of my priming tool handle and that seats them just fine.

I am a little confused about this . . . .could understand how a slam fire might cause some damage, to avoid this I just put my 160 pounds on the end of my priming tool handle and that seats them just fine.

This was a loaded round, powder, bullet and all, not just the primer. The primer mention had to do with it protruding from the back of the case and that fact being blamed for the discharge. It just doesn't seem likely that would really happen, so it seems more likely he either touched the trigger or experienced a sear slip, as my rifle did. Nothing is certain.

A true slam-fire occurs in semi-auto and full-auto military guns that have no spring to return the firing pin to its rear-most position. Instead, the bolt is designed to block the pin until the bolt is in closed position. If this blocking feature gets out of time due to wear, poor fit, or breakage, then letting the recoil spring slam the bolt closed can provide enough inertia to the firing pin to slam it into the primer and set it off the round.

Nick