My Primer went ka-boom tonight

[Beemer-mark]

Sitting here at 3 in the morning because I'm in too much pain to sleep. Typing with one finger. I'm not a newbie, been reloading 20+ years. have always used Lee priming tool to seat primers. Tonight while doing 45 colt BOOM. No clue why. Brass was trimmed , pockets cleaned, primers seated with normal seating pressure. Tore / burned most of the skin off left thumb. Plastic tray fragmented like a fragmentation grenade.

So I never want to hold a priming tool in my hand again. Still want to prime and load 50 cases at a time in loading blocks. Need recommendations for new priming tool.

What about the RCBS auto bench priming tool? Not sure how it works, advice?

 

[Twoboxer]

I switched to the RCBS bench primer when my hand got too tired to squeeze. I like it. I added a luggage handle wrap to its handle to soften the grip.

You need to fill tubes just like on a progressive press, <=100 at a time. You can use the pickup tubes most progressive users do,, or (like me) use a VibraPrime and now a Hornady 1911 primer tube filler. Both can be made to work OK, the Hornady is IMO the better of the two.

Another option is the Forster bench primer. You slide the primers sideways into special tubes which Forster claims eliminates chance of explosion. It also uses adjustable jaws to grab the case that eliminate the need to use a shell holder.

Check out videos of these devices in use on Youtube and choose the one you like better. Given your experience, I'd guess the Forster will appeal more to you. Watch the video and see if I got it right lol.

 

[novalty]

Another vote for the RCBS Automatic Bench Primer. Think they are on Amazon for $78 with free shipping if you have a Prime account. The bench primer is one of my favorite tools on my bench. It is fast, gives you great feel for seating primers, and really easy on the hands.

 

[Capt. Bob]

Sitting here at 3 in the morning because I'm in too much pain to sleep. Typing with one finger. I'm not a newbie, been reloading 20+ years. have always used Lee priming tool to seat primers. Tonight while doing 45 colt BOOM. No clue why. Brass was trimmed , pockets cleaned, primers seated with normal seating pressure. Tore / burned most of the skin off left thumb. Plastic tray fragmented like a fragmentation grenade.

So I never want to hold a priming tool in my hand again. Still want to prime and load 50 cases at a time in loading blocks. Need recommendations for new priming tool.

What about the RCBS auto bench priming tool? Not sure how it works, advice?

I have been using the Lee tool since about 1984. What brand of primers were you using? Did it set off any of the other primers in the tray or just the one? I hope you heal up okay.

 

[sarg1c]

I use the Lee Ram Prime in a Older Lyman six hole turrent press ( small and large)..I load rounds with a Lee three hole turrent press. The Lyman press has a priming arm but never used. All dies are set up and switching caliber is simple...I have had a primer to go off while priming but is very rare.

 

[Engineer1911]

I've used an RCBS bench mounted (C-clamped at edge of bench) priming tool for 35+ years. Primers seated for ammo loaded on my RCBS Rock Chucker or once fired military brass. Positive primer seating, able to feel primer bottom out, never had a primer detonation, safe & easy detection of a crimped primer pocket.

 

[Trooperdan]

I use the RCBS APS primer system. It is hand-held but the primers are contained in a plastic strip so only one primer at a time is exposed. CCI sells primers in APS strips. It is a good system but doesn't seem to have caught on. The bench tool still has a stack of primers stacked in a tube to load and that is the same danger.

 

[MyDads38]

First, I'm glad you're okay, sans your thumb injury.

I have the original Lee Auto Prime and still use it ocassionally; bought it when I set off my first primer in my Lee Handloader kit about 35 years ago LOL. I have always primed on press and have never had an issue. This is the first time I've ever heard of a primer going off in one of the Lee hand primers, so it surprises me after all these years (maybe I should come out from under my rock more often! LOL).

Best wishes for a speedy recovery and for your search for a new priming tool.

 

[Leonard]

That is why I prime off the top of the press one primer at a time My old friend and loading guru Ed Matunas got me in this habit plus the press controls primer depth rather than hand pressure. He did a lot of expert witness work in the firearm field and primer detonating was not all that uncommon. Once you get used to it its-not all that much slower than a tube or primer feed. If you are dead set on using a bulk primer feed I would think the APS system is the safest. If RCBS would design their press mounted APS system with a solid stop that would be the closest thing to a perfect and safe system.

I think Holland makes a solid stop for the APS tool?

 

[David Sinko]

I have loaded untold thousands of rounds of rifle and pistol ammo with my Lee Auto Prime. I re-seated many thousands more when I was in the phase of the crush-fit Federal primer for the light actions on my match revolvers, including the .45 Colt. I even had a few go in sideways and they never went off. I actually wore out my first Auto Prime and had to replace the innards. I still have an extra set of innards on hand, just in case. I will never quit my Auto Prime. What you experienced is definitely not normal and probably would've happened with that same primer and any other seating method. Priming on top of the press will just move the explosion closer to a different part of your body.

 

[Rule3]

I hope you are OK and your injury will heal properly.

I probably would have a heart attack!

What brand of primer was it? Which LEE tool? the original round hand primer or what?

(not so we can start a blame the primer company rant)

 

[Leonard]

I have loaded untold thousands of rounds of rifle and pistol ammo with my Lee Auto Prime. I re-seated many thousands more when I was in the phase of the crush-fit Federal primer for the light actions on my match revolvers, including the .45 Colt. I even had a few go in sideways and they never went off. I actually wore out my first Auto Prime and had to replace the innards. I still have an extra set of innards on hand, just in case. I will never quit my Auto Prime. What you experienced is definitely not normal and probably would've happened with that same primer and any other seating method. Priming on top of the press will just move the explosion closer to a different part of your body.

No you missed the point priming off the top of press is one primer at a time there is no chain reaction setting off multiple primers or creating shrapnel from the plastic or metal primer tube or tray! One primer going off in this manner is of no significance.

 

[happy1]

I just started using the RCBS bench priming tool after using the LEE auto prime for years, I really like it never had a primer go off on me while priming probably would s*it all over my self if it did .

Paul

 

[Beemer-mark]

Primers were Federal Large Pistol #150. More than one must have went off, around 20 to 30 in the pan. Unfired ones scattered on the floor. I've loaded ten's of thousands with two Lee hand priming tools. I have absolutely no clue why it went off. As mentioned above I also have used excessive force seating primers before with never a problem.

My lesson learned in this. With a hand loader you are holding an M-80 firecracker in your hand. Odds of going off are probably the same as winning the lottery but not very pleasant when it does. Two, the plastic tray just ripped my other hand ,stomach (thru my t-shirt), and cheek below my safety glasses. More superficial but still very painful.

 

[Stevie]

A pal of mine called me with a cautionary tale a few months ago....seems his Dillon press had stuck a primer in a case sideways and stopped-up the works....anyhow..He grasped the offending primer with a pair of pliers and BANG!!..The primer went off and lodged part of it in his finger..so he got to use his pliers to get the primer-chunk out of finger too!

This got me to thinking..and I've been guilty of re-seating primers in loaded .45-70 cartridges that somehow I hadn't got the primer seated fully. I can't say I've ever seen a warning in my reloading manuals about that...but really?!! Re-seating primers in loaded ammo cannot be very safe or smart!!

I read a post on one forum or another where a fellow warned about ejecting some .45 Colt rounds from his lever-gun onto a towel laid on a table...one of the rounds must've landed primer-first onto another cartridge just right and fired-off...causing the fellow to soil his breeches and issue a warning!

 

[Wee Hooker]

Personally, I've never been comfortable priming by hand. I'm also not in love with any priming system that positions the primer being seated right against the other 100 primers in the tube/tray/chute. While I've never lit off a try in my old lee hand prime, I have lit off a chute full in a full progressive press. Scary to say the least.

To be honest, (and this is again a personal thing) I never found the value in a separate priming operation unless doing very small batches.

So to your question: I would suggest the Lee Safety Prime system mounted onto one of their single stage or turret presses. ( I prefer the Classic Turret Press for near everything these days.) This system works like a swinging Pezz dispenser to drop one primer at a time for seating. Very easy to fill and even easier to use. Best of all, the primer being seated is far away from the priming device ( and powder hopper if so equiped.) If you pop one, it's completely isolated from anything that could cause trouble or injury. Beyond the safety and ease of use aspects, this system also gives me a very good leverage and "feel" during the priming process. Can't imagination going back to anything else.

 

[jag22]

I know the purpose of your post wasn't about how it might have happened but it does make one curious. Any chance the primer was upside down? Seems if it was right side up the blast would have gone up through the shell. If it was upside down then the blast would have been directed towards the tray. I know I have done it a couple of times but never had one go off. Bothers me because I think I am paying better attention than that but like many, I usually am priming while watching TV. I'd swear they are all facing the right way when I put the cover on the tray but it still happens.

 

[venomballistics]

What is described sounds like you found the lost primer from the Trinity test.

I suspect that the primer itself was just a little out of spec by a couple ounces of compound

 

[Beemer-mark]

I know the purpose of your post wasn't about how it might have happened but it does make one curious.

Not a clue.

 

[Krell1]

I've tried priming with a hand priming tool but just can't seem to get it right nor do I enjoy doing it that way. I still would rather use my press. If one goes kaboom then it doesn't injure me in any way.