"WARNING" Live Primer Found in Hogden TiteGroup Powder

[Dr. D.]

Just a few minutes ago I was setting up to reload 9 mm Luger on my Lee Press. I had already sized and primed my cases. The next step was to charge my Lee Perfect Powder Measure with TiteGroup Powder and set the volume (grains) to be dispensed. As I was adjusting the measure I encountered a stoppage that I had to work the lever to clear. After several attempts, I was able to clear the obstruction and the discharge into my weigh pan included a live primer. Needless to say, I was shocked! I thought what would have happened if the primer went off due to my working of the lever on my powder measure. Probably, not good for me.

Don"t know what to do about this. I have saved the primer. Any thoughts?

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

Was it a fresh Jug of Titegroup that You just opened?

 

[Dr. D.]

No, it was the last from a 1lb can. I did add some from a new 8lb can I just bought, but think it came from the original can. No way it came from my stock of primers. Just not possible!

 

[10mm_Shooter]

No offense, but are you telling us the primer was in the powder jug from the factory. So is it more likely the primer was introduced at the factory or between there and your reloading bench ?? Which one seems more likely?

 

[chuckster57]

I have a bunch of 1lb cans of Tite group, HS-6 and Long Shot. Can't say I've ever poured anything but powder out of any given can.

I do operate a single stage press, so I can say without any hesitation there is no way to get a primer in the powder. Not saying it can't happen, but I guess stranger things have happened. Have you contacted Hodgen?

 

[robertrwalsh]

I once found a piece of debris, looked like heavy weight paper used to make the 1 lb powder canister, that clogged my powder measure. Fortunately I eyeball my cases after dropping powder or I would have had 25 or so squibs. No disrespect but I would also bet that the primer came into that can after the can was opened rather than at the factory.

 

[Dr. D.]

No offense, but are you telling us the primer was in the powder jug from the factory. So is it more likely the primer was introduced at the factory or between there and your reloading bench ?? Which one seems more likely?

No offense, but I am telling you that the primer was in the powder jug I got from the factory. I have been reloading since 1966 and I separate all operations. There is absolutely no way that the primer came from my stock. Could not happen! Not to be confrontational, but I disagree with your premise. I would not make this post if there was any possibility that the primer came from my stock. Who would put a primer in a can of powder and take the chance of igniting a powder measure full of powder. Doesn't make sense to me. Get real!

 

[bigggbbruce]

Who would put a primer in a can of powder and take the chance of igniting a powder measure full of powder. Doesn't make sense to me. Get real!

It wasn't suggested you put it there on purpose.

Is the primer you took from the press the same as any of your supply.

 

[Bob T]

Does Hogden also make primers?

 

[Jinglebob]

Contact Hodgdon and explain the situation to them.

Address:
Hodgdon Powder Company
6430 Vista Drive
Shawnee, KS 66218

Phone:
913-362-9455

E-Mail:
[email protected].

 

[Dr. D.]

It wasn't suggested you put it there on purpose.

Is the primer you took from the press the same as any of your supply.

It is similar, but I can not tell for sure. I looked at it under a magnifying glass and while similar, it appears to have been there for some time. A microscope would be required to be sure. I load primers 1 at a time in my press, dump 10 on my bench at a time. Count each as I prime and move them into a separate loading block. No way to make a mistake. The powder is located on a shelf above the bench. The powder is kept closed, only to be opened after the batch in primed and ready to be charged. Not possible for a primer to jump into a closed container. Also, the powder measure is located on the opposite side of my bench and is always covered by the cap except when adding or changing powder. I would question my posting based on prior experience also. I can only say that it happened. Believe me or not, your problem, not mine!

 

[Jinglebob]

Does Hogden also make primers?

They do not.

 

[tbgunner88]

No way to make a mistake.

Mistakes are always possible, things can and do happen.

 

[K-framer]

Not that it matters, but Hodgdon does not actually manufacture powder (or anything else). They contract with existing powder manufacturers to make the powder which they then market under the Hodgdon name.

As someone already said, they do not market primers (and of course, do not make them).

 

[Rule3]

Just keeps getting better every day!

 

[Culina]

I guess if you are sure the primer came in your jug of powder, give Hodgdon a call or shoot them an email and let them know what happened. What if there are more people out there that had the same problem and no one bothers to let Hodgdon know.

 

[rwsmith]

I'M NOT SAYING YOU ARE WRONG....

I likely scenario that I have seen myself is primers sticking to the skin of my hand for a few seconds before I knock them off or they fall off themselves. It's POSSIBLE that in pouring powder back into the jug, one dropped off your hand, wrist or arm and got into the powder.

Now somebody MAY have been fooling around in the factory with something they weren't supposed to and dropped it in there.
DuPont used to make his workers strip and walk neck deep through a pool of water to make sure they had no working matches, cigarettes, whatever that could ignite the powder. They had several kabooms in the early days, which is how DuPont got RABID about safety. They had a synthetic yarn factory here and told me it didn't take anything to get in big trouble there. If you had a pencil in your pocket point up, that was a serious violation.

 

[Lt.cap'nadmiral jeeves]

Odds are the primer was introduced on your end somehow. You've been reloading for almost forty years so I'm sure you know mistakes happen.

 

[SMSgt]

A failed attempt at sabatoge at the powder plant?

 

[Dr. D.]

I plan to contact Hogdon later today. I turns out that the powder was not purchased from my LGS. A friend bought it at a gun show. I will contact him to get any information he may have regarding the vendor. I can not believe that it was introduced into the container at the factory. At this point in time, I suspect that it was introduced sometime after it left the factory and my friend purchased it. As I stated before, I keep track of each and every primer as I prime. I know mistakes can happen, but in this case I know it was not a mistake because of the procedure I use. I developed my procedure to eliminate any possibility of this type of mistake.