Scary Reloading Issue

[Powellcole5490]

So last evening, I decided to reload some .38 specials. I reloaded about 300 of them on my Lee Pro 1000 without any "hiccups" at all (which is rare for me). Everything seemed to be going fine and all of a sudden I could not get a loaded round to eject out of the shell plate holder after I seated and crimped the bullet. I took off the ejector bar in hopes it was just bound up some how. But that didn't help. It was only after a little more investigation did I figure out the primer was not seated fully in the pocket. It was sticking so far out, it was causing the round to hang up in the shell plate holder. The only was I was able to remove the round was to get it into the priming/charging station. There I was able to wiggle the round around to get enough clearance to remove the live round. AFter messing with it a little bit, I went the "safe/not sorry" route and pulled the bullet and powder before messing with it some more. Even though I read on this forum I could use my de-priming die to remove the primer, I was a little apprehensive about it. So I first tried to load the empty cartridge in my revolver to try and fire off the primer. No-go. I could not load the case becasue the primer was sticking out too far. So I reluctantly de-primed the case with no issue. That was my first potentially dangerous issue I've ever ran into. I was very carefull to keep my noggin from looking down on the bullet while it was stuck. Anyway just thought I would share with the community.

[Junior1942]

I keep a pair of safety goggles on the wall behind my loading bench specifically for such events. One happens maybe once every two years.

[376Steyr]

I put on safety glasses anytime I'm loading, including when I'm depriming "fired" cases, because you never can tell when something might go bang. Also, be glad you couldn't get the primed case into your revolver, as firing it would probably have solidly locked your cylinder up.

[latesvak]

Not really sure if its the right thing to do but i just place the case with the extended primer back in the #2 location on my lnl-ap and just slowly re-seat the primer. Never had a problem doing this yet.


Latesvak

[Finster101]

Not really sure if its the right thing to do but i just place the case with the extended primer back in the #2 location on my lnl-ap and just slowly re-seat the primer. Never had a problem doing this yet.


Latesvak

Agreed.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Not really sure if its the right thing to do but i just place the case with the extended primer back in the #2 location on my lnl-ap and just slowly re-seat the primer. Never had a problem doing this yet.


Latesvak

The kind gentleman that taught me to reload told me that was a good way to loose a finger or eye. The only safe way is to pull the bullet, pour the powder, start over.

[leadman]

You did good by pulling it down first. I have deprimed many live primers with none going off. If one did go off there is not much power there so as long as the case is contained in the machine and you have protection on it is very unlikely any harm would be done.

[joesig]

I put on safety glasses anytime I'm loading, including when I'm depriming "fired" cases, because you never can tell when something might go bang.

I completely agree with that. I have found some bifocal safety glasses that I love. Even with decent vision, the extra magnification is nice to have. It's an easy way to justify wearing safety glasses even while performing "safe" operations.

[Powellcole5490]

Not really sure if its the right thing to do but i just place the case with the extended primer back in the #2 location on my lnl-ap and just slowly re-seat the primer. Never had a problem doing this yet.


Latesvak

I did try this. But the live primer was stuck and I didn't want to use too much force to try and seat it. What I suspect happened was when I seated the primer improperly and then charged the case, some of the powder lodged itself on the inside between the primer and the primer pocket if that makes sense. So when I thought of that, I really didn't want to force the primer in there. I don't know a great deal about smokeless powder but the last thing I want to do is to try and jam it between metal. Maybe it would have been safe to do, I'm not sure.

[UNIQUEDOT]

Not really sure if its the right thing to do but i just place the case with the extended primer back in the #2 location on my lnl-ap and just slowly re-seat the primer. Never had a problem doing this yet.

This is what i do also.

The kind gentleman that taught me to reload told me that was a good way to loose a finger or eye. The only safe way is to pull the bullet, pour the powder, start over.

Did you ask him how many times he's actually set off a primer while trying to seat it? I've been reloading for twenty some odd years and the only primer i have ever set off while seating it was with a Lee loader. I do agree that it's not the smart thing to do though as popping a primer need only happen once with a loaded round to wreck ones eyesight or worse.

[Hardcast416taylor]

This is the major reason that I do not prime cases on my progressive Pro-Jector. I have hand primed all my pistol cases for the last 15 or more years with RCBS and LEE priming tools. I seperate case headstamps also. I DON`T use Speer or Aguila cases at all due to the size of their primer pockets.Robert

[handyman25]

Not really sure if its the right thing to do but i just place the case with the extended primer back in the #2 location on my lnl-ap and just slowly re-seat the primer. Never had a problem doing this yet.


Latesvak

I would not do this. It is very dangerous. Pull the bullet and start over. A finger or a eye is worth way more than the little time you will spend pulling the bullet and starting over.

[r1kk1]

I've seen more problems with mixed brass over the years than say one particular brand or the other. Weird I know. I use CCI, Winchester and Federal primers for most of my pistol reloading. I have been using Starline brass more for all calibers except for some 38 spl, 357 mag, and 45 acp. The 45 acp brass is just Federal stuff. I've seen stuff at the range where guys use hand primers, ram prime setups, etc., where primers are proud, cocked, whatever the case may be. Operator error? Out of spec primers? Bad primer pocket? Some of the guys allow me to pull the rounds and if the primer is proud, I'll decap it to look at the primer pocket. Sometimes the problem is there, for instance the crimp is not totally removed. Sometimes not. I would have thought the issue might have been a foreign primer, but haven't run into those yet. It will leave your head scratching. 9 times out of 10 another primer will seat correctly.

I seen my first sideways primer. Should have taken a picture of it. Didn't detonate when seated.

I have a K&M primer seating tool with gauge, occasionally I will check the seating depth on the 550 against this tool. I use a spent primer. The 550 is not a priming champion by any means but has done it job very well over the last 2-3 decades. I have loaded both rifle and pistol on the press without a problem, as long as I keep things clean.

I have friends who come over to reload their mixed stuff. They place into a big tub whatever problem they may encounter when doing 45 ACP. I've seen a lot of small primer pocket ones in the tub. A few headstamps that the operator crushed the mouth, or whatever. I've seen a few of my beloved Federal in the tub. Not enough information can be obtained from the few cases. A few more years the tub may enough cases to be useful in providing information. Some of the cases I've put back into operation. Operator error again? I really don't know. The number 1 rule in the reloading room is if something doesn't feel right, STOP! Clear the offending cartridge from the shell plate and deal with it later.

take care,

r1kk1

[x101airborne]

Shucks.... If I had a dollar for every sideways, upside down, crushed, flattened, or protruding primer I have had I would not need to reload. Very common and sadly to say, my Dillon 650 is my worst offender. I have an "oops box" on my loading bench. I usually has about 10 or 15 rounds in it waiting to be pulled down.

[wallenba]

Another reason I prime off press. Eventually it happens, even when I am trying to be vigilant.

[David2011]

sadly to say, my Dillon 650 is my worst offender.

Jimmy Mitchell, the 1911 gunsmith from Breckenridge, TX, talked me into trying CCI primers in my 650. He said they fed smoother than other brands for him. I figured free advice from a gunsmith of his level was worth paying attention. Sure enough, the "new" CCIs in the dark blue package fed much better than anything else I had tried. The early CCIs didn't feed any better than other brands. This isn't from memory; I still have a lot of old CCI primers. They have really reduced the sideways and inverted primers in the 650 for me. I load mostly .40 S&W and .45 ACP on the 650 and use full strength mainsprings in my 1911 pattern guns so the CCIs light just fine.

Something else to keep in mind is that the more rigid the bench, the less likely there will be primer feed problems in any equipment.

David

[satchmodog]

Not really sure if its the right thing to do but i just place the case with the extended primer back in the #2 location on my lnl-ap and just slowly re-seat the primer. Never had a problem doing this yet.


Latesvak

That's what I do as well.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Did you ask him how many times he's actually set off a primer while trying to seat it?.

He only ever told me of one time, and he showed me the scar on his hand from where he dug out the primer anvil with a needle nose. He simply said he was happy no powder was in the case.

[old_haidouk]

There shouldn't be any problems with the 650 if the press is kept clean and the priming wheel advancer or anything else hasn't been bent.

[atr]

I distrust progressive loaders even more than I do politicans in Washington....
give me the single stage press everytime

ps...glad you thought it through