My Primer went ka-boom tonight

[castalott]

"You've been a very bad primer system, you're grounded!"

Awww Geee...... Do I have to stand in the corner again?????

[NavyVet1959]

Awww Geee...... Do I have to stand in the corner again?????

And no copping an attitude and blowing up on me either!

[3006guns]

I had one of the old Lee round tray hand priming tools and, except for occasional feed jams, it worked fine. I never liked the "ergonomics" of the thing though. At the end of long priming session my thumb was so sore it was ridiculous. I gave it away and got the RCBS hand tool instead because it is shaped to use your entire hand, but even THAT caused cramps sometimes. It also has occasional feed problems, but nothing horrible.

Now days, I just prime on my Dillon or Rock Chucker and save the RCBS tool in a field kit. For that it works just fine.

[garym1a2]

Only two times I had one go off where Federal, out of a batch of one thousand. I have loaded many 10's of thousands of CCI and Winchester primers and never a problem. I will never buy federal primers again!

[downunderrunner]

had a fed blow up in a "single action" hand primer, 15? odd years ago, never used fed's since, still using a lee, round tray hand primer, the key id to blow her out every 500, or at the end of every session, whichever happens first, and to seat the primer in a SINGLE, CONTROLLED SQUEEZE, a few hundred thousand rounds later, never had an issue (after i abandoned federal's)

[DLCTEX]

I do almost all my priming on my Lee Classic Cast turret with the safety prime system. At least as fast as the hand held, with good separation between primer tray and the primer being seated.. I use it in single stage to prime cases being loaded on other presses.

[Maximumbob54]

So how do you clean the dust from priming equipment? Does canned air suffice or are we talking a cleaning solution?

[country gent]

A quick concentrated aimed shot of compressed air will get the most of it, but would recomend an occasional cleaning with simple hot soapy water to get all the build ups out. Dry out good, Then relube mechanisim and go again.

[M-Tecs]

For off press I use a RCBS Automatic priming tool http://www.midwayusa.com/product/457...h-priming-tool but most are seated in Dillon 650's or 1050's. In close to 3/8 million seated I have never had one pop.

I do use compressed air before every session.

Need recommendations for new priming tool.

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

Before progressives this was all I used. I've had mine since the mid-70's. The only way to improve it is Holland's upgrade.

Very cool but not needed.
https://sierrabullets.wordpress.com/...primer-seater/

[Mal Paso]

I bought the RCBS Bench Mount APS which has an adjustable lever after borrowing a new RCBS tube style primer. The tube type seems to fumble the last couple primers if you aren't careful. One case of APS loaded CCI primers will set you up with primer strips for life. I burned up all the CCI and just load Federal now. The loading tray makes filling the strips easy. The tubes were going to need a better fill system so I didn't consider the loading tray an extra expense.

I have 2 guns with light firing pin strikes and the better leverage lets me use the right pressure to seat the primer. Reduced the FTF in very hard primers to near zero.

[savage99f]

I just got a forester co-ax priming tool and it is fantastic
http://www.forsterproducts.com/catal...?prodid=700679
I have used the lee and several press mounted ones and this Forster beats them all ..even better than the rcbs bench primer ..requires no shell holders ..has an adjustable shell holder ...very fast also ...I made a little tray to make loading the tubes faster ...

[TheFirst]

I havent read all the posts, but, instead of switching priming methods over one incident, why not just wear a glove on your hand that holds the priming tool?

[country gent]

When my round tray lee went, I would have needed glove, face shield, and leather apron. I had anvils in my face, chest, and arm. Also plastic pieces from the cover imbedded in me. The primer being seated never went ( it was well started into case and sealed off) but primers in the tray did, being uncontained by the case anvils became projectiles along with plastic pieces from the cover. The actual tray survived. I had just filled the tray with the 8th or 9th box of primers that day. Wife picked up about 60 that didnt ignite and around 20 that were just cups no anvils left in them. The one being seated fired when chambered in a rifle.

[VHoward]

At the least, people should be wearing safety glasses when priming. Damage to the eyes is more critical than damage to your skin.

[zuke]

Sound's like another one blaming the tool for doing it's job and not reading instruction's.

[fguffey]

I think it was just a real sensitive primer, who knows why.

I have R. Lee's book on modern reloading, in my book R. Lee says he never tested Federal primers because Federal did not donate primers to be tested.

who knows why.

Who knows why drivers set at a red light and gun their engines? Who knows why a barber leave their scissors running when they are not engages/cutting hair? I don't. Same for reloaders, they double clutch the thumb operated handle when priming cases. Double clutching is a bad habit. The first primer starts to be seated, then the double clutch. The first primer is suspended in the primer pocket when the operating rod lowers. The lowering of the rod allows another primer to slide in below the first primer, When that happens the reloader looses leverage. Instead of stopping and unjamming the reloader insist on increasing the effort.

The case with the partially seated primer can not be removed from the case holder. then there is the damage done to the bottom primer in the stack. The damaged primer should be removed. My opinion, double clutching the Lee auto-hand primer is a bad habit.

When using the Lee auto hand primer with the round flip tray I tilt the tool to position each primer. I am not nervous nor do I have a problem with timing., I do not find it necessary to double clutch the operating handle.


F. Guffey

[Char-Gar]

Always the old school contrarian, let me offer this;

Any priming device that moves primers into place without the assistance of the human hand can move them in wrongly and result in a primer kaboom if the right circumstances come together. So whether the device is attached to the press or held in your hand, it is still doing the moving of the primers for you.

Because of the forgoing, I will have nothing to do with any kind of "automatic" priming divice. I want to place the primer in the device each and every time by hand, looking to see the primer is facing the right direction and not standing on edge. Therefore, I prime three ways..

1. With an old RCBS hand primer with no primer feed.
2. Lyman 310 priming die in a 310 tool.
3. An old fashion priming arm on the press with no auto feed.

Yes, I know this is too slow for today's "get er done right now and fast" bunch, that that is my input on this issue. I have never had a kaboom of any kind in 55 years of reloading.

[Char-Gar]

I havent read all the posts, but, instead of switching priming methods over one incident, why not just wear a glove on your hand that holds the priming tool?

Now that makes no sense at all!!! Hey just expect a primer to explode and wear a glove to save the skin on your hand. Let's just keep on being careless and wear protection. Not a good idea at all.

[Maximumbob54]

I guess this is just yet another plug for Lee's Safety Prime. You swing it forward for it to do it's job and the results are just staring back at you. Hard to not see it if it's flipped or loaded sideways.

[Alexn20]

I use the RCBS auto bench priming tool and like it a lot. I can get a good "feel" of the primer seating too. I have had no problems with it. Just make sure there is no debris in it. a flake of corn cob media could act as a firing pin if not noticed.

I think you will be glad with your new purchase. After loading with it a while stop by this thread and give us your feedback. I am curious to hear your opinion about it since you havent used it before.