My Primer went ka-boom tonight

[Rich/WIS]

I have used the Lee Auto Prime II for about 20 years and find it to be the easiest and fastest tool I have used. Prior to using it I spent about 20 years using the priming arm system on my old Lyman press or a Ram Prime tool. I follow Lee's guidance and only use primers they recommend AND CLEAN THE ENTIRE SYSTEM ABOUT EVERY THOUSAND PRIMERS. Every time I open a carton of primers I spray out the metal parts with brake cleaner and wash the plastic parts. I use a cable tie with the end cut square to push the last of the primers down the feed tube, this is essential or you can jam or catch and flip a primer if it is not all the way in. If you raise the press handle before putting a case in the shell holder you can see the primer and be sure it is not sideways or upside down. I wear glasses and make certain to specify safety type lenses when I get a new set.

[iomskp]

I don't think it matters what type of primer tool you use, the primers can go off, last year I had one go off while priming 44 mag cases on my redding press I lost almost all the hearing in my left ear, I am down to 10% ( 67% before the primer 10% after )in that ear, I now wear ear plugs and glasses when reloading.

[TheFirst]

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.

Let's just stop wearing eye protection too while we're at it! Are you really that dense? He had a bad experience, it caused a fear of something. For peace of mind, he can wear a glove so he knows nothing will happen to him if it happened again.

[oldred]

I now wear ear plugs and glasses when reloading.

+1 on that! I wouldn't consider priming a case without ear and eye protection, it's amazing at how loud and how much force that itty-bity primer lets go with when it detonates! I have never had one go off while priming but, like everyone else here I'm sure, I have discharged my share of uncharged primers and I certainly wouldn't want one to go off near my unprotected eyes or ears, or near my bare hands either for that matter. Actually I have considered wearing gloves while priming but considering the hassle of doing so I never did, after reading this discussion I will from this point on use my soft and tight fitting TIG welding gloves for all primer handling practical, it just makes good sense.

[ez4545]

Threads like this can help save a lot of misery and pain. I wear safety glasses when hand loading. I really hadn't considered hearing protection or a glove as safety measures. I'm considering a bench priming tool now too !!!

After reading this I will no longer allow anyone else in the same room when I prime no matter what tool I use.

[zuke]

Anyone heard about the new LEE bench mounted priming tool?



http://www.titanreloading.com/primin...to-bench-prime

[ez4545]

Anyone heard about the new LEE bench mounted priming tool?

http://www.titanreloading.com/primin...to-bench-prime

Thank you zuke!!!! I had not heard or seen the new Lee bench priming tool It looks like I have to have one now

[VHoward]

That Lee unit looks interesting, but it uses Lee's auto prime shell holders, not standard shell holders. It does list for $39 in Lee's catalog. I expect street price will be a little lower.

[freebullet]

I had a berdan go off in the hornady hand primer last year. Didn't do anything just popped loud. I was wearing saftey glasses, welding glove, and had it pointed in a safe direction. I'm not allowed to prime berdan cases in the living room now.

[zuke]

That Lee unit looks interesting, but it uses Lee's auto prime shell holders, not standard shell holders. It does list for $39 in Lee's catalog. I expect street price will be a little lower.

When I first got into reloading I bought both type's/set's of shell holder's. I've never been stuck for one. Ever.
Bought'em when I was 18, I'm 49 now

[VHoward]

When I first got into reloading I bought both type's/set's of shell holder's. I've never been stuck for one. Ever.
Bought'em when I was 18, I'm 49 now

I have a complete set of those shell holders also. Just pointing out to others that in addition to buying the Lee unit, they will need to buy an additional shell holder for all their calibers they load or plan to prime on this unit. Individual shell holders are $3 each or a set of 11 or 12 shell holders to fit all the calibers for $16 that comes in a plastic storage case.

[eagle27]

I always prime in my press with the bullet seating die in place so if a primer does let go the flash is up inside the die. I do wear safety glasses and ear protection. Never have had one go off despite crushing one quite badly once, I always go slow and careful so I feel the primer start into and seat in the pocket and don't jar the press handle at any stage of the operation.

[dudel]

I HAD A Remington 9 1/2 primer go off yesterday in a Hornady hand primer, a first for me. I was priming ZQI .308 brass casings at the time. Seems the primer pockets are tight as I had to exert more pressure than I normally do. Also, it felt like the primer had to be "2 staged" in order to seat the depth properly. Wished I had a pocket swager.

The ZQI ammo was from Wally World ($9.99 for 20 rounds) and I just wanted the brass for reloading purposes in the AR.


Slim

IIRC correctly, that ZQI .223 ammo has a crimped primer pocket. Did you remove the crimp? That would also explain the "tight" pocket.

[Desertbuck]

I've never had a primer go off from seating it myself. And I still use my old Lee auto prime that has the old round tray but not very often. If I do I do wear safety glasses. But I use the Lee safety prime system that is built into the presses almost all the time. And I have to say from my perspective that is one of the safest priming systems there is. It's does not require you to hold live primers in your hand.
And like everyone says, these small little buggers are not to be underestimated in any way shape or form. Now how I learned my respect for primers is when I was about a year into my hobby, it was winter time about 20 below zero outside. Wanting to shoot but not brave the cold I found that styrofoam earplugs fit nicely into the end of a 30/06 case. I had a box of Winchester magnum primers that I hadn't used much of so I proceeded to prime a case shove a ear plug in it and loaded into my full military model of 1917 with its 26 inch barrel. And shoot at a box down the hall!
Next thing I know my ears are ringing and the styrofoam plug is gone completely through the box and embedded itself in the wall!!!

[Ric-san]

I started to prime on my Lee Clasic cast one primer (away from your face) because of this...yea it's a bit slower but safer IMHO...

[Chris C]

Bonanza Co-Ax.

Amen to that, Dan. Love mine. My thumb isn't in the way of a primer if it goes off. Some say priming presses don't do a good job, but I've never had a complaint about mine.

[Hick]

I prefer the RCBS hand primer tool simply because it is set up so that the primer you are putting in is all alone with a piece of metal between it and the ones in the tray. Haven't looked at the Lee so I don't know if it is different. Thanksfor the heads up-- I think I'll go study the Lee design and figure out how I can be more careful.

[eli]

I still use a Lee auto prime with the round tray design. I have yet to have one go off but I only load 20 primers at a time. I prefer CCI but I've used Remington and Winchester too. I recently found a number of Federal primers but I can use other Lee tools for loading those.
When I first started reloading, I had a large magnum pistol primer go off with a Lee Clasic Loader. That little heart-stopper was the only kaboom I've had, knock wood, and is the reason I use the autoprime for 99% of my reloading. I did have a LP primer load itself upside down recently, but the tool worked as it should and it was a simple fix, really a non-event, but for this thread.

[OS OK]

Thanks for this post. I have not had any problems using the Lee XR except that I have slipped a piece of radiator heater hose on the handle to make it ergo friendly to my large paw.
Using these comments here and taking them into consideration…'a word to the wise is sufficient'.
I bought the RCBS bench priming system, added another piece of hose to the narrow handle for comfort, stuck a small magnet on the handle to place the little tube pin onto so I wouldn't loose it…then started using it.
I wish I would have bought this one years ago. Love it, love it , love it!

[MT Chambers]

Hard to believe that someone would bring out a priming tool and then say you can only use 10 of 1 brand or 20 of another, 100 of a third brand, and no Federals...what nonsense.