Primer Explosion

[mjwcaster]

I would never suggest disposing of primers with fire.

They can and will fly high, fast and far.

Years ago I disposed of a cup of spilled powder that had some primers in it by tossing it in the fire pit.
I knew the powder was no issue, didn't think much about the primers.
What can I say, I was new.

Primers were flying through the trees others bouncing off of the house.
Real issue was some got buried in the ashes and primers were going off for hours.



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[MaryB]

I was teaching my nephew to reload 12 gauge on my pacific DL366 progressive. I told him to make sure the previous primer went in a case before pulling the handle again or you may cause an explosion. Being a 12 year old and not watching close... before I could stop him he dropped the primer tube on top of a live primer and set off a chain reaction. I still have primer bits embedded in the drywall in the ceiling. After he showered and changed his shorts he came back and said I will never do that again and he didn't. He bought a Hornady 366 about 10 years ago when he was 22 and still reloads.

[Bazoo]

I was thinking about the disposing of primers in fire, either having been soaked in liquid or not, I think a 55 gallon burn barrel would be perfect for the chore as it would keep any primers that did explode from sending shrapnel anywhere but straight up. I cant see how any primers would go off though if they had been soaked in kerosene first.

[mjwcaster]

I am not a chemist, but I do not follow the logic of soaking an explosive in an accelerant making it fire proof.

Plenty of stories of primers still going off once dried out after an oil soaking, and I think fire would work great at drying off the oil.

But what do I know.

If someone tries this let us know what happens.

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[abunaitoo]

A friend had a hole tube of primers go off.
Went right through the roof.
Nice little hole.
Never could figure why it went off.
He's been reloading for over 50 years, and it was the first time he's had a primer go off outside a firearm.
I've never had it happen to me.
Crushed a few primers, but none went off.
Deprime lots of live primers, and never had one go off.

[mold maker]

I am not a chemist, but I do not follow the logic of soaking an explosive in an accelerant making it fire proof.

Plenty of stories of primers still going off once dried out after an oil soaking, and I think fire would work great at drying off the oil.

But what do I know.

If someone tries this let us know what happens.

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At the time it seemed the prudent thing to do. The logic was to burn them while still in the dead (oil soaked) condition. It apearently worked as there were no "explosions".
The furnace was a 1950s Montgumery Ward wood or coal fired model. The fire box is 1/4" thick steel with cast iron doors. Although it is now only backup heat, it is used every Winter to supliment on really cold days. My wood cutting days are in the past.
mm

[mjwcaster]

Mm, That is interesting.
Thanks.

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[historicfirearms]

I had one explode in my motorcycle saddle bag. Bought a box of 100 at the gun shop while on my motorcycle. They were in a plastic bag, in the Winchester 100 round pack taped shut. The motorcycle bags are fiberglass. It was a hot day and I had ridden about 50 miles when I heard a small explosion. When I got home the primers were all loose in the saddle bag but I never could find the popped primer. I guess static electricity did the deed but have no proof.

[Greg G.]

Those buggars travel like a boolit when they go off! I had some large unknown primers once and spotted my son's slingshot. I loaded the slingshot, turned my head the other way and lobbed one against a concrete block in the yard - kapow! Then I noticed a hole in the bedroom window about 6 feet away! Sometimes I wonder how I got to be 63 years old.

Right there with you on that, I'm 62 and I just figure that if there is a Patron Saint for fools and idiots I'm probably working mine overtime.

[David2011]

The damaged and unknown primers got an epoxy marinade. I would think fairly hard to detonate now.



David

[Geezer in NH]

I just throw bad ones in the wood stove same as the dud rounds found at the range they go pop no damage. They are not a pound of C4.

[Thin Man]

In my 47 years of reloading I have had 2 AD's with primers. The first was when I was inserting a primer (revolver cartridge) on my RCBS JR press with the press mounted primer arm. That was so long ago I can't even begin to guess how far back it happened. The second (around 15 years ago) was when I was using a Lee decapping base and mallet driven pin set on a rifle cartridge. YIPES that one was loud. This one got me started wearing ear muffs when removing live primers. Now I use the Lee decapping die and move the press ram slowly in the hope this will be sufficient to avoid any more disturbances.

[Silver Eagle]

Damaged, untrusted or pulled primers here get a sound smack with a hammer outside!
Had a split case once that I noticed on primed brass. Loaded that one, sans bullet or powder, in firearm and pulled the trigger on it outside. Case was crushed afterwards.
All cases that I will not reload for some reason get crushed and tossed in scrap bucket. Figure that if I will not load them, that I do not wish someone else to try.

[Lloyd Smale]

I wanted a case head with a primer in it to inlet into a set of grips once and soaked 20 ea. primers in water and in oil for 10 days and tested them. At least 75 percent of the oil soaked ones still went off and only one of the water soaked ones didn't go off.

[flyingmonkey35]

i have had two primers go pop on me with my I loadmaster. no more priming on the load master.

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[Geezer in NH]

As a former Firefighter/investigator I can state ammo in a fire is not dangerous to the FF or anyone around. PROVEN fact by NFPA and .Gov.

In classes taught to recruits I used to put ammo on a hot plate with a cardboard box over it. Plug in the hot plate and let the ammo cook off, NONE that's 0 came through the box. Did it 20 to 30 times.

Any FF saying ammo, let alone 1 little primer, is dangerous in a fire seriously lacks training. Ammo in small amounts cooks off with no damage around. I am more afraid of 1 lb propane cylinders and gas cans or gas bags set for detonation much more for good reason.

Around 1 ton of ammo and explosives military grade is another thing, Same as huge amounts of fertilizer.

[historicfirearms]

As a former Firefighter/investigator I can state ammo in a fire is not dangerous to the FF or anyone around. PROVEN fact by NFPA and .Gov.

In classes taught to recruits I used to put ammo on a hot plate with a cardboard box over it. Plug in the hot plate and let the ammo cook off, NONE that's 0 came through the box. Did it 20 to 30 times.

Any FF saying ammo, let alone 1 little primer, is dangerous in a fire seriously lacks training. Ammo in small amounts cooks off with no damage around. I am more afraid of 1 lb propane cylinders and gas cans or gas bags set for detonation much more for good reason.

Around 1 ton of ammo and explosives military grade is another thing, Same as huge amounts of fertilizer.

Seriously, should I not keep over a ton of ammo in my home? I've wondered if I should split up the stash some. I will have to do it later as I hear the black helicopters coming...

[jetinteriorguy]

I've been hand loading for a little over 30 years and after many thousands of bullets loaded just recently had a primer pop in my Loadmaster. Funny thing, it happened two days in a row. Turns out I had two .38sp cases that only part of the old primer came out, leaving a slight ring behind that caused the new primers to pop when they were inserted. Since you can't catch this type of thing while depriming on a progressive, I now deprime all brass off the press and visually inspect to prevent it from happening again.

[David2011]

Can't you feel when the primer bottoms out prematurely? Stop and fix the problem before popping a primer. Don't give up the benefits of the Loadmaster.

[Smk SHoe]

Had a whole sleeve of SP primers blow on a dillion 650. Found out I should not be using federal primers on it. Cups are to sensitive. Dillion replaced everything. Only a little bit of fragments in the drywall ceiling. But did see a youtube video of a fire dept (I think) burning increasing amounts of ammo. No real explosions with bullets flying all over the place like the movies. Just pops and a little bits of shrapnel. Was really hard watching them burn a entire pallet of rifle ammo at the end.