Double primer removal,,,

[georgerkahn]

In the midst of a loading session with my RL550b press, the shell holder could not be turned/advanced. "Huh?" It turns out I tried to put a (large pistol) primer in a (.44 S&W Special) case which already had one in it. I did not now if I had put a new primer in already, allllmost seating the 2nd upon this possible new primer (most likely guess) -- or, perhaps a case who's fired primer was not removed.
In any case, all I had to do was loosen the grub screw, followed by plate screw, to remove this case. Yes -- maybe I could've/should've thrown it away, but... it seemed like a challenge to do removal of both primers. What ended up working really quick and easy:
I put my $16.95 Harbor Freight "drill press" vise on bench, and grabbed a random RCBS shell holder. I then took the sizing/decapping assembly out of the die. Opening the vise, I stacked the case with two primers atop the shell holder's bottom (it wouldn't fit in one right-side-up due to 2nd primer sticking out), and then inserted decap assembly in the case. Opening vise just wide enough for the stacked parts -- after donning safety glasses to be OCD -- I slowly turned the vise handle, and with hardly discernible effort, BOTH primers dropped out.
It worked so well I "filed this method" should this ever occur again... and, elected to post this here as a solution which proved to work, should you ever seat a 2nd primer in the same case, and wish to remove them...
geo

[Conditor22]

I just hold a Lee decapping rod in the primer hole put something across the bottom of the die above and raise the press.

[JBinMN]

It would have been interesting to see a pic, or two.

I have mistakenly did a double primer before, but the second primer just would not fit in the case with the other in it, so it just kind of blocked the effort & when I lowered the ram, I saw the trouble. I don't put a lot of pressure when beginning seating primers anyway, until I "feel" the primer enter the pocket, then I will add some more pressure to make sure that it is seated correctly. Perhaps that is why I did not have the same issue that you ended up with.

Pretty interesting & a nice fix if it ever does happen to me, or anyone else. So is Conditor22s method.

Thanks to both for sharing your experience(s)!

[Wayne Smith]

Yeah, I'm wondering how much pressure it took to SEAT the second primer!

[Omega]

I would think one of the primers would have detonated with the extra pressure of the second primer being seated.

[georgerkahn]

Omega -- I had same fear/thoughts re that 2nd primer. BUT -- I reckoned it takes a hit to primer's center to snap anvil which creates the explosion; the pressure on said 2nd primer was the FLAT driver of tool; and, its pressure was concentrated primarily on outside circumference of the primer beneath it. As I initially wrote, I donned a pair of safety goggles; and, I had the vise on the floor with my arm outstretched as I very slowly turned its handle to hopefully push the two primers out. Possibly it was just the luck of a fool -- as the primers came out with remarkable ease and no detonation(s). I may not have written, but examination of removed primers indicated BOTH were brand new / unfired ones.
geo

[Hossfly]

My mentor{ 650 }guy, instructed me when I got mine into operation, to get a feel for the every operation of the press. For priming stroke limp wrist at first then push harder to seat. This has worked well when trying to double prime, and he kept saying “cap-off”. I never new what that was, till one day, running 9MM fast and furious, up jumped the devil. The “cap-off” showed up, this stopped everything. When depriming, the cup came apart and left the sides inside primer pocket. No different feel till new one doesn’t go in so that limp wrist has paid off at least twice for me. Anyway thanks for sharing your experience, these little tips help others extremely well.

[shootinfox2]

Something similar on a 650. 45 ACP small primer pocket while reloading large primers. Know the feel and do not force anything.

[egg250]

Might be worth setting that case aside. You could try to decap the primers, but it might detonate. Even if it doesn't, the primer pocket may have been swaged oversize and that will be a problem case. Not worth it.