Heat + primer = ?????

[Eugene V. Debs]

Probably a dumb question, but can ambient heat alone set off standard primers in modern cartridges? If so, how hot would it have to get?

[Bib]

If all my reloading supplies weren't packed away for home repairs I could test that for you. I have my Lyman thermometer (for bullet casting) now in use as a thermometer for my gas grill. I'm sure one pistol primer wouldn't hurt anything if i had one on the upper rack while the grill was pre-heating.

[briang]

I have no proof, but I seriously doubt it gets hot enough anywhere on this planet to set off a primer.

ETA I just wanted to clarify, I mean naturally not in an oven or something.

[Xringshooter]

I doubt that ambient heat will set off a standard primer. If the ambient gets that hot, more than primers are going to be affected. I've spent considerable time in the middle east were temperatures (that I have seen) were as high as 55C (131F) and I was around gun toting military people and nothing cooked off.

[dc dalton]

Excuse me for being dumb here (and I can be damn stupid at times) but wouldn't you need some SERIOUS heat to do this? I mean like a torch or something like that?

Again if it's a stupid question I'm sorry but I just can't see ambient heat doing this.

[Flash]

ISTR an article in an old relaoding manual, (prob LYMAN, or "ABC's of Reloading" from 1966) that HPWhite Laboratories did a cook-off of some ammo, and I think they arrived at 400 degreed Farenheit as the cook-off point. They determined that a 30-06 in doing so would probably just push the bullet out of the case without rupture, and would not propel the bullet any distance over a few inches. But there would be a significant jet of hot gas from the case-mouth, and what powder was pushed out would ignite in the process.

All-in-all, not any sort of life-threatening issue. Still, no small matter, and I would not one going off in my pocket.


Flash

[GoldWinger]

Primers are impact sensitive and, as far as I know, don't ignite. When ammo cooks off, the powder is what is burning.

[Flash]

Primers are impact sensitive and, as far as I know, don't ignite. When ammo cooks off, the powder is what is burning.

Just put one on the Barbeque. It will take only one to disabuse you of that notion.

OR -- ".. OK, punk. Do you feel lucky?......." (apologies to Dirty Harry for that)

Place a small pistol primer on the burner of your electric stove, and place a skillet-lid over it, turn the burner on "high", and above all, do not do this while the wife is at home.

Flash

[GoldWinger]

I don't have any primers lying around so I'll leave that to you. Heck, I don't have an electric stove either.

How hot does it have to get to go off?