A cautionary tale for reloaders... Pic Added

[mp517prct]

late yesterday (sunday) morning, i was priming some .300blk cases, and had about 20 federal small rifle primers in my hornady hand primer, when i had a primer go off, whoch caused the other twenty to detonate. the plastic tray and lid shattered and flew off in multiple directions...

after a second of shock, i checked to see if i was still alive, had all 10 digits, both eyes, and was not bleeding. other than ringing in my ears, i was ok.

i figure i must have gotten a primer sideways ( this happens from time to time with small primers in hornady's design) and must have gotten a double feed which set off the primer.

This is why following safety percautions, i.e. only have out the components you need, and wearing safety glasses MUST be followed. I got lucky and only have a broken hand primer...

BTW, I am buying a different hand priming tool (probably a LEE) since they're system isolates the primer being loaded from the rest of the primers in the tray.

Stay Safe Everyone!

[Mike3888]

Glad your ok. I have heard of it happening but never witnessed it.
I have always used lee hand priming tools. Probably about 28 years. Wore first one out, now on second one. Can you post pic of the priming tool you were using. Be safe and thanks for sharing.

[WVBob]

I had that happen once with a Lee Hand Primer. Other than a ringging in my ears, no other damage. Glad your OK.

[cephas]

Another glad you're ok. I have an old style Lee hand primer with the round tray. Be aware Lee recommended that Federal primers not be used with it. In an early copy of Lee's reloading manual he states the only primers he recommends are Win. and CCI. Don't know if this is still the case with the new version that has the square tray.

[87hurricane]

Another glad you ok. I have an old style Lee hand primer with the round tray. Be aware Lee recommended that Federal primers not be used with it. In an early copy of Lee's reloading manual he states the only primers he recommends are Win. and CCI. Don't know if this is still the case with the new version with the square tray.

That isn't the case with the new square ones, they actually redesigned the tool to prevent this from happening.

[frankski]

Those hand primers concern me for that reason.

I use a Dillon 550b which has an autoprime. But, I've read about instances when misaligned primers go off and set off the stack of primers in the primer magazine tube. The feed tube sits inside a heavy primer housing, almost like a gun barrel, and is designed to direct the explosion up if something goes awry. A few destroyed ceilings have been reported.

I watch the primer seating cup on EVERY load to make sure there is a primer, and that it is correctly oriented. Every now and then one is sideways, which is easy to correct with a pair of tweezers.

[ragnar_danneskjold]

glad you are ok! thanks for sharing

[Farbmeister]

Primer safety is stressed in every reloading book. Dillons design is THE WORST as it guarantees that if one goes... they all will. I agree with the flat tray type... they should all go flying and not detonate each other. But nothing is ever perfect.

[MT1]

I've only had one primer detonation in 20+ years of reloading. In that case I crushed a primer with an RCBS hand primer tool so it was my own fault. While I was startled, the detonation was no louder than a cap gun so my ears didn't ring. My wife who was asleep in the next room didn't even hear it.

Under the right conditions every priming tool has the capability to allow a primer detonation. These conditions are usually human error but my point is I haven't seen a tool yet where I would say the chance was zero.

[knight0334]

I've never had that happen in a hand-priming tool, but I did have it happen once on my single stage press.

I think I pooped myself a little when it happened.. lol