Gallow Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 As I’ve mentioned here before, I have a few thousand 45 ACP cartridges that I made up during my first months of reloading years ago and deemed questionable for reasons I didn’t bother to record. I just tossed them in a 5-gallon pail, except for suspected overcharges, which I discarded altogether. I’ve been diligently pulling bullets lately, a hundred or two a day, with an inertial puller. Then I read that it’s dangerous to use an inertial puller on cartridges with high primers, which some of mine are. Is this true? I understand the logic of it, but in practice, is it a problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intel6 Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Not sure where you got this from? I have never heard that one (in my 20+ years of reloading) but if you inderstand how a primer works I don't see how it would be a problem? When a primer is loaded it compresses the anvil (small brass piece inside the primer cup) and this presses the priming pellet between the inside of the priming cup where the FP will hit and the tip of the anvil which acts as an anvil (imagine that) for the FP to smash the priming compound against. If you look at a primer the brass "legs" of the anvil are sticking up above the rim of the primer and when the primer is seated to the edge of the cup those legs are compressed into the cup to arm the primer. I am guessing that the theroy that primers can go off when pulling bullets is due to some inertial force? I don't see it because the weight of the priming cup isn't enough to overcome the friction between it and the walls of the primer pocket. And the anvil doesn't have the mass to stand still while the primer cup and compound slam into it to cause an explosion. Bottom line is I have pulled many bullets with high primers and if this is a dangeropus process then I sure would like to see some concrete proof. Neal in AZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SA Friday Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Not sure where you got this from? I have never heard that one (in my 20+ years of reloading) but if you inderstand how a primer works I don't see how it would be a problem?When a primer is loaded it compresses the anvil (small brass piece inside the primer cup) and this presses the priming pellet between the inside of the priming cup where the FP will hit and the tip of the anvil which acts as an anvil (imagine that) for the FP to smash the priming compound against. If you look at a primer the brass "legs" of the anvil are sticking up above the rim of the primer and when the primer is seated to the edge of the cup those legs are compressed into the cup to arm the primer. I am guessing that the theroy that primers can go off when pulling bullets is due to some inertial force? I don't see it because the weight of the priming cup isn't enough to overcome the friction between it and the walls of the primer pocket. And the anvil doesn't have the mass to stand still while the primer cup and compound slam into it to cause an explosion. Bottom line is I have pulled many bullets with high primers and if this is a dangeropus process then I sure would like to see some concrete proof. Neal in AZ +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm iprod Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 +2 If anything it is recommended that you pull the bullets from cartridges with high primers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Neill Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 In general, I agree that the mass of the primer is small. However, as far as the anvil standing still while the primer cup and compound move, if the anvil legs protrude from the cup, they will contact the primer pocket bottom first - perhaps while the cup is still moving. Obviously, it also depends on how tight the cup is in the pocket. While the odds may not favor the primer moving when using an inertial puller, I have seen the xrays of a primer cup embedded in a man's arm - having detonated while he was using an inertial puller. Something about the sudden stop when the puller struck fired the primer. Cup moving? Overly sensitive primer? I don't know, but surgery was required to remove the primer cup. So, primer detonation using an inertial bullet puller cannot be ruled out. Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave C Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 In general, I agree that the mass of the primer is small. However, as far as the anvil standing still while the primer cup and compound move, if the anvil legs protrude from the cup, they will contact the primer pocket bottom first - perhaps while the cup is still moving. Obviously, it also depends on how tight the cup is in the pocket.While the odds may not favor the primer moving when using an inertial puller, I have seen the xrays of a primer cup embedded in a man's arm - having detonated while he was using an inertial puller. Something about the sudden stop when the puller struck fired the primer. Cup moving? Overly sensitive primer? I don't know, but surgery was required to remove the primer cup. So, primer detonation using an inertial bullet puller cannot be ruled out. Guy When Guy talks reloading, I listen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johann the Horrible Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 You have 5 options: 1.Push the primer in fully(on a loaded cartridge)- Totally crazy- only do this if you want to be prematurely removed from the gene pool! 2. Go to the range and shoot these cartridges out during some quiet time- preferably use a gun you don't want anymore(no cannot borrow mine for this, so don't even ask) 3. Pull the bullet and re-use all the components except the propellant. 4. Throw the whole cartridge away- now if I was a LEO in your area and found out you were throwing whole cartridges away I would be visiting you you with a piece of paper called "ARREST WARRANT" and you will be the object of the warrant.(This way you get to meet new people, make new friends and most probably be called so huge guys "Bitch") Most heterosexuals do not like this. 5. You can keep the cartridges indefinably- your wife wont like this and they will be gnawing one continence every time you need the space. My ZAR 2 cents worth. (In South Africa the 2 cent was worth so little they stopped making them. Now if you want to have worthless try the Zimbabwean $, the last rate of exchange there was about 50 000 Zim $ to one US $- makes for nice affordable but seriously crappy holidays Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intel6 Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 In general, I agree that the mass of the primer is small. However, as far as the anvil standing still while the primer cup and compound move, if the anvil legs protrude from the cup, they will contact the primer pocket bottom first - perhaps while the cup is still moving. Obviously, it also depends on how tight the cup is in the pocket.While the odds may not favor the primer moving when using an inertial puller, I have seen the xrays of a primer cup embedded in a man's arm - having detonated while he was using an inertial puller. Something about the sudden stop when the puller struck fired the primer. Cup moving? Overly sensitive primer? I don't know, but surgery was required to remove the primer cup. So, primer detonation using an inertial bullet puller cannot be ruled out. Guy When someone I respect like Guy tells me it can happen then I need no more proof. I have to tell you that this is the first time I have ever heard of this and when Galoow posted this I was skeptical. Interesting ot note is the others who posted who obviously hadn't heard ofthis also. Gallow, I am still interested in where you heard this? Neal in AZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallow Posted February 24, 2008 Author Share Posted February 24, 2008 Not sure where you got this from? I have never heard that one (in my 20+ years of reloading) but if you inderstand how a primer works I don't see how it would be a problem?Neal in AZ Neal-- I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure it was in the Nosler reloading book, the beige one with the animal skull on the cover. Naturally I can't lay hands on it at the moment. And yes, the theory seemed to be as you said. They recommended a collet puller be used instead. It sounded like a remote risk to me, but you never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intel6 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Not sure where you got this from? I have never heard that one (in my 20+ years of reloading) but if you inderstand how a primer works I don't see how it would be a problem?Neal in AZ Neal-- I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure it was in the Nosler reloading book, the beige one with the animal skull on the cover. Naturally I can't lay hands on it at the moment. And yes, the theory seemed to be as you said. They recommended a collet puller be used instead. It sounded like a remote risk to me, but you never know. Thanks for the response. Now I am going to have to go looking for this now. Neal in AZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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