DonT Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 (edited) Set off my first primer today while loading. Loaded 1000rds on my 550 and number 992 went bang. Was almost finished and had gotten a complacent, mundane rhthym going when a decapped primer got lodged between the shaft and primer slide. On raising the handle and lowering shaft to prime, I felt the resistance and backed off. Removed my safety glasses to see what the problem was and found the decapped primer. Knocked it out of the way and with my face right there looking, raised the handle to prime the case. POW. Right in my face. Saw the flash and smoke. I was very lucky. No injuries. Still haven't figured out how it happened. The primer was in the cup but went off as it touched the case. Also found another decapped primer that was under the plate. The case had a small burn mark at one edge of the primer pocket. I've been loading on this machine for about three years and probably 20,000+rounds. How many of y'all have set off primers while loading and how often? Lesson learned....keep the damn glasses on my face. Edited February 22, 2009 by DonT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 19 years 200,000+or- One blown primer on a near new 1050 and I knew I had a primer stuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
get2now Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I know what you're talking about. I have a picture of mine. http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...inally+happened Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonT Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 I know what you're talking about. I have a picture of mine.http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...inally+happened Gary Oh...didn't realize there was already a thread about this. Mods please delete, move, merge, or whatever is appropriate. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I know you've figured this out by now, but never, never, ever, ever take off your safety glasses and put your face down by the primer seating station while trying to force in a primer that just doesn't want to go. Even better, don't ever try to force primers. It's just not worth it. I recently set off a primer, as well. It is, I think, my third in 24 years of loading. The same thing, trying to force a primer into a casings where it didn't want to do. It was a (re)learning experience. Since then, any time I get that distinctive "I don't even want to even think about going into that primer pocket" feedback from the machine, I instantly stop, pull that casing out of the machine and toss it in the trash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Been very lucky (so far!)...never had one go bang on me but then again I never try to force anything while reloading. Your 550 has a lot of force behind it. I know because I broke the MDX that my press is mounted on! FWIW Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwit Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I've use Winchester small pistol and small rifle almost exculsively, forced a lot in, some sideways and upside down, some crushed till they were seated to the right depth, usually unbeknownst to me till later when I inspected. So far all is serene. I'll probably be crawling down from the ceiling when one does go off then upstairs to change my pants. Do we have any feedback on particular brands of primers that went BANG ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormbringer Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 (edited) I did a similar thing two years ago with my Lee 1000. However with that sytem........when you have ONE primer go off you end up with MORE................In my case I was abot 12 detonating at the same time. Like you I KNEW that I had a jam. Like you I had my glasssed off. My fingers were actually in contact with the primer feet chute when it happened. One finger was numb for about 2 days afterwards As it was the die plate assembly effectively shield my eyes from the debris that blew out. I have since moved to a Hornady LNL and am a much happier loader..............but now I wear glasses always! Edited February 22, 2009 by stormbringer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I've loaded over 50,000 on my old 550b & have loaded almost as much on my new 650, and have never had a primer go off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I haven't had any primer mishaps yet but whenever I feel any resistance at all in the process, I stop, analyze, look for stuck items, cock-eyed anythng, and keep my distance. Always wearing glasses of one sort or another. If a primer comes down the tube sideways it's really easy to feel that kind of resistance. The ones that sneak by me, though, are the upside-down primers (dammit) that get mounted and then I find that out later when boxing them up during final inspection. I have, however, had a live one go 'pow' in the vacuum cleaner, though. Does that count...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.Hayden Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I did it with a new 1050 once too. The 1050 doesn't give you the same feel as a 550.. don't really know what happened, at least in a 1050, the primer seating is a ways away from the operator. It lit the whole tube up. With the vacuum going.. how loud was it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 jeepers h crud!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David.Hylton Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Haven't had it happen in a Dillon, but back in the 80's I was loading on a progressive press (a Star I believe) and a primer went off. The flash set off the tube of primers and the rod out of the primer tube went though a ceiling tile. Fortunately I was wearing glasses because Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David.Hylton Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Oh yeah, my ears rang for a long time afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 BerKim, in answer to your question: The vacuum bag was kinda full at the time (which may've been a very good thing) and it kinda went "FOOMP!!!!" and inflated the bag to its maximum (like a balloon) for a brief moment, then that was it. I heard the primer ping a couple of times thru the brush/roller before it "foomp'd", so that's how I figured it was a rogue primer on the floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlmiller1 Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I've got kind of a funny vacuum story, siglady. My brother, wayyyy backk in the 70s used to reload in his spare bedroom. One day he dropped a partial tin of primers. Shag carpet, remember the stuff? Well, he thought he had them all picked up. His wife was vacuuming & found the last dozen or so. hahahaha. She was NOT a happy camper. Several popped in the vacuum. Next time I went to visit, the reloader was out in the garage. Yes, I had to ask him why, just to stir things up. Thanks for reminding me of the story. My brother passed away a dozen years ago & fond memories of him are nice to have. MLM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBlackSheep Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 yea no one can quite kick you when you are down, like family Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 My gunsmith's wife had a 'vacuum experience' one day, according to him... and she wasn't too happy about it. I didn't get upset about MY experience, but now when I get ready to vacuum I take a flashlight and scan/search the floor surface near the reloading area in general and search for 'live ones'. I've found a couple of 'em that way, too, thereby avoiding the FOOMP!!! experience before it happens. I can't quite imagine what 'the last dozen or so' would sound like going off all at once--or what it would do to the vacuum, frankly. I'm not going to put that one to the test, no matter how entertaining it might be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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