Have you ever set off a primer while loading?

[450BM]

I’ve been reloading for about 47 years and I’ve never set one off. I’m curious if anyone else ever has.

I’ve tried by crushing them in a vice and was unsuccessful. I’ve deprimed live primers and also never set one off. I’m pretty sure I could if I slammed the press arm down but I go extremely slow because I’m trying NOT to set it off.

Now as I’m thinking about this, is it a similar reaction as tannerite that needs a minimum velocity strike to cause the explosion?

 

[GLShooter]

I've set one off in 49 years. It was a 556 that I failed to decrimp and tried a bit to hard to seat the primer. It was 3 AM and I was loading for a match later that day. The reloading room was in the attic so no one came running at the noise. The learning curve was straight up on crmped brass after that.

 

[nettle]

no

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Not yet.

 

[Oso]

It sounds almost as loud as firing the cartridge,,, ears ringing, wife pissed asking questions that you can't really focus on... Nope, I have never.

 

[joshb]

47 years loading here and never had one go off. I’m a careful guy tho.

 

[jeffreybehr]

Not in my 64 years of reloading, and I plan to keep it that way.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I've set one off in 49 years. It was a 556 that I failed to decrimp and tried a bit to hard to seat the primer. It was 3 AM and I was loading for a match later that day. The reloading room was in the attic so no one came running at the noise. The learning curve was straight up on crmped brass after that.

You guys that are buying processed brass had better pay attention to this post.

 

[Rocketvapor]

Dumping brass into the tumbler a primed piece (CCI 450 in a 22N) got mixed in and got missed all the way to the flame annealer.
Loud surprise.

A weak impact in a rifle might even make a deep enough dent and misfire due to lack of force.
Depriming applies force directly to the anvil no need to dent, might be possible with a FAST hit.

 

[sacre]

About 50 years loading.... no

 

[rabradshaw]

I have a friend that was loading pistol ammo on a progressive. A primer in the tube went off and set off the whole tube chain reaction style. Upstairs neighbors thought he was shooting inside the apartment. Sure enough about 10 minutes go by and the police were knocking. His hearing came back and he also emphasizes use of safety glasses. LOL

 

[SSL]

Had a few back in the "good old days" of having nothing but a Lee impact die set. Makes the old ears ring.

 

[DiffEQ]

Reloading since 1985, starting with a Lee Loader for .270, also including depriming many hundreds of primed cases, and never set one off. I've crushed a few, though.

 

[JB10]

Brother in law set one of while hand priming about 5 years ago. His wife thought he shot himself. I never have set one off though

 

[sw282]

My bird Chloe set one off a couple of years ago. She's a red and green Macaw of about 2 pounds. She found it on the floor of the loading room. Upon hearing the ''POP'' she immediately ran straight to me bleeding from the mouth. Twas a tense night til the Vet opened the next day. Fortunately xrays found nothing
Chloe still does custom UNPRIMED BRASS. Each case is UNIQUE!

 

[Bill K]

Been reloading since around 1954 and have never set one off, yet.

 

[Jdne5b]

Twice. Both times on a ringer, and luckily only the one primer popped, not the full primer tube.

It’s the chain detonations that make a mess of stuff

 

[Mauser06]

Haven't had one go while priming and have deprimed live primers a handful of times...very carefully...almost always use a lee hand primer. Mostly because that's how I started and don't have a good reason to change. I can feel what's going on and if it'd be harder than normal, I'd feel it. When I do prime onnthe 550 there's a lot more leverage..I can see how it's be easy to force one..not sure if you can leverage hard enough to pop one though??


I did have one somehow end up primed in my bin to anneal....I have a bench source. It made it a case or 2 beyond when it was annealed and it went off like a rocket. I had no idea what happened but the primer stayed on the machine top and the case hit my rafters.

Still have no idea how a primed case ended up in my annual bin. I do everything in batches and I deprime and tumble before annealing and processing (usually running somewhat dirty PRS brass so I decap and clean as a first step) I can't even make a guess how a case with a live primer ended up in the anneal bin.

 

[Evlshnngns]

I had one go off annealing. Sank the primer 1/4" deep in plywood. Don't be dumb.

 

[Fast14riot]

Had one when hand priming 5.56LC case that the crimp wasn't fully removed. It started a little tough then broke past the crimp and slammed to the bottom of the pocket. About a 2 foot flame shot out, my neighbor called me to make sure I was ok and the dog was scared shitless and never hung out in the loading room again after that. So glad I had safety glasses on over my prescription glasses and it was pointed away from me.