Safety and Freak Accidents while Reloading

[Rustystud]

I am not your average reloader. I have multiple machine driven progressive presses with both case and bullet feeders on them. I have several manual progressives and several single stage presses. Sometimes there is some spilt powder and dropped primers on the counter or floor. Not a good combination.

Yesterday, while reloading .223s I dropped a loaded round off the press at chest level to the concrete floor. The point of the bullet found a un-spent primer on the floor. Yes, it went off and did not ignight anything but my underwear.

I looked under my bench and there were literally several dozen spent and unspent primers on the floor. There was a slight dusting of powder on the floor also. To my right was maybe 100 pounds of powder in cans and kegs.

I spent about 20 minutes sweeping up the floor and cleaning off my counters. I was amazed at what I found. I carried the matter to may incenerator barrel. And burned it with a load of paper trassh. It sounded like the 4th of July.

We can't be too safe and we often become complacient.

Take time to clean up after every loading session.

I had a lucky and inexpensive wake-up call.

Rustystud

 

[Forum Boss]

Rusty,

You've raised a number of important safety points. When I visit other reloaders, it's all to common to see spilled powder on the bench, press recesses or the floor.

BTW, this is one reason why I much prefer using RCBS strip priming--both for my progressive press and for my hand press. The "spill factor" goes down to almost zero once you've loaded the primers in strips. And CCI primers can be purchase pre-loaded in the strips--making it near impossible to spill a primer,unless you forget to insert a case).

 

[NorCalMikie]

I make it a habbit of priming all my cases away from the reloading room.,and powder),Lee Autoprime)Sit and watch the tube and prime 100 at a time.
As far as loose powder on the floor,that's to be expected. Don't think I could ever get past the "dogs" at the airport without being naked!!

 

[Rustystud]

Paul:

I use turrents with with 10 tubes conataining 100 primers in each tube. I start out with 100 primers in the machine. I ususally load up 3-5 turrents at each loading session time, about an hours worth of loading time. The turrents use the Dillon primer tubes. I use a Dillon primer tube filler to fill th tubes. I never have more than 100 primers actually in the machine,in the sleeved protector) at a time. I don't advance the primer tube turrent until the previous 100 are used up. My case and bullet coolators will hold about 500 at a time. Every 5th primer tube I refill the coolators. I loose very few primers in my automated loaders. I loose primers with my 2 Dillon 550s. I keep a small shop vac in my relaoding room. before I vacume I put about two inches of water in the bottom of the reservoir. This will kills all powder and primers. It also make the vac heavier and more stable. I drain the water out and let the vac run about 5 minutes air drying when finished.

When I load .223, .308s I try to load at least 2500-5000 at a time. When I load .9mm .38s, and .45s I try to load 10,000 at a time.

I use to enjoy relaoding but now I don't enjoy itanymore. I have tool heads set up on my 550s for everything I load. I have electric case trimmers set up on my single stage presses. Very seldom do I ever load on my single stage presses.

If anyone is interested in a Ammoload machine I know where there is one that can be had right. It is set up for 40 S&W.

Rustystud

 

[USAPatriot]

I've never lost any live primers but once dropped a nearly full container of Varget :nono: The stuff went everywhere and I had to pull out the furniture, the bench, the rug...everything...to get it all cleaned up. Varget rolls and bounces amazingly well. -Rod-

 

[Allene]

I guess we all have a "it happened to me story" and if we can learn from it as opposed to experiencing first hand, then its worth it. I was pulling a hand full of bullets from loaded ammo which I had taken to test when I reached the top end and I decided not to fire anymore. This was on a Rock Chucker and an RCBS bullet puller. They,the bullets) were coming out rather hard and I could see that I was bending the rims from the tension I had on this particular batch of ammo. I thought nothing of it. Evidently one bent just enough to crush a primer and set it off. The Rocker Chucker frame was a little 'catywampus', the ram had the shell holder impregnated into it quite well and the bullet puller looked like it was 9&1/2 months pregnant. I was wearing shorts and flip flops. My wife was in the carport and came running it to see what had happened and my legs looked like I had a double case of the measles with blood spots but none running. Lesion learned.
The good part of this lesion, if there can be one, is that I packaged all of the RCBS stuff and with a letter explaining my stupidity, sent it off to OMARK along with my credit card #. A little over two weeks later, I received a new press, shell holder, and bullet puller along with a note thanking me for using RCBS products and a 'no charge sales slip'. I fully expected to pay for this and only wanted the damaged parts repaired or replaced. I will never forget the experience or the company.
Allen Elliott

 

[tenring]

Few reloaders realize just how potent live primers can be. I have heard of accidental discharges while using the Lee hand held units. I always hold my Lee under the reloading bench and between my legs while seating primers. Never had one detonate, and not anxious to do so. Also, all my loading takes place over carpeted floor above my cement cellar slab. I have dropped, lost and damaged, too many bullets, cases, and tools over the years. And every couple weeks, I run the vaccum cleaner over the carpet for easy cleanup.

 

[Rustystud]

Primers are the number one killer in reloading accidents. Just think what a tin of 100 primers can do.

There is a reason Dillon only works with 100 primers and they are in a protective tube.

Rustystud

 

[NorCalMikie]

When I prime my cases, I dump only 10 or 20 at a time into the Lee primer tray. Just in case! Never had one go off and am not looking forward to the first one!

 

[shcal]

A couple of months ago Costco had a large supply of that foam shop flooring material that you can put together in any configuration. I installed it under my reloading bench and around my loading/cleaning area. Good thing because several weeks later I dropped several loaded rounds and they harmlessly bounced on it. Good thing it wasn't my concrete garage floor.

As far as priming goes I use an old fashioned single single primer K&M priming tool and usually only put out 10 primers at a time on my tray. I always use safety goggles in addition to my glasses. My powders are kept on the top shelf of my loading bench, about 3.5 feet above the priming operation. Knock on wood, so far I haven't had any reloading emergencies.

 

[USAPatriot]

Primers are the number one killer in reloading accidents. Just think what a tin of 100 primers can do.

There is a reason Dillon only works with 100 primers and they are in a protective tube.

Rustystud

If you aren't aware of just how much power these little guys have, take one and put it face down on your driveway and hit it with a hammer. I think you'll be a little surprised. -Rod-

 

[Stonewall]

I remember one night that I was working with a priming tool, a few primers and several cases on the table in front of the tv. I had picked up a dropped primer from the carpet and not thinking must of put it in the ashtray because when I put out the last cigarette a bit later it hit the ceiling !!
On the carpet idea-I remember moving a piece of carpet that my friend had left under his buffing wheels-it got in the way I thought. On the last pass the Model 70 trigger guard caught and threw itself into the concrete floor. I never said anything -just pushed the carpet back into it's place - a learning experiance I thought at the time.
Glenn

 

[twofifty]

Lee Auto-Prime instructions say to never place more than 10 WLR primers in the tray...but you can put 100 of any CCI primer in the tray.

Remington primers are not even listed, which according to Lee means either they "have not been tested or have been tested and are not safe".

I don't understand why such drastic differences.

_______________ EDIT _____________________

Ok, found this a couple of pages further back, posted by Bob Blaine in 2006:

"In regard to the Lee Priming Tool, from what I understand, they make the recommendations on the primers to use due to a legal issue that they had to deal with. From what I had been told, it involves what happens from the way "some" of primers are made. In a nutshell, primer compound dust built up in the flipper tray ridges that Lee uses to hold the primers, and a static electrical discharge ignited the build up of priming compound dust and then ignited the primers in the tray of the tool. One can only imagine what happened from there from a legal view! It is because of this incident that Lee makes the recommendations that they do. However, I did read several years ago,from a member of the Cast Bullet Association, how one can alleviate this situation of the build up of the primer compound dust with the Lee tool, as well as any of the primer flipper trays that are available to the reloaders. From time to time you should wash these trays in dish washing detergent and let the suds dry on the tray. This knocks the static electricity charge down and prevents an accidental ignition of any build up of priming dust. I would imagine that you could use an anti-static spray for this purpose as well, but I will still wash my trays in detergent since I know that the tray is clean, and safe.

Cordially,
Bob Blaine"

 

[halfmile]

I never had a problem with metallic, but when a primer goes off in a shotgun press your laundry person will have a chore.

HM

 

[Fred Bohl]

Rustystud

Thank you for sharing your story and reminding all of us of the dangers associated with primers. While I am at least better at cleanup of my loading debris, I do have to to admit to being guilty of letting the clutter of tools and parts,you know - the stuff you meant try out) get out of hand. So your heads-up will have me cleaning up the clutter tomorrow. Thanks again Nat.

Paul

After far more years of using a Lee hand tool to prime cases than I Like to admit, I discovered the RCBS APS primer strip system about 4 years ago. Now I use the preloaded APS strips and both CCI BR4 & BR2 exclusively. No more handling of loose primers.

I believe that precision reloading requires consistency of process. While I have used the APS Hand Tool, I prefer the APS Bench Tool because I find it provides for a more consistent feel and a more consistent process.

 

[xdeano]

I've been reloading for about 15 years and i've never had any problems with primers or powder kegs tipping over.

I have on occasion had a double charge of powder go into a case, easy to tell because it won't all fit in the case and dumbs all over. I clean it up and start over.

My father when liked to get a rise out of my mom while reloading on several occasions and would put a primer on the vice and take the hammer after it, it is amazingly loud in a small room. My mom would always come running. I don't do this with my wife because it's like crying wolf, and i'd get my a$$ chewed.

I also try to keep my priming process and powder dumping separate.

Having dogs also make you a bit cautious with the primers, I dump only as many as i need. I can't imagine the damage it would do to a dog if it were to pick one up and start chewing on one.

have fun and keep it safe guys.

Deano

 

[Mudcat]

Had a stack of almost 100 primers go BOOM! in my Dillon 650....lets just say I had to throw away the underwear I was wearing!

Still have remnants of primers and the top part of the primer assembly embedded in my ceiling!

Want to talk about LOUD....blew me onto the floor. I walked away without a scratch though as everything shot upwards and not outward, thankfully. Dillon had new parts on the way to me within 30 mins of my call.

I no longer prime and dump powder on the same cycle....just to be safe. ANd, I no longer run Remington or Winchester primers thru my Dillon...the anvils stick up too far and thats what caused the problem....Remington 9 1/2s are horrible for this.

 

[chomondely]

I had a small pistiol primer go off while seating it in my Dillon press. Loud, no injuries. I always wear safety glasses,

 

[people]

Now I keep everything clean and labeled.
Now crimped primer pockets are our biggest problem.

 

[bpost1958]

Back in the mid 1980's Sparky Fulmer, his daughter Patty and several employees were identified by dental records after his commercial reloading operation went up in a huge fire. The Business was Buffalo Rock Shooters Supply in Ottawa Il. The fire was so hot it melted steel I beams. Sparky was a good guy. He often proclaimed that he was getting low on primers when he got down to 1.5 million on hand. God grant mercy on his soul.

Reloading needs to be a clean operation, a paint prush kept handy is a great tool for getting loose powder swept up and disposed of. Live primers need to be handled with care. Clean up any live primers and get rid of them in a place they can no longer cause harm if they explode.