It finally happened. I inserted a 30.06 (large rifle) primer upside down in a case and didn't see it til it was fully loaded. I have removed the bullet and powder. Also have soaked the primer in both rem oil and rubbing alcohol. Is it safe to punch it out with the decapping die? Thanks in advance!
Primer inserted upside down
- Thread starter oscar243
- Start date
Yes, gently. I've reused primers I've had to poke out with no ill effects.
Up to this point, I've NEVER had a primer fire when punching it out. Right side up or upside down nothing happened. Punching out an upside down primer is really a nonissue since there's nothing to support the anvil.
Good deal, and by all means, always wear eye protection!!! I once has 25-50+ primers explode in my face and would be blind right now if not for the fact that I was wearing eye protection.
Next time, and there will be a next time :wink: just poke it out and toss it or reuse it for practice. I see no need for anything dramatic.
Next time, and there will be a next time :wink: just poke it out and toss it or reuse it for practice. I see no need for anything dramatic.
Tellico
Buckeye
Cholo said:
What prompted them to go Cholo? The only ones I know that blew were because a friend of mine had quite a few shotgun primers in a glass jar that he dropped on a cement floor. I never keep primers in anything but the little box they come in. Over the years I have had to remove backward and sideways primers and deprimed hundreds of cases without any going off. Just did 100 30-06's to ship the brass. Primer dust accumulation in the tray or tube is a hazard too. I hear a tube full going off is very bad news!
Fred
Rick Courtright
Hawkeye
Hi,
Dunno what caused Cholo's primers to go, but a customer/shooting buddy back when I ran a trap & skeet range had almost a full tube of shotgun primers go on him.
There was really no good way we could explain how the detonation occurred, other than the fact he might have been in a bit of a hurry and maybe didn't see something wrong with that primer drop. So perhaps the primer caught the edge of the hole in the repriming cup and he smashed it next time he pulled the hanndle down.
Eye protection and a long sleeved shirt helped keep "damage" to a minimum. Still, he said it was enough to give him a serious case of nerves for quite a number of loading sessions afterward.
Rick C
Dunno what caused Cholo's primers to go, but a customer/shooting buddy back when I ran a trap & skeet range had almost a full tube of shotgun primers go on him.
There was really no good way we could explain how the detonation occurred, other than the fact he might have been in a bit of a hurry and maybe didn't see something wrong with that primer drop. So perhaps the primer caught the edge of the hole in the repriming cup and he smashed it next time he pulled the hanndle down.
Eye protection and a long sleeved shirt helped keep "damage" to a minimum. Still, he said it was enough to give him a serious case of nerves for quite a number of loading sessions afterward.
Rick C
It was in the 70's while using an RCBS primer tube for their Rock Chucker press. I dumped out a mess of primers into the tray. The tube had a small clip at the end and you'd place the tube over the primer and gently "pinch" the primer into the tube one at a time until it was full. BOOM! It sounded like a Cherry Bomb going off. I remember looking to see if I still had all my fingers. My face was bleeding and my glasses were pretty well shot, no pun intended. All the primers that were exposed in the area detonated, not just the ones in the tube.Tellico said:
The primer tube and tray were, of course, ruined and the tube was stuck in the ceiling. I don't recall everything that got ruined that was on the bench, but it was a fair amount. I called RCBS to ask them what happened and got the runaround big time. My guess is a "lot" of primers with high anvils and a *not so safe* way of loading them into the primer tube.
Let's just say I have a great respect for primers, and I never go near my reloading bench without eye protection!
DeletedMember275
Hunter
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2002
- Messages
- 2,759
Cholo said:
As should we all. My biggest primer scare, to date, was caused by a dropped primer and a 3"X3"X12" piece of steel. I use the steel block for a field expedient anvil, and had it standing on end on the floor by my press. I had dropped a couple of primers over the preceding weeks, and not bothered to sweep the floor. Well, I kicked that steel block over one day, and it went 'BANG!!!' Of course, it landed on one of those primers. After I changed my drawers, I swept the floor. You can bet I keep it clean to this day!
Jim Puke
Hunter
Mobuck said:
Bingo!
Keep in mind that shotgun primers are "battery cup" design and self contained. They will fire w/o any support since all the components are in place vs "boxer" primers that require being seated or held against a solid object to support their anvil.
Tellico
Buckeye
Cholo said:
I used that RCBS tube with the spring in the end for a while and I never thought it was a safe method. I got a hand primer and never looked back. The press had too much power and I could not feel the primer bottoming in the case. Crushed primers are not good for accuracy and I am sure some were crushed using the press to seat them.
Fred
volshooter
Buckeye
I just chuck any cases that get primers upside down. Not worth my time, as I have a few laying around.
GasGuzzler
Hawkeye
Worth my time. Takes a few seconds to fix one.
Rick Courtright
Hawkeye
GasGuzzler said:
Hi,
Same here: I just don't like the idea of tossing a case with a live primer, even if it's improperly inserted, in the trash (or the brass bucket at the range.) I KNOW the chances of anything happening are probably a gazillion to one, but if it's BAD, I'll be that one! Now the lottery... different story!
Rick C
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