a friend of mine was using a lee auto loader when the tube that holds the primers exploded. he was loading 45 apc .. he said he was lucky to have glasses on as he was hit be some pieces in his face, he does not know if they were plastic or metal.the whole tube of primers exploded . he emailed the pictures to lee to see if they have a answer as what could of gone wrong. he has loaded ammo for pistol and rifle for 30 years with never a problem and has used the lee loader for the last 6 years. anyone here have any idea of what might have happened??
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
lee auto loaded exploded
- Thread starter mcshooter
- Start date
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
Its weird he's been doing it that long and not had a primer go off on him by accident. Maybe its just because I don't take my time, pinching a primer in the press can easily set it off, and situation depending, it can set others of.
Primer composition is very sensitive. Some primers may have been missing paper (which covers composition) or have "dusted" and friction sent off some composition and a primer(s). Don't see how they would all go off, maybe force just blew them out.
When loading man-rated primers for Aircraft Escape Systems, we always x-rayed them and found some defective ones.
When loading man-rated primers for Aircraft Escape Systems, we always x-rayed them and found some defective ones.
Last edited:
Seems safety goggles are a good precaution anyway, besides trying to determine what went wrong and avoiding the problem in the future.
Primers are very volatile. He may have gotten one upside down in the feeder tube and when he squeezed the lever it set off the others. I would recommend he do three things in the future.
1. Lubricate any friction points on the tube with vasoline.
2. Handle and store primers in small lots of less than 50.
3. Wear a complete face shield and long sleeve turtle neck shirt when priming cases.
http://www.amazon.com/Flat-Visor-Shield-Visors-Products/dp/B001U5O2WQ
1. Lubricate any friction points on the tube with vasoline.
2. Handle and store primers in small lots of less than 50.
3. Wear a complete face shield and long sleeve turtle neck shirt when priming cases.
http://www.amazon.com/Flat-Visor-Shield-Visors-Products/dp/B001U5O2WQ
Last edited:
Unfortunately it happens.
Only "Accident" that I ever had reloading was dropping a tray of 100 primers. I thought I got them all. However my vacuum found one later that week, and it was powerful enough to destroy the beater bar of the upright vacuum. I just about peed my pants wondering what happened.
Much like a firecracker, if it goes off in your hand with your palm open it will burn your hand. Then again if it goes off in an enclosed space, like a closed fist, it will blow your fingers off.
They are powerful, but only in an enclosed space.
Good thing he was wearing glasses.
Stay Safe!
Only "Accident" that I ever had reloading was dropping a tray of 100 primers. I thought I got them all. However my vacuum found one later that week, and it was powerful enough to destroy the beater bar of the upright vacuum. I just about peed my pants wondering what happened.
Much like a firecracker, if it goes off in your hand with your palm open it will burn your hand. Then again if it goes off in an enclosed space, like a closed fist, it will blow your fingers off.
They are powerful, but only in an enclosed space.
Good thing he was wearing glasses.
Stay Safe!
Watch your batches. Don't get complacent and make it a race to compete with Winchester and keep it a hobby.
He is actually lucky this accident DID happen and he didn't get hurt.
After 30 years reloading he re-learned a valuable lesson and is old enough and wise enough to learn from it until the day he dies.
Primers are volatile beyond belief. Using cheap reloading equipment and letting it all wear out will cause pinching or binding I would imagine.
Primers are classified in the order of explosives with dynamite. The fps that the pressure waves travel exceed the speed at which the finest black powder travels at in orders of magnitude.
It needs no constriction to explode like a powder. But, if you place it in a lexan tube or some sort of a hopper and they are stacked, the pressures will peak and the flame front will take out all the other primers from the concussive force of one blasting off. That is why primers are sold in flat packs, so if one pops the explosion tears the pack open.
If I were to reload, I'd wear a face shield. If you keep it clean and store it in a soft bag so it doesn't get scratched, it won't bother the wearer.
He is very lucky that a strip of lexan or a metal component didn't go through his throat or skull. 100 or more primers going off would give me the shivers as well...
He is actually lucky this accident DID happen and he didn't get hurt.
After 30 years reloading he re-learned a valuable lesson and is old enough and wise enough to learn from it until the day he dies.
Primers are volatile beyond belief. Using cheap reloading equipment and letting it all wear out will cause pinching or binding I would imagine.
Primers are classified in the order of explosives with dynamite. The fps that the pressure waves travel exceed the speed at which the finest black powder travels at in orders of magnitude.
It needs no constriction to explode like a powder. But, if you place it in a lexan tube or some sort of a hopper and they are stacked, the pressures will peak and the flame front will take out all the other primers from the concussive force of one blasting off. That is why primers are sold in flat packs, so if one pops the explosion tears the pack open.
If I were to reload, I'd wear a face shield. If you keep it clean and store it in a soft bag so it doesn't get scratched, it won't bother the wearer.
He is very lucky that a strip of lexan or a metal component didn't go through his throat or skull. 100 or more primers going off would give me the shivers as well...
Originally Posted By: mcshooter
anyone here have any idea of what might have happened??
I'd bet there was a piece of small primer brass in with the large primer brass. One sharp seat of a large primer into a small primer pocket can do that pretty easily. I've resorted to double sorted all 45ACP brass just to be extra cautious in avoiding this very problem.
anyone here have any idea of what might have happened??
I'd bet there was a piece of small primer brass in with the large primer brass. One sharp seat of a large primer into a small primer pocket can do that pretty easily. I've resorted to double sorted all 45ACP brass just to be extra cautious in avoiding this very problem.
Static electricity, maybe. Plastic can get a healthy surface charge.
Exactly why I prime off press with a dedicated priming tool. It's a lot easier to feel when the primer is properly seated.
There is no dead silence like the immediate aftermath of an incident like this, or an accidental discharge in your home.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
Similar threads
- Replies
- 16
- Views
- 558
- Replies
- 38
- Views
- 2K
- Replies
- 17
- Views
- 5K
