The Accurate Reloading Forums
seating primer on live ammo
22 February 2014, 22:06
MrNickseating primer on live ammo
Finished reloading some 45 acp on my progressive press. I noticed that a couple rounds did not have the primers seated all the way. Made a small adjustment and made sure that I was moving the arm all the way. Problem solved. Question, is it safe to put my live rounds with the primers not fully seated back in the press and finish seating the primers?
22 February 2014, 22:22
Mike_DettorreYou will get lots of yes's and no's.
On the no side, is it really worth the unlikely chance for a few rounds of ammo.
On the yes, take a primer, put it on the garage floor and see how ward you have to smack it with a hammer to get a discharge.
MikeLegistine actu quod scripsi?
Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.
What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
22 February 2014, 22:31
BlacktailerI've done it but approach the operation gingerly.
OTOH I have deformed primers to the point of seating them completely sideways in the primer pockets on my progressive during normal reloading and have never had one discharge so I doubt it is ever possible to have a primer go off short of hitting it with a hammer.
Have gun- Will travel
The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark
22 February 2014, 22:32
dpcdNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
But I frequently do it. If I told you to and you had a round fire and put your eyes out, I would feel bad.
22 February 2014, 22:46
delloroquote:
Originally posted by Blacktailer:
I've done it but approach the operation gingerly.
OTOH I have deformed primers to the point of seating them completely sideways in the primer pockets on my progressive during normal reloading and have never had one discharge so I doubt it is ever possible to have a primer go off short of hitting it with a hammer.
I have also smashed many primers while reloading, and never had one go off.
when seating a high primer in a loaded cartridge, I do it with a hand primer, held upside-down, arm extended, and slowly. if it goes with normal force, and the usually do, great. if not, I pull it down. ball powders can get underneath a high primer, I believe.
22 February 2014, 23:00
BaxterBMy brother and I once shot a suspect black powder revolver by wearing a leather glove, heavy jacket, and holding it on the other side of a fence. That's probably about what I would do to reseat the primers. But then I've been called overly cautious.
22 February 2014, 23:14
dpcdI do squint my eyes a bit. I have found that overly cautious people do not live that much longer than calculated careless ones.
The only primers I have go off when loading was on a Lee Loader back in the 60s when I was in high school; I might have hit the seating rod a bit too hard but in thousands of reloads, only a few fired. But those were not loaded rounds.
22 February 2014, 23:42
PaulSIs it possible to reseat primers on loaded ammo? Yes.
Is it possible to have one detonate in the process? yes.
Would I do it? No.
Would I recommend it? Only to someone I didn't care for.
What would happen if it did detonate? The case would turn into slow moving shrapnel and the bullet would go a short distance with little chance of harming you unless you caught it in your eye. A full face shield, heavy gloves and clothes would likely protect you from everything but the heart attack you will have when it goes off.
It is easy enough to disassemble the ammo and then seat the primer that it is not worth the slight risk of a detonation to do it with fully loaded ammo.
Speer, Sierra, Lyman, Hornady, Hodgdon have reliable reloading data. You won't find it on so and so's web page.
22 February 2014, 23:51
BaxterBquote:
I have found that overly cautious people do not live that much longer than calculated careless ones.
That's largely true, but we die with more fingers, eyes, and toes on average...
23 February 2014, 00:14
MuttlyI do my own stunts,and I,d suspect the odds are slightly against one goin off... But I,d pull the bullets just for the piece of mind. I don,t suspect most people are looking to get a Darwin award, but some ones gotta win that dubious honour..
23 February 2014, 01:38
eagle27I will, and have, decapped live primers in my press. I make sure there is no powder on the bench and wear safety glasses. If one ever fired, the die will give protection from the flame and the primer will be driven downwards out of the press.
However I had a friend who had a primer fire on a case full of powder when he was reloading. For some reason he was reloading (using a single stage press) by seating a primer, dropping the powder and then seating the bullet one cartridge at a time. I always do one step at a time when I reload. He had seated a primer and dropped the powder then got distracted by his wife's conversation on the phone to someone else, and he attempted to seat another primer. The crushing of the second primer fired off the seated primer and the 308W case of powder. He recalls seeing a big fire ball boiling out of the case. He spent several months in hospital with severe burns to the chest, hands and arms. Somehow his face escaped damage, possibly the bullet seating die gave some protection.
So would I attempt to seat a protruding primer, yes in an empty case, most definitely NO in a live round
23 February 2014, 02:15
ted thornWhen was the last time anyone had a primer go off during seating?
I personaly have not had it happen in my life.
I'd do it
________________________________________________
Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper
Proudly made in the USA
Acepting all forms of payment
23 February 2014, 02:43
vinesnever would I
23 February 2014, 02:59
enfieldsparesWith Berdan type primers never. But I guess that we've all been there, seen it, done it, with Boxer primer cartridges.
Fools we are!
The ONLY circumstance I would do it wouldbe using something like a Lyman 310 Tool, a Lee Hand Primer Seater or someone else's similar.
Or in a single station press with the arm type of the top of the press mounted type.
I'd never ever re-seat a primer in a station below a full powder hopper. Think Dillon SBD or in a press where the round is enclosed inside a die.
That way lies either risk of powder fire or an exploding die.
23 February 2014, 03:01
Joe from So. Cal.I use a LEE AUTO PRIME.
I'd do it with that. The only diff being I would turn it bullet down (and pointing away, of course) and maybe tap the cartridge a bit to knock any powder out of the flash hole.
I think Julian Hatcher proved loaded ammo being detonated out in the open poses only a small risk of injury to someone.
23 February 2014, 03:05
enfieldsparesYes. lthough those powder grains do take a while to grow out of your skin. Done that too! But not reseating a primer.
Dropped the hammer on a blank rimfire cartridge as it was out of the chamber between my two fingers.
23 February 2014, 03:13
ted thornIf you used a fine ball powder you may have poor luck getting a good flush seat.
Powder has without a doubt wondered through the flash hole and into the primmer pocket
________________________________________________
Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper
Proudly made in the USA
Acepting all forms of payment
23 February 2014, 04:02
N E 450 No2Here is a simple guide to live by...
IF you ask yourself IF you SHOULD be doing something, then most likely, you SHOULD NOT be doing it.
Pull the bullets, and start over.
DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY
23 February 2014, 04:18
craigsterquote:
Originally posted by ted thorn:
When was the last time anyone had a primer go off during seating?
I personaly have not had it happen in my life.
I'd do it
Once, back in '65 or '66 when I was is HS. Loading 32 Spls with a Lee Loader. Still have the loader and the rifle, and still use both.
23 February 2014, 04:36
enfieldsparesUsed to get it a lot when seating Berdan primers into ex-military 9mm cases that had had crimped in primers.
The Berdan primer would first be stiff to seat then, as I suppose it ovecame the crimp, rush forward and detonate on the anvil integral with the case.
Never a shock as you pretty much knew when you had a stiff to seat primer that it was probably going to do that.
23 February 2014, 05:40
MrNickWhen in doubt chicken out. Well, I pulled the bullets. I only had about a dozen of them.
23 February 2014, 22:24
PaulSquote:
Originally posted by MrNick:
When in doubt chicken out. Well, I pulled the bullets. I only had about a dozen of them.
Good for you. It is less "chickening out" and more "wisdom".
Speer, Sierra, Lyman, Hornady, Hodgdon have reliable reloading data. You won't find it on so and so's web page.
24 February 2014, 01:12
MuttlyI do my own stunts,and I,d suspect the odds are slightly against one goin off... But I,d pull the bullets just for the piece of mind. I don,t suspect most people are looking to get a Darwin award, but some ones gotta win that dubious honour..
24 February 2014, 02:57
ztrehThe last time.
24 February 2014, 14:17
Shootshellz'I would rather be careful a thousand times than dead once' - Mark Twain.
24 February 2014, 21:48
Reloader270Never do a thing of which you cannot determine the outcome of it. The risk is too high. Rather pull the bullet, throw out the powder and then seat the primer properly.
26 February 2014, 04:55
Suwannee TimIs it safe? Not really but I have done it. I wore a glove and put a door between the cartridge and my body. Ain't like it's going to blow your arm off.
Suwannee Tim
26 February 2014, 07:34
iamgeneNo...pull the bullet and make corrective adjustments so it doesn't happen again...you don't want to be involved in the freak accident you read about in the morning local paper.
26 February 2014, 07:58
jeffeossono way, in hades .. time for pulling ammo
03 March 2014, 08:53
Idaho SharpshooterIf you decide to do so; how about having your wife use your cell phone to make us a video?
06 March 2014, 00:57
tasunkawitkoquote:
Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
If you decide to do so; how about having your wife use your cell phone to make us a video?
Don't forget to say, "Hold my beer and watch this....."
It's not worth it ~ pull the bullets, do it right.
07 March 2014, 00:13
SlamFireThe basic problem is that primers are not predictable. Primers vary quite a bit in sensitivity, when I read accounts such as this, I trust primers less and less:
quote:
Primer goes off in a Purse! http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/si...r-leg-232052308.htmlBy Eric Pfeiffer, Yahoo! News | The Sideshow – Tue, Jun 12, 2012
A Pennsylvania woman was shot in the leg while shopping at a local department store on Tuesday. But in a nearly unbelievable twist, no gun was involved. Apparently, the woman was carrying the bullet in her purse, when it mysteriously exploded.
"She did not have a gun in her purse or on her," Montoursville Deputy Police Chief Jason Bentley told the Williamsport Sun-Gazette. Bentley said the woman, whose name has not been released to the public, "was not aware" she was carrying two or three bullets inside her purse at the time of the accident.
The 56-year-old woman was taken to a local hospital and was eventually discharged. In fact, the woman initially declined medical treatment, only heading to the Williamsport Regional Medical Center after her son reportedly encouraged her to do so.
"Something must of hit the primer of one of the bullets," Bentley said. "The bullet stayed in the purse, but its casing put a hole in the purse and caused a minor leg wound."
Bullets exploding outside of a gun are a rare occurrence but are not entirely unprecedented. In March, a bullet being used as evidence in a court case exploded in a bag and shot 20 feet across a courtroom. No one was hurt in the incident. It was surmised that the bullet exploded after its tip bounced against another bullet tip in the same evidence bag, according to the Telegram & Gazette.
07 March 2014, 09:15
MartyWell, if you live long enough, sooner or later you see everything.
07 March 2014, 11:18
TEANCUMI've developed the habit of checking the case, in a single stage press, right after I size it and reprime it by sliding my index finger across the base of the case. Also I've place it on a flat surface to see if it wobbled as a check. With a progressive press it is harder to do and it seems like case prep has been a big help.
I'll put that primed and sized case back into the die and crank on it again to seat the primer deeper and haven't had one detonate doing that.
I have had them go off when vacuuming up the primers on the floor of my reloading room and finding that not all of them are used. No hard other than the smell and my wife asking me if I have been vacuuming in my reloading room again!!!
07 March 2014, 19:53
Wstrnhuntrquote:
Originally posted by MrNick:
When in doubt chicken out. Well, I pulled the bullets. I only had about a dozen of them.
That wasn't so hard, was it?
AK-47
The only Communist Idea that Liberals don't like.
07 March 2014, 20:06
ztrehIf you said -YES- you need to see a SHRINK, because you are nuts.
08 March 2014, 03:12
Dulltool17Never did; never will. I ain't the handsomest fella around, but I like my face , hands and other parts
Doug Wilhelmi
NRA Life Member
09 March 2014, 03:15
450/400In Modern Reloading, Second Edition by Richard Lee, pg. 59 he says he intentionally discharged a primer through a chronograph and it clocked 1,412 fps. He also writes, "A reloader attempting to drive out a live primer with a Lee Loader decapper and base did it in his lap. The primer exploded and entered his leg to the bone."
30 March 2014, 09:29
Fo Fiddy NEGo to Home Depot and hire an hombre from the parking lot. Have him do it.
30 March 2014, 20:18
RMillerI agree with everyone else.
---
I have never had a primer go off while seating or even depriming live primers.
But is it worth the possibility of getting injured over a couple rounds of 45 acp? I say no to that.
I have thrown a few cartridges in the trash that I thought weren't worth keeping due to "fill in the blank".
--------------------
THANOS WAS RIGHT!