watch your primers!!!

[Axis II]

I have been experimenting with s&b and cci SPP in 38spl due to some failure to fire issues and then decided to switch to rifle for something different and put the remaining cci SPP in a small container but obviously didn't get them all out of my lee safety prime as 2 rounds fired cause smoke and sounded very different and when extracting the fired case i noticed they both had pierced primers. I have since decided that any primers left over in the safety prime get put into a case and not emptied for later use.

I have a very good habit of emptying the powder measures when done using them buy emptying the hoppers and rotating the throw arm several times until not even a kernel comes out. I just got complacent with primers.

New guys take your time and watch what your doing. also some other advice for the new guys is if a bullet feels like it seated too easily or you pulled bullets make sure you resize the case for proper neck tension. I pulled 1 bullet the other night cause a v max made its way into my HP pile and just seated a HP in the same case and when chambering it the bullet pushed itself into the case.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Small container? Does that mean you didn't put the primers back in their original packaging? That is more dangerous than leaving primers in a clear plastic tool.

It's always good to point out our own mistakes so others can learn and possibly not make the same mistake.

 

[Axis II]

Small container? Does that mean you didn't put the primers back in their original packaging? That is more dangerous than leaving primers in a clear plastic tool.

It's always good to point out our own mistakes so others can learn and possibly not make the same mistake.

I had like 10 left of a 100pack i was trying so i emptied the safety prime and put them into a small plastic cup. loaded the rifle up and went to the range 10min away and shot then back home and finished off the 10 SPP. I wasn't saying watch about leaving them in the tool i was telling people to make sure the tool is empty. I checked it last night and you can have up to 2 primers in the tool that you cannot see unless you turn it upside down. My tool is also not clear its white and black so you cant really see if anything is left inside the little arm they fall through.

 

[MtnCreek]

"Never put all your eggs in one basket or all your primers in a glass jar".

 

[ATLDave]

some other advice for the new guys is if a bullet feels like it seated too easily or you pulled bullets make sure you resize the case for proper neck tension. I pulled 1 bullet the other night cause a v max made its way into my HP pile and just seated a HP in the same case and when chambering it the bullet pushed itself into the case.

And sometimes re-resizing the case won't fix it. Cases can get work-hardened and will keep springing back to unsized dimensions and thus provide no bullet tension. Or they can develop a split, which will often prevent tension (and cause other problems if you don't notice it!). And some cases just run thin brass and aren't a good match for bullets that may be on the smaller size.

In short, YES, pay attention to how the press arm feels during bullet seating. If it feels too easy, check the tension and give the case a good once-over. If you re-size it and it still feels too easy and has low tension, no amount of re-sizing will make it work. Toss it, or save it for fatter bullets (if it's just thin brass, like R-P in some calibers).

 

[Catpop]

"Never put all your eggs in one basket or all your primers in a glass jar".

Gee, I miss RC.

 

[Axis II]

And sometimes re-resizing the case won't fix it. Cases can get work-hardened and will keep springing back to unsized dimensions and thus provide no bullet tension. Or they can develop a split, which will often prevent tension (and cause other problems if you don't notice it!). And some cases just run thin brass and aren't a good match for bullets that may be on the smaller size.

In short, YES, pay attention to how the press arm feels during bullet seating. If it feels too easy, check the tension and give the case a good once-over. If you re-size it and it still feels too easy and has low tension, no amount of re-sizing will make it work. Toss it, or save it for fatter bullets (if it's just thin brass, like R-P in some calibers).

Ive tossed a couple that wouldn't hold a bullet. this particular case was from pulling the v max and then putting a HP in it. I wasn't expecting the bullet to enter the case when chambered. any case i encounter that feel funny get the pliers treatment and into the scrap bucket.

 

[someguy2800]

I have a policy that any powder left in the measure or primers in the primer hopper that cannot be positively identified go in the garbage, and I have had to do it several times! When I put primers in the autoprime I leave the empty primer box sitting next to the press on the bench as a reminder. Same for powder I leave the jug sitting next to the dispenser every time there is powder in it. The jug of powder and the box of primers in use are the only ones allowed on the bench until I put it back in the container to switch to another one.

 

[hdwhit]

Happened to me before. That's how the step saying that only one type of primer, powder and bullet weight can be on the bench at a time.

I still use the 1970's vintage RCBS priming tool - the one where you put the primers in one at a time by hand - so there's no danger of me leaving primers in the tool.

Sometimes it's good to be a Luddite.

 

[Axis II]

I have a policy that any powder left in the measure or primers in the primer hopper that cannot be positively identified go in the garbage, and I have had to do it several times! When I put primers in the autoprime I leave the empty primer box sitting next to the press on the bench as a reminder. Same for powder I leave the jug sitting next to the dispenser every time there is powder in it. The jug of powder and the box of primers in use are the only ones allowed on the bench until I put it back in the container to switch to another one.

I like to talk to myself in regards to that. . All powder and primers are kept away from the bench and stored in two separate places and when i grab a powder on the way to the bench i repeat the model to myself and then a label with say benchmark goes on the hopper and if i change it all gets cycled out and the old jug back in the safe place and a new label on the hopper. Primers are kept away also so they don't get mixed but out of 100rds of rifle only 2 had pistol primers in them so im 100% sure they were in the bottom of the tool and i could see them. . I have pitched powder too because benchmark and h322 look exactly the same so it goes into the flower bed. im actually thinking of switching to a hand primer so i can be 100% sure there isn't anything left. the lee safety prime will stop sending primers when your down to the last 3 or so.

 

[someguy2800]

yep I also use the auto prime, I could see how that can happen. And yeah actually the times I have had to throw powder away it was because I couldn't tell if it was h322 or benchmark!

 

[Jack B.]

You can't get complacent with any step when reloading ammo. If you do stop reloading and come back when you are ready to concentrate on the task at hand. Only the components that you need for that particular load should be on your bench and if you get tired and walk away from what you are doing, I know it's an extra step you might not want to mess with but put the components away in their proper containers.

 

[Kingcreek]

I also follow the habit of only allowing the components of a single recipe on the bench anytime I'm reloading. I also have my recipe including bullet powder primer brass and coal on a clipboard hanging at eye level behind the loader.

 

[buck460XVR]

It took me a while to figure out what you were trying to tell us. Iffin I understand you, you left a few SP primers in the priming tool and then used them to load rifle? Yep, anytime a reloader gets complacent or lazy, it generally leads to trouble.

 

[Axis II]

It took me a while to figure out what you were trying to tell us. Iffin I understand you, you left a few SP primers in the priming tool and then used them to load rifle? Yep, anytime a reloader gets complacent or lazy, it generally leads to trouble.

yep that's what i was trying to say. It wasn't really complacent or laziness if you have use a lee safety prime you can have up to 3 primers in the little arm and CANNOT see them unless you take the tool off the press and shake it until they fall out. I had some in the little primer hopper and put them in the jar but didn't know the 2 SP were in the little black box because i didn't take it off the press or they got mixed with the others when in the jar but im pretty sure they were in the arm.

 

[9mmepiphany]

We all have our own processes we like to follow, but I'd be very reluctant to ever put loose primers in a jar.

It really isn't that hard to just put them back in the sleeve they came it. This serves two purposes 1) safely stored and 2) clearly identified

 

[Walkalong]

It really isn't that hard to just put them back in the sleeve they came it. This serves two purposes 1) safely stored and 2) clearly identified

Amen to that.

 

[Axis II]

We all have our own processes we like to follow, but I'd be very reluctant to ever put loose primers in a jar.

It really isn't that hard to just put them back in the sleeve they came it. This serves two purposes 1) safely stored and 2) clearly identified

You guys missed the point. The primers stayed in the tool the other ones in the jar weren't the issue. 2spp stayed in the tool unseen cause of a bad design. Yeah they should go in the container but trying to put 10 primers back in a pack sucks as I've tried. Always check your tools befor use!

 

[9mmepiphany]

You guys missed the point.

We're not missing the point.

We're point out the point that you're overlooking/ignoring. Putting loose primers in a jar can easily lead to a much worst occurrence than you experienced

but trying to put 10 primers back in a pack sucks as I've tried.

I have to admit that the above doesn't track for me. I put extra primers back in the sleeve all the time...usually when I run out of cases to prime.

You just open the package, lay the tray on a flat surface, and dump the loose primers on top. You may have to nudge a few into recesses if they didn't go in directly. It isn't like you have to line them up in rows.

 

[Walkalong]

Yep, easy as pie to put primers back in their sleeve.

The point is carelessness and poor housekeeping can get you in trouble.

We got it.

 

[mmorris]

I solved the primer handling problem by dedicating a primer tray to each size primer I have. Now I take the primers out of the box and put them in the primer feed tray. If I have remaining primers, I leave them in the primer tool feed tray. The only individual primer handling I do is in a primed case.
This is helpful in positively identifying primer type to reduce loading errors, as well as helping with clutter reduction (no empty 100 ct trays waiting for those 13 primers that had no brass).

 

[buck460XVR]

It wasn't really complacent or laziness

You guys missed the point. The primers stayed in the tool the other ones in the jar weren't the issue. 2spp stayed in the tool unseen cause of a bad design.

Like 9mm said, no, we are not "missing the point".

Not knowing how many primers we originally put in the tool, not knowing how many we used and how many we should have left in the tool, is complacent and lazy. Assuming the tool was empty without making sure was complacent and lazy. Blaming the tool itself is just an attempt to lay fault on someone else.

Hopefully you learned a lesson and are passing your mistakes on in hopes that someone else will not make the same. That's a good thing.

 

[higgite]

I have been experimenting with s&b and cci SPP in 38spl due to some failure to fire issues and then decided to switch to rifle for something different and put the remaining cci SPP in a small container but obviously didn't get them all out of my lee safety prime as 2 rounds fired cause smoke and sounded very different and when extracting the fired case i noticed they both had pierced primers. I have since decided that any primers left over in the safety prime get put into a case and not emptied for later use.

So, the only way to make sure that you get all leftover primers out of the Safety Prime is to prime cases with them? I'm skeptical.

 

[Axis II]

So, the only way to make sure that you get all leftover primers out of the Safety Prime is to prime cases with them? I'm skeptical.

or take the tool off the press and shake it until they fall out. the last 2-3 primers in the tool will not feed due to weight and gravity of the others behind them helping feed them.

 

[Axis II]

okay guys I have to say the whole lazy, etc stuff isn't being lazy. up until a few weeks ago there hasn't been any other primers sent through the tool so no worries. yeah I didn't know the primers in the cap of a lee crimp die was an issue, I leave the tool arm on the press, pop the hopper off and refill and then put back on and unlock it.

the main reason for posting this was to try and help a new guy or new user of the tool like I was helped here for the last few years. its not lee's fault but they do have a bad design IMO cause 2-3 primers left in the tool where you cant see them should be fixed somehow but its cheap stuff so who cares.

point be-empty all the tools of either powder or primers when done or switching. even though my lee perfect powder measure throws the last charge I can crank it up to 3 times and get old powder out of it. point being empty the stuff all the way and don't take the its the last primer that came out or the last charge for grated.