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Safest Priming Tool?

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BTShooter

Private
Minuteman
Dec 30, 2019
52
21
I had just started priming some cases to load up for tomorrow morning's range trip and one of the primers detonated. Luckily, only 1 detonated and there was nothing more than a loud bang and a quick flame. Still scared the holy hell out of me though and my ears were ringing for a minute or 2. Also caught my wife's attention too. Fortunately, she just asks if I made the loud noise rather than how I made it.

But it makes me wonder: is there a safer method to prime than what I'm doing? Currently, I'm using the RCBS universal hand primer with the tray. But I'm not going to use that tray anymore so as to avoid the entire tray being set off from a detonation.
 
If you have to squeeze it hard enough to set a primer off then you should feel the issue before it reaches that point. Back up and see where it’s misaligned and we can work from there. Don’t gorilla hand it and you’ll be fine.
 
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spife7980 said:
If you have to squeeze it hard enough to set a primer off then you should feel the issue before it reaches that point. Back up and see where it’s misaligned and we can work from there. Don’t gorilla hand it and you’ll be fine.
Click to expand...

I actually did feel it, then backed off and checked it. I made sure the primer was straight and just as I started to squeeze again, bang.
 
You didn’t say what priming tool you were using? Seems like it functioned like most do by isolating the priming operation from the tray. You don’t need a safer tool, you need to recognize when you’re doing something wrong.
 
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Supersubes said:
You didn’t say what priming tool you were using? Seems like it functioned like most do by isolating the priming operation from the tray. You don’t need a safer tool, you need to recognize when you’re doing something wrong.
Click to expand...

I did say what priming tool I use. I.e., first thing you did wrong was not reading the entire post.
 
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Supersubes said:
Sure enough. So you still gonna blame the nonexistent problem with the tool, or focus on your technique next time?
Click to expand...

You didn't ask about technique. You asked which tool and assumed it was technique. I've been reloading for quite a long time and this is the 1st mishap of any kind I've had. I'm not saying my technique isn't to blame, at this point, I'm not 100% certain. What I am saying is that when appropriate technique and precautions are followed, $hit still happens.
 
Like others said it’s not the tool it’s the operator. I can’t tell you how many thousands of rounds I have loaded but I can tell you I never popped a primer. The key is paying attention to detail.
 
All of them work the same. Probably the safest way I guess is with a single stage press .
 
BTShooter said:
You didn't ask about technique. You asked which tool and assumed it was technique. I've been reloading for quite a long time and this is the 1st mishap of any kind I've had. I'm not saying my technique isn't to blame, at this point, I'm not 100% certain. What I am saying is that when appropriate technique and precautions are followed, $hit still happens.
Click to expand...
I mistakenly asked which tool(my bad) , and told you to recognize when something was wrong. You then replied to spife saying you did feel it, but still went ahead and tried to seat it. This is on you, that’s all I’m getting at. The priming tool did exactly what you asked of it, and it’s built in safety features saved you.
 
Getting back to the original question, I use a RCBS bench prime. Primer tube is safely out of the way of the case being primed, wear eye and ear protection, keep your face out from over the case being primed. If a primer lights, it will be a one off, with no chain reaction. Your eyes and ears will be good. Can't speak to the condition of your shorts.
 
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BTShooter said:
I had just started priming some cases to load up for tomorrow morning's range trip and one of the primers detonated. Luckily, only 1 detonated and there was nothing more than a loud bang and a quick flame. Still scared the holy hell out of me though and my ears were ringing for a minute or 2. Also caught my wife's attention too. Fortunately, she just asks if I made the loud noise rather than how I made it.

But it makes me wonder: is there a safer method to prime than what I'm doing? Currently, I'm using the RCBS universal hand primer with the tray. But I'm not going to use that tray anymore so as to avoid the entire tray being set off from a detonation.
Click to expand...
I’ve primed thousands of cases with that tool without issues.
Can’t understand how you lit one off with it.
 
Steel head said:
I’ve primed thousands of cases with that tool without issues.
Can’t understand how you lit one off with it.
Click to expand...

I was quite surprised as well. With that being said, I've had a lot of issues with it sticking a bit as I'm priming. Normally, a simple twist of the case seems to find more of a sweet spot so the primer goes in smoothly. There's never been excess effort applied, no "gorilla handing" or any other lack of attention that was the focus of many comments on this thread. I felt it stick, I stopped and rotated the case, made sure the primer was straight (it still wasn't started in the case yet), and when I just started applying pressure again - bang. After some additional internet search, I saw multiple postings on other forums about the ram not being completely centered in the primer hole and this has caused issues with the primer canting a bit. Mine has this same issue and I just ordered a bench-mounted model.

But of course, as many have commented here, it couldn't possibly be the tool...
 
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Gosh I’ve probably seated a quarter million primers by now, in a 1970’s lyman c-frame (pre-spartan/crusher) with the primer tube fed arm. I’ve had primer pockets shaved and left brass slivers on the priming arm cup which have dented primers, but none have gone bang. Just about every type of primer from every brand has gone though it, sr/lr/sp/lp/lrm. My current press is a t-7, using the same tube fed priming system. Nice thing about the t-7 version is the primer tube has a steel shroud covering it, in the event something gnarly were to happen...the lyman one was unshielded.
Its the one step in the reloading process that you really have to be mindful of and go slow.

If you have to force something, stop and re-assess. That kind of applies to everything in life.
 
Winchester brass by any chance?

I broke two pawls on two separate occasions on my Hornady progressive because the shit Winchester brass had undersized primer pockets.

Primers wouldn't seat fully, then hung up the case and shell plate when it tried to index.

I still had the sense not to press hard enough to pop them, but not enough to realize why the press wouldn't advance.

Point being, if it feels wrong, it is. Stop and figure out why it feels wrong.
 
LawnMM said:
Winchester brass by any chance?

I broke two pawls on two separate occasions on my Hornady progressive because the shit Winchester brass had undersized primer pockets.

Primers wouldn't seat fully, then hung up the case and shell plate when it tried to index.

I still had the sense not to press hard enough to pop them, but not enough to realize why the press wouldn't advance.

Point being, if it feels wrong, it is. Stop and figure out why it feels wrong.
Click to expand...


I appreciate the advice, but I did not force the primer (see above posts - everyone assumes I forced it without reading on). I use Lake City brass.
 
BTShooter said:
I had just started priming some cases to load up for tomorrow morning's range trip and one of the primers detonated. Luckily, only 1 detonated and there was nothing more than a loud bang and a quick flame. Still scared the holy hell out of me though and my ears were ringing for a minute or 2. Also caught my wife's attention too. Fortunately, she just asks if I made the loud noise rather than how I made it.

But it makes me wonder: is there a safer method to prime than what I'm doing? Currently, I'm using the RCBS universal hand primer with the tray. But I'm not going to use that tray anymore so as to avoid the entire tray being set off from a detonation.
Click to expand...
I've used that same tool exclusively since 2003 to prime literally tens of thousands of rifle and pistol cartridges in several calibers and I have not had even one detonation yet.

What are you doing incorrectly?
 
I've used a RCBS hand primer for the last 25+ years and only had a primer go off once. Near as I can tell, I missed a piece of corn cob media material that was lodged in the flash hole. Went to seat the primer, and bang!

Since then, I check each case carefully. Never had a problem since.
 
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What do you all think about the APS priming tools? You can buy the primers that come in strips already for a few cents more per unit and use priming tools that use those directly instead of tubes or whatever. Is that safer as far as preventing chain detonations?

Something like this or the hand version of this:
RCBS APS Bench Priming Tool
 
I'll expound a bit on why I ended up selecting the CPS (again, newb so take with a grain of salt). I researched every stanalone precision primer seater I could find. The only one that I found that gave a preset seating depth was the CPS. Every other seater seemed like it relied on feel to some extent. I just figured the more variables I eliminate the more precise my ammo would be. It's probably overkill for my intended use, but it's a pleasure to use, seating depth is very consistent as advertised, and it is fast. As a bonus when the primer is actually being seated it is a good distance away from the other primers so even if it detonates it would be only the one primer going off.
 
I've been using a 'top of the line' LEE hand primer, for over 30 years. I won't deny that "one day" I'll get a gooder one.

Thing is, it has always worked, and there has always been "importanter" things to spend my money on.
 
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