Static Electricity And Reloading

[jwest]

Calgunners,

What precautions do you take during reloading against accidental static discharge?

TIA,
jwest

[merritt]

None.

What makes you worry about ESD? the kind of electric shock that will set off a primer is the kind of electric shock that will burn you.
(Lead Azide electric shock sensitivity is through a joule-heating mechanism, with that nice huge metal cup sitting around the priming material a large amount of energy will need to be expended to generate enough heat)

now static charges that mess with your powder throw accuracy -- that is something you might actually run into

[CSACANNONEER]

I try not to reload if I'm about to get hit by lightning but, that's the only precaution I take.

[4literranger485]

i reload on a fully welded metal table, with spare car batteries all around so if i drop something it doesnt roll very far

[r08ert209cali]

haha

I try not to reload if I'm about to get hit by lightning but, that's the only precaution I take.

^^^^^^^^now that sounds like a signature line if I ever herd one

[pdq_wizzard]

Black powder is about the only thing I would worry about, but I don't use it

[Blademan21]

I have used a gounding cable on my MEC progressive loader for shotgun shell loading. Mainly the static electricity affects your powder drops in the tube. The powder sticks inside the powder drop tube. But it can also play a little havoc on your scale pan if you wipe it with something that will cause static on the pan. The powder flakes will stick to it and you will have a light drop when you pour it into your casing.
When I was taught reloading, my "Master" did occasionally wipe down the presses with a antistatic cling dryer sheets. I never asked why back then.
It could be a concern if you reload (like me) in a apartment with carpet. I never vaccum until I am done reloading.
I haven't heard of someone causing a spark to ignite the powder, but I don't want to be the first either!

Sideline Shooter

Sideline Shooter-- Sounds like your Master was GTO with the dryer sheet advise.
Hornady says to wipe a antistatic dryer sheet around the powder measure in their Lock-N-Load press.Hmmm.

[Beelzy]

Just don't reload on a carpet......like in the living room.

[bohoki]

oh man



this would be overboard but i'm not planning on shuffling my feet across the carpet and putting my finger in the open top of a powder measure

[Beelzy]

oh man



this would be overboard but i'm not planning on shuffling my feet across the carpet and putting my finger in the open top of a powder measure

Good to go!

[CSACANNONEER]

Black powder is about the only thing I would worry about, but I don't use it

Somewhere there is a video of 60,000? volts being used to try to ignite BP. It didn't work! For special effects, (we needed a smoke cloud for a photo shoot) I have tried lighting a pan with a hundred grains of BP in it by dropping a lit cigarette in it and dropping smoldering paper it in. Both times the embers just smoldered right on top of the BP. The powder would not lite until direct flame was introduced to it. The sparks from a flintlock work because, they are small pieces of burning steel!

[Trakker]

sparks in you vacuum cleaner may be a concern when cleaning up powder spills.
But only if it is a large quantity ~ one case full lumped together.

[merritt]

just remember: in the event of a lightning strike you don't want to be wearing that ESD cable...

I'll take dozens of detonated primers over kilojoules coursing through my body

[Hans Gruber]

Vacuuming smokeless powder sounds PERFECT for Mythbusters

[Desert_Rat]

I keep a dryer sheet in the powder measure while not in use.I noticed that some pieces of powder would stick to the sides when it is empty.Rub it w/a dryer sheet and no problemo.