Reloading Kaboom Yesterday - Please Learn From This

[lhecker51]

I always wear gloves when loading primers. Good fitting medium weight leather gloves are what I use.

[JHermsen]

I can tell you that anyone working with Ordinance is to stand down when the RH goes below 25%. EOD won't touch Black Powder, Missles, ect, when the RH is that low because the hazards are too high.

I do not reload or handle bulk powder, primers, anything explosive during periods of relative low humidity, neither does the Gov. (unless absolutely necessary and then with many precautions).

This is probably information that should be included by manufacturers in regards to their materials and equipment. Actually, I believe there is a warning shipped with primers about SE, shock, heat and the potential for ignition.

For the future: When the RH is low it's time to do something else....other than loading...

Glad your still in one piece, minus the gouges.

PS. You can mitigate your risks by wearing all cotton clothes, conductive shoes, humidifiers...but why? when you can wait for conditions to improve.

Just sayin'

[Full Clip]

First class of you to share. In a community of like mind souls, it's one of the best ways for us to learn. Thanks for the post and I hope you're healing is quick and complete.

This on both counts.
It's sometimes hard to learn from the mistakes of others, but usually because our own ego says, "Nah, that can't happen to me."
Admitting mistakes and accidents happen makes us all safer, so I appreciate your candor.

[E Pluribus Unum]

You are very lucky your fingers are still there.... I am glad to hear it all worked out and you learned from it!

[problemchild]

Grant, glad you didnt lose an eye or finger.

Those tubes need to be made of steel. How many times have I picked up a tube and dumped it without glasses, yikes!

Dont look here......

[NoJoke]

Not to sound insensitive to all that you've (OP) gone through, but maybe all can benefit from what you've experienced (beyond telling the story)?

To me, it appears you've exposed a possible weak link to the safety chain in reloading. Do you have aspirations of going into business?

What I'm suggesting is looking into a heavier pick-up tube. Maybe test different materials, tube thicknesses to find one that better handles a load of 100 primers going off.

I know I'd buy one!

[HighLander51]

grant22, I will be calling Dillon to find out if they have any reports of this happening before and if they have any solutions for this type of issue.


What did Dillon have to say?

[Fishslayer]

This on both counts.
It's sometimes hard to learn from the mistakes of others, but usually because our own ego says, "Nah, that can't happen to me."
Admitting mistakes and accidents happen makes us all safer, so I appreciate your candor.

^^^This.

Even though we're not really sure what "mistake" may have been made, and I don't load on that particular equipment, it's a reminder to ALWAYS wear my eye pro. I'm usually good about it but there are those times that I'm a little lax.

"What I'm doing isn't dangerous. I'll put the glasses on later."

Not any more. Ya just bever know.

[HighLander51]

What is Lead Styphnate? (what's in the primer cup)

Lead Styphnate is classified as an extremely sensitive initiating explosive. According the MSDS it is not flammable or combustible. It will explode at high temperatures (626 Deg. F) and becomes unstable with mechanical shock, impact or electrical (static) discharge.

from the MSDS http://www.design.caltech.edu/microp...n/msds_w79.pdf


VII – REACTIVITY INFORMATION
Conditions Under Which This Product May Be Unstable:
Temperatures Above: EXPLODES at 330 Deg.C (626 Deg.F)
Mechanical Shock or Impact: Yes
Electrical (Static) Discharge: Yes

[EL_NinO619]

Glad your Okay. I really think this is a super isolated incident. One of those perfect storm and maybe something you did not realizing it. Everyone should always at least wear safety glasses. I know everyone on here is saying they will now. But its just like when we have a natural disaster, all of a sudden everyone preps and about a month later no one even lets it pass their mind. I personally think with all the millions of primers loaded, That I will not change my ways after this, Why because I take all safety precautions. I let no one in my loading room without Safety Glasses. This is a unfortunate situation, but should not steer anyone away from reloading or to stop loading. Everything in life has inherit dangers, even knitting. Take all safety precautions and do them always, even if your just priming one case and you left you safety glasses in the car etc. Get the gear or end up a one eye queer...

Also keep you equipment clean and well maintained like any other machines, I see a lot of people never to anything to maintain there reloading equipment. Which could lead to stuff like this.. Makes it harder to seat primers. I have seen primer arm cups on the web that have had so much brass shavings and powder in it, I'm surprised more primers are not going off..

[Mac Attack]

Glad you were not seriously injured.

In all my years reloading this is the first time I have heard of this happening.

[Cokebottle]

grant22, I will be calling Dillon to find out if they have any reports of this happening before

It has.

About a year ago, maybe a little longer, someone posted a thread here on Calguns complete with photos.
Wasn't some newbie... it was a veteran member, well known and respected.

Similar situation, but I think in his case the primers blew out of the end of the tube... I don't recall the tube rupturing.

[grant22]

@Highlander, I talked to Gary @ Dillon and he says he has never heard of this happening in the same manner it happened to me. He said it does, however, happen in the primer magazine, hence the steel blast tube.

@Nojoke, agreed and I'm looking into it. Takes time, though. When I get a minute, I'm going to play with the salad tong idea with a bisected steel tube welded to the tips. The bisected steel tube would grasp as well as shield. Then an ice pick with a bent end would handle the pin pulling duties.......all this keeping my hand a ways away. Also, I'm open to any suggestions.

Dillon did state, however, they wouldn't be looking to redesign the pickup tubes at this time.

@JHermsen, agreed, I will definitely become more in tune with the RH and other conditions. Unfortunately I wasn't aware that was a concern in the first place.

[Brian1979]

I called and spoke with someone and I wont get into saying who or where about this. I was told the primers are a chemical reaction that occurs once the anvil is pressed into the material in the cup. This only happens when seated in brass and the anvil becoming flush to the primer cup by being pressed against the cup in the brass.

I asked in detail about static electricity and was told there is no way no how that let a primer off.

All I know is I am concerned and thinking about this but I still dont know how it could happen. I have reloaded for about 10 years now and never have I ignited a primer. I have even folded them in half pressing them in the brass on accident. Still no issues and I have poked a fair amount which have become stuck in the primer tubes. I dont poke a stack of them and just the one stuck but still no issues.

I am strongly considering buying the Dillon auto primer machine because it seems well protected and minimizes handling of the primers in the entire process. The tube is said to be thick and is a sleeve around the normal aluminum tubes we are speaking of now. It seem to me this would be the safest should anything happen.

I still cant understand what occurred here but there is more to the story. Sometimes what people cant describe is what they dont understand. Perhaps there was unsafe practices here at work but the OP isnt aware of his actions without one of us there to watch and see exactly what he is doing. Its like new shooters talking about an issue with their gun then actually seeing them shoot in person to identify very easily what the issues are.

From what I have been told the theory of electricity is not possible so we need to explore other things here.

Why was there only 50 primers in the tube to begin with?

Were the proper pick up tubes and plastic tips used when converting from one primer to another?

[grant22]

Had the wounds redressed today. I'm posting these pics to give you guys a good idea of the force and energy involved, not to gross you out or get sympathy.

This may be a little like "scared straight."