Lee Load Master Primer Explosion

[automatikdonn]

I had a large rifle primer blow up in my Lee Load Master, and destroy my priming system. I loaded 500+ rounds prior with the same setup, and every primer seated flawless. I have no idea why this happened. Anybody got any help.

**** My solution was buy a hand primer, and ditch the factory system. ****

Does anybody have a solution that involves still using the factory priming system.

[Fishslayer]

Glad you weren't injured.

Just curious, but what brand primer?

[sl4ck3r]

this seems to be happening a lot lately... or maybe i just started paying attention to the reloading forum lol

[automatikdonn]

It was a Winchester primer WLR

[EL_NinO619]

Excessive force?

[Fishslayer]

Excessive force?

Primers SHOULD require a pretty sharp impact to ignite. I've seen pics of some pretty mangled up primers that didn't ignite.

A good reminder to ALWAYS wear the eye protection. Stuff happens.

[oso grande]

If I were you, I wouldn't let one kaboom keep me from using my progressive press as it should be used...for all operations.
There was no harm -no foul. I say, shake it off and get back to it.
Be sure and install the Lee blast shield.
Good Luck,

OG

[freonr22]

pics please

[EL_NinO619]

Let me say what I meant to say, Excessive force applied quickly, Dropped the handle something bound up and quickly released.

My buddy XDRoX's and me have mangled some primers pretty bad loading mil crimped rounds etc. we have taco-ed them and far worse. I really think its just something hung up.

[grant22]

Glad you weren't hurt man.

[NotEnufGarage]

Was this with the old primer feed or the new improved one?

Have you contacted Lee about it and see what they have to say?

I've loaded several thousand rounds with my Load Master and with the old primer system I got many mangled primers but never an ignition.

Lee Primer Blast shield is a must. A chain reaction would send plastic bits all over the place. I can't see how anything on the press would create enough of a strike to ignite a primer. Is your press grounded? Perhaps a static buildup between the metal and plastic parts and a flipped primer moving between the two creating a spark? I'm very careful about making all my primers are facing up in the tray and haven't had a single slipped primer with the new primer feed.

I use CCI #34 and #41, as well as Tula SPP in mine.

[CSACANNONEER]

A friend of mine, John Burt (NRA BoD and President of the Fifty Caliber Institute) once touched a primer which was protuding from the cartridge and it went off. Imagine a 50BMG round going off in your hand. That's what happened. No one can explain it with 100% certainty but, it could have been static eletricity or ????. Anyway, this was witnessed by other 50 shooters at a FCSA match so, it is a well documented incident. This just goes to show that strange things can happen and there is no way in knowing exactly what happened in your case.

[ns3v3n]

Glad you're ok man. But yeah shake it off and use your progressive like it's meant to be.

[Endofcomment]

There was a thread earlier by a member that was injured by his pick up tube going off in his hand and the explanation he received from dillon was that the dry air and wind attributed to a lot of static electricity that would have set it off. If the lee stuff is plastic this would create a bit of static electricity just by the primers moving around. Ground your press.

[automatikdonn]

I run the press the same every time, and about every 12-15 primers, one of them goes in sideways, or upside down. I am new to reloading, but not dumb so I do double check everything.

The primer got caught between the shellplate and the priming rod and kaboom.

I am very gentle with everything to avoid spilled powder.

I am yet to contact Lee, but I'm sure they will make it right.

I have not lost faith in the press and its ability to prime, but I have found that hand priming is about 10 times faster because my work is double checked as soon as i take the cartridge out of the hand primer.

My press is not grounded, but I am on a concrete floor in my garage, not carpet.

I do appreciate all of the feed back from everyone, and I have had enough fighting with the presses priming system. For now I'm just going to hand prime. I do mainly rifle loads, so this is not a huge issue.