Flash-Over Incident Using Hornady Hand Primer

Scrumbag · Aug 7, 2021

Hi folks,

Had a small scare the other day whilst reloading that might be a helpful reminder to people to keep safe and follow your procedures not being sloppy. Primer popped when being seated and flashed over into try causing other primers to detonate.

This happened using a Hornady Hand Primer

My set-up post incident

Close-up of hand primer – not sure where rest of pieces are.

Close-up of “flashed” primers (Note empty but dented cups)

And this is the resulting cuts to hand – fortunately they seem superficial. Blast also blew my glasses off my face and they landed ~6 feet away.

Fortunately I was wearing latex gloves so some protection.

Be careful folks and wear your eye protection.

(Just in case people are interested, didn’t notice anything different from usual. Cases were PPU factory on ~4th firing. Primers were Federal Large Pistol. Cases had been sonic cleaned and primer pockets checked prior to priming and I’d primed ~50 that session. This process has served me fine for ~3 years of loading)

Best wishes,

Scrummy

isofahunter · Aug 7, 2021

Glad you got off with just abrasions, a good reminder of what can happen.

SanPatHogger · Aug 7, 2021

Blew your glasses off.... Thats a pretty good blast.
Did the whole thing go off at once, or was it a bunch of bangs?
I think I have heard of this happening but dont know anyone who actually exprienced it.
Glad you are ok.

roostercogburn98 · Aug 7, 2021

Semper Vigilans. Way to wear ppe and not be complacent. Makes me second guess all the times I figured I’d skip my glasses, as I was only loading a few rounds.

vinniedelpino · Aug 7, 2021

Scrumbag said:
Hi folks,

Had a small scare the other day whilst reloading that might be a helpful reminder to people to keep safe and follow your procedures not being sloppy. Primer popped when being seated and flashed over into try causing other primers to detonate.

This happened using a Hornady Hand Primer

My set-up post incident

Close-up of hand primer – not sure where rest of pieces are.

Close-up of “flashed” primers (Note empty but dented cups)

And this is the resulting cuts to hand – fortunately they seem superficial. Blast also blew my glasses off my face and they landed ~6 feet away.

Fortunately I was wearing latex gloves so some protection.

Be careful folks and wear your eye protection.

(Just in case people are interested, didn’t notice anything different from usual. Cases were PPU factory on ~4th firing. Primers were Federal Large Pistol. Cases had been sonic cleaned and primer pockets checked prior to priming and I’d primed ~50 that session. This process has served me fine for ~3 years of loading)

Best wishes,

Scrummy

Glad you’re ok. I noticed the ring. How’s the Mrs? Was she home and did she take it in stride?

greentick · Aug 7, 2021

Wow! Glad the face is gtg.

ForgeValley · Aug 7, 2021

Maybe I'll stop putting 200 primers in the tray at once now.

Kidding, I don't do that, glad you are okay. Good reminder to keep those glasses on.

ShtrRdy · Aug 7, 2021

Thanks for sharing!
I recently bought a LEE hand primer as a replacement. It has some design features to reduce the chance of this happening. I wondered if it was really neccessary. Even with the design features the instructions state that when using Federal primers to only present one primer at a time.

acudaowner · Aug 7, 2021

never assume safety from anything your well being is your responsibility glad you are still able to type and breath .

918v · Aug 7, 2021

What caused the primers to ignite?

Baron23 · Aug 7, 2021

I've had a 209 primer detonate when cocked in the cup in a hydro powered shot shell reloader. Will cause you to fill your pants, no doubt.

But it never extended to the other primers in the feed rail.

Wow, glad you are ok and def glad you had glasses on...even if blown off.

spife7980 · Aug 7, 2021

And this is what I feel my biggest confidence in the primal rights cps provides over my old lee hand primer that served me very well until it just got too worn out to seat everything all the way every time.

The primers are all in a tube with the cps but you have to slide the feed tray back and forth and it only allows one to enter at a time and then it’s physically blocked from the rest of them by an inch or so of material when it actually gets pressed into the case. Amd I’m sure it possible for the blast to somehow work it’s way through the machine vs just straight up and out the shell holder but it makes me feel safer at least.

ICU22250 · Aug 7, 2021

Close call dude, without those glasses you probably wouldn't be reading this post right now. This is why I retired my lee hand priming tool and started using a CPS, just makes me feel more comfortable in my process.. Glad your okay..

bmash · Aug 7, 2021

spife7980 said:
And this is what I feel my biggest confidence in the primal rights cps provides over my old lee hand primer that served me very well until it just got too worn out to seat everything all the way every time.

The primers are all in a tube with the cps but you have to slide the feed tray back and forth and it only allows one to enter at a time and then it’s physically blocked from the rest of them by an inch or so of material when it actually gets pressed into the case. Amd I’m sure it possible for the blast to somehow work it’s way through the machine vs just straight up and out the shell holder but it makes me feel safer at least.

I really wish you guys would quit convincing me I need to spend more money!
I do get tired of hand priming and worry about events like this happening. I watched a video of the cps unit and it looks awesome!

Glad you weren’t severely injured.

Halfnutz · Aug 7, 2021

bmash said:
I really wish you guys would quit convincing me I need to spend more money!
I do get tired of hand priming and worry about events like this happening. I watched a video of the cps unit and it looks awesome!

Glad you weren’t severely injured.

You can save money by ordering the Prima Fill and a couple tubes with the CPS so you only pay shipping once.

You're welcome

918v · Aug 7, 2021

I have been using these hornady priming tools since the mid ‘90s without any issues. I have two. The only thing you have to do is to make sure all the parts are lined up correctly so the priming ram slides up and down smoothly. Sometimes when these parts get misaligned the primer gets jammed. If you try to force it it might go off. But I always took care to operate the thing carefully and never had sprinter go off. I dunno what happened here.

Clark · Aug 7, 2021

I made some mistakes. I have since changed my ways.

Scrumbag · Aug 7, 2021

918v said:
What caused the primers to ignite?

Think one popped on seating and flashed over to others in the pan

Scrumbag · Aug 7, 2021

vinniedelpino said:
Glad you’re ok. I noticed the ring. How’s the Mrs? Was she home and did she take it in stride?

Fine ta matey

918v · Aug 7, 2021

Scrumbag said:
Think one popped on seating and flashed over to others in the pan

Obviously. Did you feel anything weird while seating that primer?

Scrumbag · Aug 7, 2021

918v said:
Obviously. Did you feel anything weird while seating that primer?

No, felt same as others that evening

Huskydriver · Aug 7, 2021

Lol @Mr. F

Mr. F · Aug 7, 2021

Huskydriver said:
Lol @Mr. F

Nothing like a little bit of destructive testing at midnight by way of 50 chain-blown federal 210s to check the progress of that tinnitus... huh @Huskydriver ?

orkan · Aug 7, 2021

Sorry to hear that this has happened to you @Scrumbag. This issue is one of the reasons I designed the CPS.

I've got a blem CPS somewhere I can throw together to send you if you need a replacement priming tool. I'd need a week or two to find it and get it together for you.

Thanks for the kind words from those of you that own one. Make sure you still wear your safety glasses folks! Primers can be unpredictable. I always recommend to clean your primer tubes every couple thousand primers too. Just pushing a wet patch on a cleaning rod does the trick.

Stay safe!

Scrumbag · Aug 8, 2021

orkan said:
Sorry to hear that this has happened to you @Scrumbag. This issue is one of the reasons I designed the CPS.

I've got a blem CPS somewhere I can throw together to send you if you need a replacement priming tool. I'd need a week or two to find it and get it together for you.

Thanks for the kind words from those of you that own one. Make sure you still wear your safety glasses folks! Primers can be unpredictable. I always recommend to clean your primer tubes every couple thousand primers too. Just pushing a wet patch on a cleaning rod does the trick.

Stay safe!

@orkan , That's very kind but as I'm in the UK might be rather impractical. The CPS looks a very well designed and built piece of kit though.

Scrummy

redbullitt · Aug 8, 2021

That's top shelf right there orkan.

pmclaine · Aug 8, 2021

Priming compound is no joke explosively.

Lake City had a seperate building they make it in and they only make it in what seemed to me ridiculously small batches.

But a little goes a long way stuff is that volatile.

Lake City had there primer facility blow up one time, think a worker was killed.

Had a tube go off in my Dillon......there is the mark in the ceiling from the follower Rod being blown north.

Ears were ringing, the black steel blast containment tube was bulged, it was only about ten to twenty primers.

Even with the onboard swage mil brass can fuck you.

orkan · Aug 8, 2021

Scrumbag said:
@orkan , That's very kind but as I'm in the UK might be rather impractical. The CPS looks a very well designed and built piece of kit though.

Scrummy

Yes, sadly that takes me out of the hunt. Grafs has them though if you ever decide you need one. Good luck and heal up my friend!

Doom · Aug 8, 2021

Glad you are OK.

On a side note, I didn’t fully understand the issue with Federal primers, the Lee warning and why the Federal packaging was so different until recently. After investigating the shipping and storage requirements for primers it appears that the Federal Primers ARE more sensitive and the packaging is to insure one primer detonation doesn’t set off another. Other primers like CCI, Rem, W, and others are not nearly as sensitive.

Deleted member 10043 · Aug 8, 2021

spife7980 said:
And this is what I feel my biggest confidence in the primal rights cps provides over my old lee hand primer that served me very well until it just got too worn out to seat everything all the way every time.

The primers are all in a tube with the cps but you have to slide the feed tray back and forth and it only allows one to enter at a time and then it’s physically blocked from the rest of them by an inch or so of material when it actually gets pressed into the case. Amd I’m sure it possible for the blast to somehow work it’s way through the machine vs just straight up and out the shell holder but it makes me feel safer at least.

I'm still using the Lee setup and have replacements in storage. Only it is not a hand primer. It is attaches to the the press. Their safety prime design has been around a long time.

ForgeValley · Aug 8, 2021

Just primed up my first 50 since reading this. Be lieing if I said I didn't hold the hand primer a little further away.

Huskydriver · Aug 8, 2021

ForgeValley said:
Just primed up my first 50 since reading this. Be lieing if I said I didn't hold the hand primer a little further away.

You have never played with c4 on the job have you or probed for iED pressure plates or arming wires

?

pmclaine said:
Priming compound is no joke explosively.

Lake City had a seperate building they make it in and they only make it in what seemed to me ridiculously small batches.

But a little goes a long way stuff is that volatile.

Lake City had there primer facility blow up one time, think a worker was killed.

Had a tube go off in my Dillon......there is the mark in the ceiling from the follower Rod being blown north.

View attachment 7681650

Ears were ringing, the black steel blast containment tube was bulged, it was only about ten to twenty primers.

Even with the onboard swage mil brass can fuck you.

I got a hole in my ceiling from the follower rod too!

SmartDonkey · Aug 8, 2021

I always wondered why the Federal packages were so much bigger.... and why most of the primer mishaps involved them. And then I made the mistake of thinking that due to them being more volatile they must also be better but mostly switching away from them hasn't caused me any issues.

The redesigned Lee primer does keep the primer being seated separate from the rest-- but it is far from effective and the plastic pieces wear out fast. And then primers start to get stuck and flipped over.... and I gave up on it.

Doom said:
Glad you are OK.

On a side note, I didn’t fully understand the issue with Federal primers, the Lee warning and why the Federal packaging was so different until recently. After investigating the shipping and storage requirements for primers it appears that the Federal Primers ARE more sensitive and the packaging is to insure one primer detonation doesn’t set off another. Other primers like CCI, Rem, W, and others are not nearly as sensitive.

Scrumbag · Aug 10, 2021

orkan said:
Yes, sadly that takes me out of the hunt. Grafs has them though if you ever decide you need one. Good luck and heal up my friend!

Already nearly there sir! Thanks for the offer again, it was very kind.

Scrumbag · Aug 10, 2021

ForgeValley said:
Just primed up my first 50 since reading this. Be lieing if I said I didn't hold the hand primer a little further away.

My new RCBS hand primer arrived today. Might try it out later. Claims it has a "Primer Safety Gate" - "Challenge accepted", I say!

Baron23 · Aug 10, 2021

pmclaine said:
Priming compound is no joke explosively.

Lake City had a seperate building they make it in and they only make it in what seemed to me ridiculously small batches.

But a little goes a long way stuff is that volatile.

Lake City had there primer facility blow up one time, think a worker was killed.

Had a tube go off in my Dillon......there is the mark in the ceiling from the follower Rod being blown north.

View attachment 7681650

Ears were ringing, the black steel blast containment tube was bulged, it was only about ten to twenty primers.

Even with the onboard swage mil brass can fuck you.

A very good friend of mine is a long time champion American skeet shooter (great to go quail hunting with as he never misses so we get lots of birds to eat! haha) and was sponsored for ammo by Remington at one time (think he's with Federal now).

When sponsored by Remington he was invited to tour the Lone Oak factory and toward the end he pointed to a little house like structure some ways away from anything else and asked what that was?

The reply was that was where they load primers and that ain't the first building to be on that site! Yeah, they blew it up a time or two in the past.

I believe that there is a constant mist system in there to keep the HE moist while they work with it.

Glad the only thing hurt in your accident was the ceiling!!

rottenruger · Aug 11, 2021

Scrumbag said:
Hi folks,

Had a small scare the other day whilst reloading that might be a helpful reminder to people to keep safe and follow your procedures not being sloppy. Primer popped when being seated and flashed over into try causing other primers to detonate.

This happened using a Hornady Hand Primer

My set-up post incident

Close-up of hand primer – not sure where rest of pieces are.

Close-up of “flashed” primers (Note empty but dented cups)

And this is the resulting cuts to hand – fortunately they seem superficial. Blast also blew my glasses off my face and they landed ~6 feet away.

Fortunately I was wearing latex gloves so some protection.

Be careful folks and wear your eye protection.

(Just in case people are interested, didn’t notice anything different from usual. Cases were PPU factory on ~4th firing. Primers were Federal Large Pistol. Cases had been sonic cleaned and primer pockets checked prior to priming and I’d primed ~50 that session. This process has served me fine for ~3 years of loading)

Best wishes,

Scrummy

Glad it was minor. I'm about ten years into halfway serious reloading, and had always heard about being careful with primers. But being the pyromaniac I am, had tried popping them by using a slingshot to slam them into concrete, never a whimper, so disappointing. Then one day had a primer pop off while setting in 6.5 Creedmoors.......surprised the hell out of me, after doing thousands and thousands without mishap. Thank goodness I was wearing glasses, and had the case leaned away from me, nothing but the surprise getting me!

spife7980 · Aug 11, 2021

Its gotta be straight up and down to crush that anvil point through the foil and into the compound (or so Ive read). From my findings of smacking them on the ground with a hammer, they always go off. But they always end up round side down so no off cases.

rottenruger said:
Glad it was minor. I'm about ten years into halfway serious reloading, and had always heard about being careful with primers. But being the pyromaniac I am, had tried popping them by using a slingshot to slam them into concrete, never a whimper, so disappointing. Then one day had a primer pop off while setting in 6.5 Creedmoors.......surprised the hell out of me, after doing thousands and thousands without mishap. Thank goodness I was wearing glasses, and had the case leaned away from me, nothing but the surprise getting me!

fancygunz · Aug 11, 2021

How loud was it? Are your ears still ringing?

spife7980 · Aug 11, 2021

fancygunz said:
How loud was it? Are your ears still ringing?

You’re right, it is pretty darn loud

orkan · Aug 12, 2021

I popped a 50BMG primer in a small room once. Never again. lol

Dragonclaws · Aug 16, 2021

Makes me glad I only load one primer at a time on the Lee turret Press. If i popped a primer in the house I would have to evac to the dog house!

Scrumbag · Aug 16, 2021

Dragonclaws said:
Makes me glad I only load one primer at a time on the Lee turret Press. If i popped a primer in the house I would have to evac to the dog house!

Fortunately I load in the garage

918v · Aug 16, 2021

Slow down and gently seat the primers

Servo93 · Aug 16, 2021

Talked to a guy at the range one time who had a very full tray in his hand primer go off. He wasn't wearing safety glasses but miraculously got away without an injury to his eyes. His face and arms were covered with pot marks/ burns in the pictures he showed me.
Wear your glasses fellas, you've got one set of eye balls that science has not yet figured out how to replace.

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