Reloading safety reminder

[LoneTraveler]

Hope the gentleman's hands are doing well in his recovery.

That fire started by the lady getting back in the vehicle and wiggling her toshie on the plastic seat brings back memories.
My Wildlife Officers uniform consisted of 55% Wool 45% synthetic fiber. Certain vehicles I drove, Slide tosh across seat on cold dry morning, Sparks would fly as the key touched the switch. When I went to gas my vehicle when it was cold and dry, I would touch the fitting where the hose was attached to the pump first. Sometime sparks would fly, Then remove the nozzle and place in gas tank.

Many of todays shoe soles are made of a material which cause static electric charge when walking on carpet. Sparks fly off fingers, When fingers get to close to screws in light switches, steel kitchen sinks and such.

 

[orange1948]

Thankful a full recovery is expected.
I have loaded on the same RCBS unit for years without any issues. I would like to share something I did for the first time a few weeks ago that could've resulted in a similar accident. I had started priming a batch of brass when I realized the recipe called for Federal primers not the Winchester primers I had filled the tube with. So, how do I take the tube off the unit without spilling the primers all over the bench and floor? Easy…just reinsert the little cotter key / clip to hold the primers in place. This is easier said than done. One must keeping wiggling / working the clip to get it squeezed between the primers to get it positioned correctly. I finally was able to get the clip in place and the primers changed out. But I was definitely causing a lot of friction with the primers, tube, and clip. The potential for creating a spark and igniting primer dust with a full tube of primers was significant. Of course, I had one hand steadying the tube and the other forcing the clip into the tube between a couple primers. This was a stupid and dangerous action. How does the saying go…the Lord takes care of fools and …?
Duane

 

[jbs2014]

Imagine how much worse this would have been with .50 BMG primers.

 

[yankee outlaw]

OK so how do you change the priming tube with primers in it on a RCBS

 

[orange1948]

The next time I have to change a full tube on my RCBS I will take the whole unit off the bench, turn it upside down and remove the tube. Might take a little longer but it is safer. (I use C clamps to attach the unit to the bench. Not a big deal to remove it from the bench.)
Duane

 

[yankee outlaw]

The next time I have to change a full tube on my RCBS I will take the whole unit off the bench, turn it upside down and remove the tube. Might take a little longer but it is safer. (I use C clamps to attach the unit to the bench. Not a big deal to remove it from the bench.)
Duane

mmm yea maybe i will try that thank you

 

[Seabeeken]

I have been using that same set up for over 30 years and never have had a problem. I would like to know how it happened? I am not criticizing but how did he burn both hands ? One hand needs to push the handle down to put any kind of pressure on the primer. If a primer went off while seating it the sparks would go through an empty case while the tube is out of the way. How a primer went off inside the tube with enough pressure to do that while both ends of the tube are open ? Hope he gets better and please let us know how it happened so others don't make the mistake

I too wondered this. I used this same tool for years and here are my thoughts. When I would put the tube in the tool, I pulled the pin holding back the primers and they dropped into the tool. Here it is, I would then hold the tube in my left hand fingers to steady it as I inserted an allen wrench into the end to push out the primer/primers held by the "fingers" of the tube. I think, had they went off, I would have had the same shrapnel injury to my left hand and burn marks to my right fingers. I'll pray for quick healing for him.
Ive read of primers going off due to static but they weren't certain it was static. I recommend wearing an anti static wrist band and attach the lead to the press first, before touching anything else. We used ground leads on our fuel truck in the service to prevent ignition.

 

[jbs2014]

Anyone ever here of something similar ever happening with a hand priming tool like the one RCBS makes?

 

[Old Rooster]

Anyone ever here of something similar ever happening with a hand priming tool like the one RCBS makes?

NEVER

 

[orkan]

Anyone ever here of something similar ever happening with a hand priming tool like the one RCBS makes?

10 seconds on google:

RCBS hand priming tool exploded

My fault, I think. I was hand priming 338 Lapua brass with Fed 215m primers. I already primed about 30 pieces of brass when the whole tray exploded. Got a cut on my nose, burned my hands, blood blister on finger, knuckle is swollen and a cut on my knee through my jeans. I was extremely...

www.mdshooters.com

... and I've heard of it happening MULTIPLE times in my career with various hand tools.

 

[orkan]

Another 10 seconds on google.

Warning: Primer Detonation

www.shootersforum.com

 

[Old Rooster]

NEVER

I stand corrected.

 

[jbs2014]

10 seconds on google:

RCBS hand priming tool exploded

My fault, I think. I was hand priming 338 Lapua brass with Fed 215m primers. I already primed about 30 pieces of brass when the whole tray exploded. Got a cut on my nose, burned my hands, blood blister on finger, knuckle is swollen and a cut on my knee through my jeans. I was extremely...

www.mdshooters.com

... and I've heard of it happening MULTIPLE times in my career with various hand tools.

Sorry I meant to ask if anyone on THIS forum had it happen to them.

But thank you for the information

 

[Ol' Red]

Another 10 seconds on google.

Warning: Primer Detonation

www.shootersforum.com

I just read the links provided by orkan and read what others have posted here. This raises a concern that I honestly never had before. I have had primers turn sideways and get crushed when seating while using a primer tube on the press. I have had a couple primers flip upside down and pressed into the shell. I pressed these out with the decapping die very gentle like. I have never had a primer go off on the bench. I had a couple go off in the vacuum cleaner. I have never had a primer flip, get sideways or any other issues after switching to the handheld primer tools. Tomorrow when I sit at the reloading bench, I will feel a little more respect the those little primers.