Blkram
Handloader
- Nov 25, 2013
- 2,955
- 3,159
Yes, that'd get your attention!
Primer POP
- Thread starter truck driver
- Start date
300WSM
Handloader
- Dec 24, 2011
- 1,214
- 809
When I was first learning to handload, my friend that was teaching me the ins and outs, also taught me about tilting the hand primer away from me and turning my head away, when seating primers, and to wear eye protection.
I recall discussing the potential harm that a primer igniting while seating...and he actually performed a little test to demonstrate just how loud a pop there would be if a primer detonated when seating, in a mock scenario as close to having it detonate in a hand primer although in a safer fashion, by priming an empty case and firing it in a revolver, out an open window of his reloading room (he lives on a farm out in the country with the closest neighbour's house a few hundred yards away). It was a surprisingly loud "pop"! Glad the window was open and barrel fired out that window, and not just within the room, as the ears would have been ringing! It was a good demonstration that is still remembered when priming.
He then said, imagine what that would have been like not fired in a revolver, but going off in a hand primer, in an enclosed room/space!
Thinking back on it now, it never occurred to us to add hearing protection to the process.
When asked about potential injury to hands, he only stated that it was known to happen, although rare if you practiced safe techniques, and that he wasn't willing to try to detonate a primer in the hand seater to find out; but was willing to watch me try, should I be interested enough to do so!
Needless to say, I declined!
Easy there fellas...Yeah, but you didn't tell about Pete coming into the reloading room with welding hood and asbestos gloves implying that this was a real challenge!
I had to draw the line of saftey equipment somewhere.
My jousting armor got too hot and mittens didn't work well picking up primers.
Back to just being extra mindful and careful
- Thread starter
- #23
truck driver
Ammo Smith
- Mar 11, 2013
- 7,424
- 1,132
Gave Dillon a call today and provided the info about the primer pop. The CS rep said he pass on the info to the engineering department.
I also ran a test to satisfy my curiosity and picked out 5 pieces of brass of each brand I have on hand, Rem, Fed, WW and Star to size decap, square up and clean the primer pocket so I could try seating them using a RBCS RS3 press that seats primers on top of the press and to try in the Dillon 550B.
Both machines seat primer differently and the RCBS has more leverage than the Dillon, so more effort and force is required with the Dillon but not as noticeable with Federal or Win primers as with the Fiocchi.
Also couldn't tell the difference between cleaned primer pockets and dirty, it took the same felt amount of pressure as did the clean pockets.
So the problem is a combination of the Fiocchi slight difference in size and the way primers are seated on the Dillon requiring more force to seat the primers.
Solution is to not seat the Fiocchi primers using the Dillon press which will require an extra step to use them.
For those of you who use Dillon presses does changing the handle give you more leverage by changing the standard ball handle to a roller handle?
I also ran a test to satisfy my curiosity and picked out 5 pieces of brass of each brand I have on hand, Rem, Fed, WW and Star to size decap, square up and clean the primer pocket so I could try seating them using a RBCS RS3 press that seats primers on top of the press and to try in the Dillon 550B.
Both machines seat primer differently and the RCBS has more leverage than the Dillon, so more effort and force is required with the Dillon but not as noticeable with Federal or Win primers as with the Fiocchi.
Also couldn't tell the difference between cleaned primer pockets and dirty, it took the same felt amount of pressure as did the clean pockets.
So the problem is a combination of the Fiocchi slight difference in size and the way primers are seated on the Dillon requiring more force to seat the primers.
Solution is to not seat the Fiocchi primers using the Dillon press which will require an extra step to use them.
For those of you who use Dillon presses does changing the handle give you more leverage by changing the standard ball handle to a roller handle?
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,953
- 10,900
Good information Roger. Thank you for posting.
JD338
JD338
I haven't bothered with the roller handle. I prefer the ball handle partially based on where my press is mounted on my workbench. I have not noticed any issues with lack of leverage with the ball handle either. That being said, I typically do not loads large quantities in a single sitting, but could see if I did, the roller handle being more efficient.
- Thread starter
- #26
truck driver
Ammo Smith
- Mar 11, 2013
- 7,424
- 1,132
Your welcome JD.
I tried the roller handle a friend has leant me and found it to add a little more leverage than the ball style handle that I have used since getting my first Dillon press, but it may not be for everyone.
I decided to measure the length of the Fiocchi primer and compare it to a large rifle primer.
I found that compared to CCI large rifle primer that Fiocchi pistol primer was very close to the same length, close enough that it could be a rifle primer that was packaged in a pistol primer package.
Be aware of mispackaged pistol primers.
I tried the roller handle a friend has leant me and found it to add a little more leverage than the ball style handle that I have used since getting my first Dillon press, but it may not be for everyone.
I decided to measure the length of the Fiocchi primer and compare it to a large rifle primer.
I found that compared to CCI large rifle primer that Fiocchi pistol primer was very close to the same length, close enough that it could be a rifle primer that was packaged in a pistol primer package.
Be aware of mispackaged pistol primers.
