Had a primer detonate the other day

[TennJeep1618]

I had a primer pop on me Saturday morning.

I had a few 308 handloads that wouldn't chamber, so I pulled them down and started over. As I seated the bullet on one of the rounds, the primer was pushed partially out of the pocket. I've never had that happen before and I didn't notice the pocket being loose when I seated the primer. Since the case was charged and the bullet was mostly seated, my only option was to pull the cartridge down again and start over. I was using a Frankford Arsenal inertia (hammer-type) bullet puller with the correct collet. On the 3rd hit against my workbench leg, the primer detonated and hit the closet door on the other side of the room. I have pulled at least 300 rounds since I started reloading and I've never had that happen before. I inspected the case inside the puller and thankfully the round didn't discharge. There was nothing near the back of the primer that should have caused a strike against it, either. I found the primer cup and anvil and there were no marks on either of them.

Does anyone have any idea what may have caused that to happen? I was using extruded powder (IMR 4064) and the only thing I can figure is that a piece of powder aligned perfectly to go through the flash hole and push the primer partially out when the bullet was seated. Then, when I hit the bullet puller, the primer anvil was pushed against the piece of powder so abruptly that it detonated. The powder was not compressed, so I'm not sure how that could have happened, but it's the only thing that I can think of.

 

[shootnstarz]

Glad you're OK, that could have been a disaster.

Only thing I can think of is there was a reason the primer was not fully seated. It may have jammed and gotten flattened out a little when you first primed it and the whack on the table was all it needed to fire. If the anvil gets lose or moved that could also cause a problem. I would believe if you find that problem that would at least be a factor in the AD.

What brand? Did you just throw away your drawers or soak them in bleach?

Rick

 

[TennJeep1618]

I'll take a picture of the primer pieces when I get home. I check every primer after I seat it to make sure it is the correct depth. The primer cup and anvil looked like they were perfect shape, just in pieces after it went off.

As far as my drawers go, it happened so fast and so unexpectedly that it took a couple seconds to register. I broke out into a sweat just thinking about what could have happened, but no drawers change was necessary.

 

[Whisky]

In 10 years of reloading, never had it happen.
Scary stuff... Stay safe.

 

[JohnAL]

I have been reloading 40 years and have never seen that. I have pulled enough bullets to destroy two of the hammer type pullers and never had an issue. I have decapped a bunch of live primers (with safety glasses) and never had one go off. Very strange.

 

[Richard J.]

Been reloading since I was very young. Will be 67 in Dec. Had a lot of primers mess up over the years on all calibers. Never had one go off. You are very lucky the shell didnt blow up when it went off. This makes me wonder if you had media from cleaning the brass in the primer flash hole. I have had primers not seat due to this. Sometimes you just dont see it stuck in there when you are doing thousands of rounds. Count your blessings.

 

[TennJeep1618]

Here are pictures of the primer.

Here are the places where the parts of it hit the door about 10 feet away.

 

[Capt]

I don't reload,but,yeah that would've left a mark!

 

[shootnstarz]

Looks like a Federal Gold Medal primer, loaded a bunch of them and never had one go off. That's pretty weird, just goes to show don't get too complacent with reloading.

Rick

 

[oneshot]

I'm with every one else been at it for over 48 yrs, pulled I don't how many never had that happen, even with crushed primers. And I thought I had every thing that could happen to me. Just my 2 cents jj