Flash-Over incident using Hornady Hand Primer

[Scrumbag]

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

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

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

View attachment 417268

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

View attachment 417271

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

View attachment 417269

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.

View attachment 417270

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

That’s scary! Glad you’re ok.. Looks like a good way to go blind

 

[R.M.C.]

Glad you're okay!!! Thanks for the heads up!!

 

[Scrumbag]

That’s scary! Glad you’re ok.. Looks like a good way to go blind

Thanks. I am ordering some new prescription safety glasses.

Scrummy

 

[Scrumbag]

Glad you're okay!!! Thanks for the heads up!!

That's my point really. Too easy to be complacent.

Scrummy

 

[bowjijohn]

reality check for me - I've become way too casual when reloading !

 

[WAB]

Thanks for the reminder. Difficult to know what you should do differently as you seem to have been doing everything correctly.

 

[shootist~]

Yikes. Good reminder to pay attention and not get in too much of a hurry.

 

[CJW]

I have a Lee hand primer and load the primers one at a time, the tray stays in the case. Sounds stupid but it's to avoid this.

Glad you're mostly ok.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

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

View attachment 417268

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

View attachment 417271

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

View attachment 417269

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.

View attachment 417270

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

Eesh this is sure scary. When the primer you were trying to seat went off, did it feel like it was misaligned going into the pocket? Or did anything seem not right just prior to detonation?

 

[JimP]

And that is why they recommend that you wear safety glasses and keep the primer pointed away from your face.

I too would like to know if anything felt out of kilter when that primer that went off was being seated. I have seen some pretty messed up primers when using the ram of the press to seat them without going off.

 

[Newboomer]

That is another reason I prime with my press. It is away from the tray and the case is enclosed within the the press. Other primers are off to the side but within reach. May be a little slower but components are separated and I stand in front of the press so I am somewhat protected by the O frame. Safety glasses, also.

 

[Scrumbag]

Thanks for the reminder. Difficult to know what you should do differently as you seem to have been doing everything correctly.

Thanks. Not sure what happened

 

[Scrumbag]

Hi folks, didn’t notice anything. Did a bit over 50 that session without issue

 

[ZG47]

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

View attachment 417268

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

View attachment 417271

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

View attachment 417269

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.

View attachment 417270

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

Yes. I always wear polycarbonate safety ‘glasses’ when priming cases. They are stored in the tray above the primers so that I have to grab them first. I do not see that priming on the press would be any safer. The primary objective is to protect your eyesight.

I started down this road by using detonator crimpers to attach detonators to fuse safety (safety fuse) at the RNZE SME at Linton Military Camp, NZ in 1984. You put the detonator in place, position the crimper correctly, hold everything down by your side and crimp. If the detonator goes off you damage your hands and backside instead of your eyes and face.

A fanatical greenie would probably suffer brain damage if a detonator went off whilst being crimped as described but that is another matter.

I learned to check everything multiple times, as a 12 year TF Combat Engineer. Even factory made gear can go wrong and anything can land the wrong way up OR round, regardless of what you do.

Eye and face protection are the priority. It would appear that you had that primer the wrong way around and that the plunger pushed the anvil against the pellet to set off the fulminate. You have had your big scare.

An RF corporal had a smoke grenade go off as he pulled the pin. His damaged eye had come right before he was released from service and his efforts to complete/upgrade his water treatment qualifications got him a municipal water treatment position. He also transferred to the TF infantry and became the local Assault Pioneer Sergeant.

Please stay safe and continue to enjoy your shooting.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have a Lee hand primer and load the primers one at a time, the tray stays in the case. Sounds stupid but it's to avoid this.

Glad you're mostly ok.

@CJW
Lee actually advise not loading more than 10 primers of one brand could be federal, its written in the instructions as they can cause explosion. Other brands are OK.
Bob.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Yes. I always wear polycarbonate safety ‘glasses’ when priming cases. They are stored in the tray above the primers so that I have to grab them first. I do not see that priming on the press would be any safer. The primary objective is to protect your eyesight.

I started down this road by using detonator crimpers to attach detonators to fuse safety (safety fuse) at the RNZE SME at Linton Military Camp, NZ in 1984. You put the detonator in place, position the crimper correctly, hold everything down by your side and crimp. If the detonator goes off you damage your hands and backside instead of your eyes and face.

A fanatical greenie would probably suffer brain damage if a detonator went off whilst being crimped as described but that is another matter.

I learned to check everything multiple times, as a 12 year TF Combat Engineer. Even factory made gear can go wrong and anything can land the wrong way up OR round, regardless of what you do.

Eye and face protection are the priority. It would appear that you had that primer the wrong way around and that the plunger pushed the anvil against the pellet to set off the fulminate. You have had your big scare.

An RF corporal had a smoke grenade go off as he pulled the pin. His damaged eye had come right before he was released from service and his efforts to complete/upgrade his water treatment qualifications got him a municipal water treatment position. He also transferred to the TF infantry and became the local Assault Pioneer Sergeant.

Please stay safe and continue to enjoy your shooting.

@ZG47
Are you implying greenies have their brains in their arse? I was of the opinion they didn't have brains.
Bob
Ha ha ha ha ha

 

[Newboomer]

@ZG47
Are you implying greenies have their brains in their arse? I was of the opinion they didn't have brains.
Bob
Ha ha ha ha ha

A very miniscule amount.

 

[WAB]

A very miniscule amount.

And of questionable composition… shit for brains.

 

[Scrumbag]

And of questionable composition… shit for brains.

Rapidly biodegradable though