I was priming some rifle cases with a hand primer. I've got a primer stuck in a rifle case and I can't get the case out of the shell holder. I can't push the primer on in so I may have one already in the pocket and tried to load another one. Yes, I know: dumb mistake. The primer is sticking past the shell holder. Any ideas on how to get the primer out safely???
stuck primer
- Thread starter dmax1800
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Broz
Well-Known Member
Can you drive out a pin and disassemble the tool ? Then drop the drive pin down to allow you to slide the shell holder and case out?
Jeff
Jeff
SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
I'm going to presume it's an RCBS or similar (I have one and have done the same thing before). Take the tool apart, pull the handle and drop the rod and pivot from the bottom. That will allow you to slide out the primer feed and shell holder. At that point you can pull the plastic feed housing and you are left with the shell in the shell holder.
Carefully put the shellholder and case in your press and use your decapping die or sizing die with decapping pin to push the primer out. I've done it many times without incident but don't look directly at the press, look away and advance the handle.
Primers really just go pffffft. Thats it. You don't want the pffffft to be in your face.
I was always leery about ther explosive force of a primer until I started shooting black powder with a 209 inline. 209 primers are substantially larger than centerfire primers and they go pffffffft. Thats it.
Before you proceed again, check to make sure you have a slight, even chamfer at the primer pocket (to ease in the primer puck) and look before you place a shell in the shellholder (when priming). MY RCBS ocassionally doubles a primer, maybe yours did too.
Hope that helps.
Carefully put the shellholder and case in your press and use your decapping die or sizing die with decapping pin to push the primer out. I've done it many times without incident but don't look directly at the press, look away and advance the handle.
Primers really just go pffffft. Thats it. You don't want the pffffft to be in your face.
I was always leery about ther explosive force of a primer until I started shooting black powder with a 209 inline. 209 primers are substantially larger than centerfire primers and they go pffffffft. Thats it.
Before you proceed again, check to make sure you have a slight, even chamfer at the primer pocket (to ease in the primer puck) and look before you place a shell in the shellholder (when priming). MY RCBS ocassionally doubles a primer, maybe yours did too.
Hope that helps.
SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
Thats works but thats the redneck way.....
I was able to get the shell and shell holder out of the primer, just couldn't get the shell out of the shell holder. Never thought about putting the shell and shell holder in the decapping die.
I also had another interesting incident tonight. I was changing the seating depth from last time I loaded and had to use a kinetic bullet puller to pull the bullet out a little bit because I had seated it too deep. As I was hitting the puller on the floor, THE PRIMER GOES OFF!!! Luckily it did not ignite the powder in the shell. I would not have guessed that a primer would go off by hitting a bullet puller on the floor.
I also had another interesting incident tonight. I was changing the seating depth from last time I loaded and had to use a kinetic bullet puller to pull the bullet out a little bit because I had seated it too deep. As I was hitting the puller on the floor, THE PRIMER GOES OFF!!! Luckily it did not ignite the powder in the shell. I would not have guessed that a primer would go off by hitting a bullet puller on the floor.
Nimrodmar10
Well-Known Member
You need to buy a Lottery ticket cause you're the luckiest guy in the world. A primer went off and didn't ignite the powder? Yeah, go buy a ticket, and say a prayer of thanks.
SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
One reason I don't entirely trust kinetic pullers. I have one and have had no issues, but maybe some time. You are the first with ignition. I can't understand that because it takes a concentrated blow on the primer head to cause the nitrate to contact the anvil. That won't occur with any bullet puller, kinetic or not. BTW, The Grip-n-pull is a nice alternative as is a collet puller like Hornady's.
Obviously, no one has watched the old episode of Myth Busters where they cooked off a number of loaded rounds to see what impact a not chambered round would have... and they had basically nothing. The pill comes out and goes a small distance and thats it.
You have to 'contain' the charge in a constricted space that only allows forward expansion (into the bore behind the pill) for anything serious to occur....
You didn't, per chance on your backswing, make contact with something and the primer head?????
Obviously, no one has watched the old episode of Myth Busters where they cooked off a number of loaded rounds to see what impact a not chambered round would have... and they had basically nothing. The pill comes out and goes a small distance and thats it.
You have to 'contain' the charge in a constricted space that only allows forward expansion (into the bore behind the pill) for anything serious to occur....
You didn't, per chance on your backswing, make contact with something and the primer head?????
No, I didn't contact anything on the backswing. I was just swinging away like a hammer. It blew the spent primer completely out of the primer pocket. Nothing was in the flash hole.
I think I will buy a lottery ticket. I talked to a gunsmith this morning and he has NEVER heard of this happening with a kinetic bullet puller.
I still can't understand why the primer went off and why it didn't ignite the powder, although I'm very glad it didn't ignite the powder!
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
And THAT'S why I use a collet puller die that fits in my press instead of the kinetic pullers.
Canadian Bushman
Well-Known Member
I didnt know that could happen. Did you sh:t your pants?
Canadian Bushman
Well-Known Member
I probably would have. Will you continue to use the kinetic puller?
I'm seriously considering a grip-n-pull bullet puller. I don't think I want to temp fate twice.
