Had a primer pop on me today. Safety,Safety, Safety!

[mike8170]

While I was using a kinetic puller to clean up my "screwed up rounds" container. I generally pop the bullets out for reuse, dump the powder in my dump container, and reuse the brass and primer if I can.
I was popping bullets out of .223/5.56, and there was a pop. Here is the primer, notice no anvil, and I couldn't find it. There was powder in the round, looks like H4895, and it did not ignite.

Just a reminder to be careful, wear glasses, and that anything can go wrong.

 

[hps]

Is that rd in backwards?

 

[Fishersjohn48]

Very strange to me. I don't understand how the primer ignited and not the powder. I also don't understand how the primer could ignite in a kinetic puller without someting to strike the primer. Sounds like you were very lucky that the powder didn't ignite. That would not have been pretty.

Is it possible that the primer was actually already bad/fired and you were not aware? Why were you pulling this round? I'm really not trying to test you but it raises many questions that we can all learn from.

 

[rimfire_crazed]

Way more questions than answers in this thread...

 

[wsenefeld]

Is that rd in backwards?

No, the rim just isn't seated in the collet.

Don't know what would make the primer pop without any physical contact... and then the powder does NOT ignite?

I've pulled several live rounds from finds at the range, but never anything to talk about.

 

[rimfire_crazed]

No, the rim just isn't seated in the collet.

Don't know what would make the primer pop without any physical contact... and then the powder does NOT ignite?

I've pulled several live rounds from finds at the range, but never anything to talk about.

I've pulled at least 100 .223's for reclaiming powder and projectile and never once had an issue. Is that round Berdan primed? Could explain the missing anvil and it being touched off by inertia. I can't see from the picture if it's steel or brass cased...

 

[mike8170]

Primer popped and hit the ceiling. I figure it didn't ignite since the powder is extruded, and the pressure sent the primer out too quickly. And to answer questions, the round had never been fired. I had a few that were seated a little to deep and I was taking them apart. Nothing to hit the primer, since my strike is a nice walnut log in the middle of the floor. She just went, and it smelled like a cap gun went off.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

I've pulled at least 100 .223's for reclaiming powder and projectile and never once had an issue. Is that round Berdan primed? Could explain the missing anvil and it being touched off by inertia. I can't see from the picture if it's steel or brass cased...

It looks like maybe the Lake City green tip "penetrator" or something of the sort.

 

[j706]

Wow I have never heard of this before. I have thought about it before and came to the conclusion it couldn't happen. Over the years I have used my old RCBS so much that I replaced it last summer. Never had a incident. I am glad this was posted.

 

[walker]

What name brand was the primer?

 

[patience0830]

I like the collet type pullers. Less work and less chance of spilling powder.

 

[mike8170]

What name brand was the primer?

CCI 400 small rifle

 

[sloughfoot]

The primer was in the case sideways?

 

[mike8170]

The primer was in the case sideways?

Primer was in just like normal. My OAL was too short on some loads I had been working up, so I was taking them apart.

 

[Broom_jm]

There is a reason every bullet-pulling tool on the market that relies on kinetic energy does not enclose the primer pocket. (In fact, even the collet-style pullers leave an escape route for the primer, should it go off for any reason.) I'm glad to hear you were wearing safety glasses and did not have anything truly awful happen when that primer went off.

This does illustrate how crucial confined pressure is to the burn characteristics of modern smokeless propellants. It is very likely that a small amount of the powder in the case DID, in fact, burn. However, with nothing preventing the primer from blowing out of the pocket, creating an escape valve for the pressure that would have been created in the case, the burn shut down. This is analogous to when you gently blow on a spark to start a fire using traditional means. If you stop blowing on the starter material, it will die. Modern powder, in the absence of pressure, will fizzle out instead of burning reliably. Be thankful for this!

 

[actaeon277]

I thought you said desk pop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=948-2Vzgi3w