I screwed up...HELP!

DAL · May 7, 2000, 11:32 PM

While priming some .30-06 cases with my Lee ram prime gadget, I somehow managed to seat a primer sideways in the pocket. Now I can't remove the shell from the shellholder. I can, however, remove the shellholder from the press, which I did. I'm sitting here looking at it and wondering how the heck I'm going to remedy the situation.

I'm afraid to just pull it out with a pair of needlenose pliers, lest it explode. Can I soak it in something to render it inert and then pull it out?

Thanks in advance for suggestions.
DAL

------------------
Reading "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal," by Ayn Rand, should be required of every politician and in every high school.
GOA, JPFO, PPFC, CSSA, LP, NRA

nwgunman · May 7, 2000, 11:41 PM

WD-40. Soak well, let stand overnight and then have at it.

**Mal H** · May 7, 2000, 11:48 PM

This has happened to me a few times also. Usually the sideways primer will shake loose but sometimes it is really stuck. I have been able to get them out by using the standard depriming pin on the press just as when removing a fired primer. Obviously you have to use more caution and go slowly. Be sure to wear safety glasses, as you should be during any handloading process. And don't stand in front of the press where the primers usually drop through the slot in the ram. If you feel uncomfortable with this, I'm sure you can rig up a rope to pull the handle from a distance.

You would be surprised how much of a concussion it takes to set off a primer, so pull down the handle slowly and the primer should pop out easily.

Sport45 · May 8, 2000, 08:57 AM

When faced with this same problem, I've been known to don hearing protection(I'm already wearing my safety glasses) and take my business outside. I'll then used my autoprime to SLOWLY crush the offending primer the rest of the way into the pocket. I will drop that case in the trash on my way back inside. Of course if it is not jammed in too tight, you can work them out gently with your needlenose pliers. Wear your eyes and ears!

JNewhouse · May 8, 2000, 12:34 PM

This happened to me on Saturday night. I was in a hurry so I placed the shell holder in a vise with a piece of flat sheet metal between me and the offending primer. I then took a short piece of a 2X4 and laid it up against the shell and beat on it until it came out. Needless to say, I threw the brass out. The primer didn't go off this time.

Paul B. · May 8, 2000, 02:32 PM

I have several of the Lee decapping pins that you use with a plastic mallet. Whenever I run into this problem, I take a piece of 2x4 that I have drilled a 1/4 in hole all the way through. Then I drilled another larger hole with a spade bit over the first hole just large enough for the Lee shell holder, or an RCBS if necessary, to be held in place with the hole of the shell holder over the hole in the 2x4. Then I take the Lee decapping pin and decap the sideways, or mangled primer out, tapping very lightly. This works and the 2x4 will keep the primer from flying about, should it detonate.
Paul B.

**Mal H** · May 8, 2000, 05:03 PM

DAL - There's no need to be extremely cautious and fear a primer detonation. Take safety precautions, of course, but don't fear the process. As anyone who has used the old Lee Handloaders will attest (I'm sure Paul B. has used a few at one time or another since he still has the decapping pins

), you're going to have one go off eventually. It startles you, but it would be very rare to have anything bad happen.

So tell us, are you still just sitting there staring at it? We need a little feedback here.

AL@PA · May 8, 2000, 05:13 PM

I've had this same thing happen dozen's of
times......not to worry. Set your deprime pin
lower in your sizing die and, deprime it very
slowly. Just in case, wear eye and, hearing
protection. You'll be okay.

Paul B. · May 9, 2000, 12:44 AM

Mal H. You're quite right. I've had more than a few go off while seating them in using the Lee dies. (not the ones that screw in a press, but the ones you use with a hammer) I finally worked up a cool way to use those dies and eliminate most of the hammering.

I found an old Stanley press that was used to convert a hand drill into sort of a drill press. Now I use the hammer to remove the fired primer and remove the case from the die. Ever other function uses the old drill press goodie.

To be really honest about it, those dies are just about retired. I keep looking for old Lyman tong tool dies, and snap them up every time I come across one that I don't have for a caliber I do have. (did that make sense???)
I shoot a lot of cast lead, and I seem to get my most accurate loads using that old tong tool.
If it wasn't for the shell holder being in the way, you could even remove the squashed primer with it easily and safely. Every once in a while a primer will flip over and go in bass ackwards. The tong tool removes them gently enough that they are still useable.
Another good point about those Lyman tong tools. When loading up cartridges for my 30-30's, it's slow and relaxing. It's almost like being transported back in time, doing it the old fashioned way. I like it.
Paul B.

DAL · May 9, 2000, 08:08 AM

No, I'm not still sitting here staring at it, mainly because, silly me, I told my wife about the problem. "Why," you may ask, "would this be a problem?" Because when my back was turned she grabbed the thing, hid it, and now she refuses to give it back. It seems she's afraid I'll accidentally blow myself up. Arrghhhh!!!

Sometimes it sure is a chore being honest with the other half. From now on, my reloading activities are going to be only between me, myself, and I...and you guys. I've learned a valuable lesson.

BTW, I zoomed down to the Super Wal-Mart and bought a new RCBS shellholder for $5. But I'll keep looking for my original one.
DAL

------------------
Reading "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal," by Ayn Rand, should be required of every politician and in every high school.
GOA, JPFO, PPFC, CSSA, LP, NRA

Sport45 · May 10, 2000, 01:31 PM

FWIW, I don't believe the business about a shot of WD-40 killing primers. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Use the oil, but still tread the blessed thing like it's going to go off. I've wondered (but never tried) if boiling a primer in regular water wouldn't be a good way to disable them. Looks like it would pull water in as it cooled.

May 7, 2000, 11:32 PM	#1
DAL Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 1999 Location: Colorado Springs, CO, USA Posts: 653	While priming some .30-06 cases with my Lee ram prime gadget, I somehow managed to seat a primer sideways in the pocket. Now I can't remove the shell from the shellholder. I can, however, remove the shellholder from the press, which I did. I'm sitting here looking at it and wondering how the heck I'm going to remedy the situation. I'm afraid to just pull it out with a pair of needlenose pliers, lest it explode. Can I soak it in something to render it inert and then pull it out? Thanks in advance for suggestions. DAL ------------------ Reading "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal," by Ayn Rand, should be required of every politician and in every high school. GOA, JPFO, PPFC, CSSA, LP, NRA

May 7, 2000, 11:41 PM	#2
nwgunman Senior Member Join Date: July 16, 1999 Location: Olympia, WA Posts: 312	WD-40. Soak well, let stand overnight and then have at it.

May 7, 2000, 11:48 PM	#3
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	This has happened to me a few times also. Usually the sideways primer will shake loose but sometimes it is really stuck. I have been able to get them out by using the standard depriming pin on the press just as when removing a fired primer. Obviously you have to use more caution and go slowly. Be sure to wear safety glasses, as you should be during any handloading process. And don't stand in front of the press where the primers usually drop through the slot in the ram. If you feel uncomfortable with this, I'm sure you can rig up a rope to pull the handle from a distance. You would be surprised how much of a concussion it takes to set off a primer, so pull down the handle slowly and the primer should pop out easily.

May 8, 2000, 08:57 AM	#4
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	When faced with this same problem, I've been known to don hearing protection(I'm already wearing my safety glasses) and take my business outside. I'll then used my autoprime to SLOWLY crush the offending primer the rest of the way into the pocket. I will drop that case in the trash on my way back inside. Of course if it is not jammed in too tight, you can work them out gently with your needlenose pliers. Wear your eyes and ears!

May 8, 2000, 12:34 PM	#5
JNewhouse Member Join Date: April 30, 2000 Location: Anaheim CA USA Posts: 41	This happened to me on Saturday night. I was in a hurry so I placed the shell holder in a vise with a piece of flat sheet metal between me and the offending primer. I then took a short piece of a 2X4 and laid it up against the shell and beat on it until it came out. Needless to say, I threw the brass out. The primer didn't go off this time.

May 8, 2000, 02:32 PM	#6
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,801	I have several of the Lee decapping pins that you use with a plastic mallet. Whenever I run into this problem, I take a piece of 2x4 that I have drilled a 1/4 in hole all the way through. Then I drilled another larger hole with a spade bit over the first hole just large enough for the Lee shell holder, or an RCBS if necessary, to be held in place with the hole of the shell holder over the hole in the 2x4. Then I take the Lee decapping pin and decap the sideways, or mangled primer out, tapping very lightly. This works and the 2x4 will keep the primer from flying about, should it detonate. Paul B.

May 8, 2000, 05:03 PM	#7
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	DAL - There's no need to be extremely cautious and fear a primer detonation. Take safety precautions, of course, but don't fear the process. As anyone who has used the old Lee Handloaders will attest (I'm sure Paul B. has used a few at one time or another since he still has the decapping pins ), you're going to have one go off eventually. It startles you, but it would be very rare to have anything bad happen. So tell us, are you still just sitting there staring at it? We need a little feedback here.

May 8, 2000, 05:13 PM	#8
AL@PA Member Join Date: March 22, 2000 Posts: 24	I've had this same thing happen dozen's of times......not to worry. Set your deprime pin lower in your sizing die and, deprime it very slowly. Just in case, wear eye and, hearing protection. You'll be okay.

May 9, 2000, 12:44 AM	#9
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,801	Mal H. You're quite right. I've had more than a few go off while seating them in using the Lee dies. (not the ones that screw in a press, but the ones you use with a hammer) I finally worked up a cool way to use those dies and eliminate most of the hammering. I found an old Stanley press that was used to convert a hand drill into sort of a drill press. Now I use the hammer to remove the fired primer and remove the case from the die. Ever other function uses the old drill press goodie. To be really honest about it, those dies are just about retired. I keep looking for old Lyman tong tool dies, and snap them up every time I come across one that I don't have for a caliber I do have. (did that make sense???) I shoot a lot of cast lead, and I seem to get my most accurate loads using that old tong tool. If it wasn't for the shell holder being in the way, you could even remove the squashed primer with it easily and safely. Every once in a while a primer will flip over and go in bass ackwards. The tong tool removes them gently enough that they are still useable. Another good point about those Lyman tong tools. When loading up cartridges for my 30-30's, it's slow and relaxing. It's almost like being transported back in time, doing it the old fashioned way. I like it. Paul B.

May 9, 2000, 08:08 AM	#10
DAL Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 1999 Location: Colorado Springs, CO, USA Posts: 653	No, I'm not still sitting here staring at it, mainly because, silly me, I told my wife about the problem. "Why," you may ask, "would this be a problem?" Because when my back was turned she grabbed the thing, hid it, and now she refuses to give it back. It seems she's afraid I'll accidentally blow myself up. Arrghhhh!!! Sometimes it sure is a chore being honest with the other half. From now on, my reloading activities are going to be only between me, myself, and I...and you guys. I've learned a valuable lesson. BTW, I zoomed down to the Super Wal-Mart and bought a new RCBS shellholder for $5. But I'll keep looking for my original one. DAL ------------------ Reading "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal," by Ayn Rand, should be required of every politician and in every high school. GOA, JPFO, PPFC, CSSA, LP, NRA

May 10, 2000, 01:31 PM	#11
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	FWIW, I don't believe the business about a shot of WD-40 killing primers. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Use the oil, but still tread the blessed thing like it's going to go off. I've wondered (but never tried) if boiling a primer in regular water wouldn't be a good way to disable them. Looks like it would pull water in as it cooled.