Media stuck in primer hole...

[LoadIt]

So I'm sitting at my reloading table inspecting cases after they come out of my tumbler. Almost half of the cases (9mm & .45ACP) have a bit of corncob media stuck in the primer flash hole. The primers are still in the cases. I usually smack the cases on the table until the media falls out. This is getting tiresome. I reload on a Dillon 550B.

Should I keep worrying about trying to remove the media or will the Dillon safely push the media out along with the spent primers in stage #1? Thanks...LoadIt

[Smokey Joe]

Can't speak to the Dillon 550B specifically, but I get the same medium-in-primer-hole in my cases, and my single-stage has no problem punching out the medium along with the primer. No extra force is needed to remove the stuck medium, so I'd say that the Dillon should also be able to handle this with no problem.

(BTW, if you're using only ground corncob, you're using a cleaning medium. "Media" is plural. If you combined corncob and walnut, for example, in your tumbler, you would be using media. It's a common error. Now let the flames begin.)

[LoadIt]

Medium...Got it. Thanks...loadIt

[azredhawk44]

I have a similar problem, but I have been tumbling brass in walnut medium but after punching the primers out. About 1 in 10 pieces of brass end up having a piece of walnut stuck in the flash hole.

I like tumbling this way because it seems to clean the primer pocket well enough that I don't need to clean them manually. I deprime, resize, then tumble.

This weekend I just picked the material out of the brass.

But would the primer's detonation push the walnut out and still ignite the powder?

[arkie2]

I recommend you consult a medium about your mixture of media. Palm readers are best

Or you could consult print media about what type of medium to use. I recommend Lee's modern reloading or maybe a back issue of American Rifleman.

However, your problem may be the length of time you tumble your brass. I recommend you tumble it medium rare.

[stephen426]

You're right, the media can often be a bunch of a-holes...

Oh wait... you mean media for cleaning brass.

Just kidding!

[Mike Irwin]

"(BTW, if you're using only ground corncob, you're using a cleaning medium. "Media" is plural. If you combined corncob and walnut, for example, in your tumbler, you would be using media. It's a common error. Now let the flames begin.)"

Let me explain the concept of the collective singular as it's come to be more and more accepted...

[Ares45]

Not to worry friend, the decapper is here to help. My 550 loves to decap some leftover MEDIA along with the spent primers. Yours will too. Keep rollin'.

[Mal H]

"Should I keep worrying about trying to remove the media ..." No.

"... or will the Dillon safely push the media out along with the spent primers in stage #1?" Yes.

In the rare instance where a piece of corncob or walnut is left behind, it won't cause a bit of a problem.

[Smokey Joe]

I must say, the "medium vs. media" responses so far have been both more civil and more humorous than I expected!

Re: Medium left in the flash hole: When detonating primers put into the wrong cases, by putting the case in a vise and tapping the primer with a hammer and a nail-set (NOTE: ALWAYS use ear/eye/hand protection when detonating primers!!) I've observed that the primer flash extends an inch or so beyond the case for pistol primers, up to 2-3 inches beyond the case mouth for large rifle primers. Based on this observation, I agree that a bit of corncob or walnut would not be much of an obstruction for a primer being fired in a loaded case, in the chamber of a firearm.

BTW, there are other, much more effective methods of detonating unwanted primers.

[LoadIt]

Pretty amusing. I was actually in the mood for a good chuckle.

[cpaspr]

but why detonate the primer? I've removed and reused several good primers from cases by simply running them back through the sizer/decapper die (VERY SLOWLY). It pushes the primer out, and I simply reuse it.

[stephen426]

but why detonate the primer? I've removed and reused several good primers from cases by simply running them back through the sizer/decapper die (VERY SLOWLY). It pushes the primer out, and I simply reuse it.

Why risk it? The few cents you save from the primer could end up injuring you or even cause a major accident if you have other primers and powder lying around. You mentioned "(VERY SLOWLY)". Just because you have not had an accident does not mean it won't happen. Be careful and don't worry about the lousy primer.

[Mike Irwin]

"I must say, the "medium vs. media" responses so far have been both more civil and more humorous than I expected!"

Yep, lots of good data.

Or would that be datum?

[Edward429451]

I don't deprime on my Dillon. I like to clean my primer pockets. I usually deprime and then tumble unless the brass is really grody. The medium is cleaned out when I'm cleaning pockets & q tipping the inside of case to get the media dust out. EH, may be anal but I've got enough brass to not hurry the batches.

It may be safe to fire a round with medum stuck in the flash hole...but whats it do to the flash pattern? Seems to me it'd at least give possible flyers through inconsistencies in ignition. Consistency is your friend and makes you look good at the range. Taking more care in brass prep helps.

Or so it seems to me...

[Smokey Joe]

Cpaspr--

but why detonate the primer?

You will note that I said there were better ways of dealing with primers. The detonating in-case was done years ago and I can't remember why I thought it was a good idea. It WAS instructive to see the size of the flashes those little things produce.

Stephen426--It isn't the primer so much as it is saving the case. (Wrong primer put in by mistake, or some such. It happens.) And many, many TFL'ers report pushing out live primers in a loading press, successfully. You go slow, take it easy, and the primer ooshes out with no problem. Having detonated quite a number deliberately, I can tell you that it takes a sharp rap to set them off. A soft hit, or just pressure from a decapping pin, isn't going to set off primers. Nevertheless, they are explosives--NEVER remove primers from cases without ear/eye/hand protection. If you were to set one off while removing it, with the cartridge case surrounded by the resize die and plugged with the decapping pin shaft, and the flash hole plugged by the decapping pin itself, the path of least resistance would be for the primer itself to be blown down the spent primer chute, and into the primer catcher. Surprising, noisy, but not horribly hazardous. I'd rather do that than, say, poke a grizzly bear with a stick. Obviously you would have cleared your work area of other hazards such as other primers, powder, loose paper, etc, etc.

Experimentally, I've re-inserted primers into cases after removing them, and then loaded up the cases in an otherwise normal manner. The rounds all fired normally, with no primer-associated problems. Even so, I'd not re-use removed primers as a regular thing--I agree with you that the primers are inexpensive enough to not use twice.

[BigJakeJ1s]

Actually, when dealing with a substance that has individual pieces, media is more correct. Medium would be more correctly used with air or fluid, which is not divisible into pieces. "A piece of medium" makes absolutely no sense, since medium cannot be separated into pieces.

Media can be the plural of medium, but it is not always so.

Andy

[CrustyFN]

(BTW, if you're using only ground corncob, you're using a cleaning medium. "Media" is plural. If you combined corncob and walnut, for example, in your tumbler, you would be using media. It's a common error. Now let the flames begin.)

Just wondering why the Lyman stuff in the store says cleaning media when there is only one type of medium in the bottle. So much for quality control.

[Ausserordeutlich]

It would be "medium", only if you were goofy enough to use those "larger than fine" particles of corn cob that less-informed reloaders purchase from pet supply stores.

[T. O'Heir]

"...The primers are still in the cases..." The spent primers? If so then yes the media(there's usually more than one grain of it, so it's plural. Nyah!) will come out when you deprime.
"...less-informed reloaders purchase from pet supply stores..." Eh? Less informed how? Paying $16 for 15 lbs of ground corn cobs is nuts when you can get a 25+ lb bag for the same money. If you want it finer, run it though a food processor.

[shooter_john]

I recently loaded several plinking rounds for my Polytech M14, and somehow I had not removed the media from some of the primer pockets prior to priming. I must say I was somewhat worried about blowing up my favorite rifle, but in the end I chanced it, and she had no problems firing the rounds with media in the flash hole!

[WSM MAGNUM]

(BTW, if you're using only ground corncob, you're using a cleaning medium. "Media" is plural. If you combined corncob and walnut, for example, in your tumbler, you would be using media. It's a common error. Now let the flames begin.)

I know this doesn`t have anything to do with guns. I remember a discussion on a train forum (I`m into model trains too)when they were talking about the caboose. For singular it is a caboose. For plural you say cabeese.
Like when you say goose for one goose, and geese for many geese.

[LoadIt]

Wow! Some of these flames are both corny(cob) and (wal)nutty. Would that make them MEDIUM on the the harshness scale or MEDIA?

[dakotashooter2]

And would treated medium then qualify as media? Why not just dump the whole media /medium thing and go right to large?

[clayking]

The correct terminology is media unless it from one very large corn cob, then yes, it is medium. But, and this is most likely, it will be from two or more cobs, therefore it is media. . If the corn came from two different states, then is Multimedia, from three or more state, Tri-media. If from Nebraska, it is called Cornhusker Media. From Iowa, it is known as Hawkeye media. Furthermore, I put in wax to shine the brass, thereby creating WaxMedia..........................ck