Ammunition & Hand Loading > Cartridge and Shotshell reloading
Confessions of a newb reloader
SemperFiGuy:
Primers are percussive.
They generally need some kind of sharp whack! to set them off.
The whack! breaks up the lead styphenate crystals, releasing energy from the crystalline bond. That released energy then sets off the other detonating chemical components in the primer material, sorta in a very fast chain reaction. [Faster than the speed of sound, which is why primers detonate, rather than deflagrate (burn very fast), like smokeless gunpowder under pressure.]
Static electricity will also provide enough energy to detonate primers.
I don't really know if squeezing will work, and--if so--just how much squeezing force would be required to set off a primer. Ain't gonna try, either. Not that curious.
I do know for sure that primers in a primer loading tube are potentially quite dangerous in that they are known to explode in a chain reaction and do so merrily and often. Which is why I don't use them in such an arrangement.
FWIW, Richard Lee of Lee Loaders says don't use Federal primers. They are too touchy. Reloaders note that Federals are packed in bigger boxes with more space between the individual primers than those of other manufacturers.
sfg
OnTheFly:
--- Quote from: 00BUCK on June 14, 2013, 10:51:12 PM ---Prime example of why all new reloaders should start out with a single stage press and a loading block. Glad nobody got hurt.
--- End quote ---
I beg to differ. My mistake does not mean that I do not understand the reloading process, or the importance of each step. What happened to me is no more proof that everyone should start on a single stage, than one single warm day is proof of climate change. What happened to me was the negative result of not managing my distractions properly. Reloading on a single stage is great for teaching the steps of reloading, but it is not necessary for everyone. ANYONE who learns reloading initially on a single stage, and understands the process intimately, could move to a progressive press and make the same or similar mistake.
Fly
OnTheFly:
--- Quote from: unfy on June 14, 2013, 10:43:58 PM ---Concerning the primer feed issue... not being sure exactly what your problem was... there's a few things that help with my Hornady LNL AP which uses a tube + shuttle style thing as well.
--- End quote ---
The primer feed issue was a result of the shuttle not moving far enough to receive a primer AND not returning to the spring loaded position to be under the shell plate when it is time to seat the primer. If it was only not moving far enough to pick up a primer, bending the arm that pushes the shuttle would be the fix. If it was only not returning to the shell plate, a new spring might be the answer. However, my inkling is that the shuttle should be disassembled and dry lubed.
It seems that there is some kind of friction which is not allowing it to move in either direction freely. It WILL move, but it requires a pull and a push to get it into the two positions. I'm wondering if, when it is disassembled, we will find something like a spent primer or maybe just some dust/grime that is causing the shuttle to hang up.
Fly
GreyGeek:
--- Quote from: SS_N_NE on June 15, 2013, 08:56:38 AM ---Currently using a Lee Safety Prime, that swings a single primer (from a tray) into a primer arm. Works OK but is a little clunky.
--- End quote ---
That's the same that comes with the Lee Anniversary Loader, which I use. It leaves two primers in the feed tube which the click device at the end of the feed tube leading from the tray doesn't insert them into the die. I have to retrieve them manually and place them in the die.
unfy:
--- Quote from: OnTheFly on June 15, 2013, 10:33:51 PM ---The primer feed issue was a result of the shuttle not moving far enough to receive a primer AND not returning to the spring loaded position to be under the shell plate when it is time to seat the primer. If it was only not moving far enough to pick up a primer, bending the arm that pushes the shuttle would be the fix. If it was only not returning to the shell plate, a new spring might be the answer. However, my inkling is that the shuttle should be disassembled and dry lubed.
It seems that there is some kind of friction which is not allowing it to move in either direction freely. It WILL move, but it requires a pull and a push to get it into the two positions. I'm wondering if, when it is disassembled, we will find something like a spent primer or maybe just some dust/grime that is causing the shuttle to hang up.
Fly
--- End quote ---
A dry lube for sure.
I know on my LNL AP, I had to adjust the cam for the primer shuttle out a bit. The top piece (as seen in pic above) is some plastic with a slot rather than a hole - made the adjustment trivial to do and fixed my primer fetching problems.
The primer fetch problems were primarily that the shuttle wasn't being moved far enough so that while it worked frequently, it wasn't working all the time.
I did have also have some issues with it not returning all of the way. Dry lube fixed that for the most part. I imagine taking a revolution off the spring might be next step if necessary (which hasn't been).
--- Quote ---I don't really know if squeezing will work, and--if so--just how much squeezing force would be required to set off a primer. Ain't gonna try, either. Not that curious.
--- End quote ---
The situation I described could possibly cause the anvil to squeeze into the powder... and if attempting to reload at silly fast speeds... I can see it causing a problem.
IE: after a year or more of thinking about the problem and eyeballing the hardware, it's the only thing I've been able to dream up heh
I'll grab some long channel locks and attempt a primer squeeze later. Depending on how it turns out, might be apt for clinic ;)
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