Chain Detonation — What Happens When A Primer Stack Blows
What can happen when the bottom-most primer in a primer feed tube goes off? A big bang, that’s what. Some or all of the primers in the vertical feeding tube can go off in a chain detonation. That’s exactly what happened to Dustin Ellermann, Top Shot Season 3 Champion. Scary experience, but thankfully Dustin was not injured. He writes: “Super thankful that I was wearing my Wiley X eye protection this weekend when I was reloading some .223 rounds. My press detonated nearly 100 small rifle primers. Shown here is the magazine feed tube. Not fun but it could have been much worse. Stay safe!”
When working with progressive reloading presses, you should definitely wear eye protection. Dustin’s chain detonation experience proves that — without a doubt. Remember you only have one set of eyes!
RCBS APS Strips — Alternative to Primer Tubes
When you stack a column of primers in a single metal tube, you’re asking for trouble. As Dustin Ellermann learned, when one primer fires, the entire column can follow suit in a chain detonation. Thankfully, you do have options when it comes to primer feeding on a progressive press. RCBS developed an innovative primer system for its Pro-2000 progressive press. Instead of being stored in a vertical tube, primers are placed in flat, plastic “APS” strips, with a ring of plastic separating each primer. Moving horizontally, primers are never stacked, so the chance of a chain detonation is reduced dramatically. The re-usable APS strips are color-coded for different primer types. You can buy CCI “pre-loaded” primer strips, or you can insert any brand of primers into strips using an RCBS strip-loader tool.
RCBS Pro-2000 with APS Strip Priming System
AccurateShooter.com Editor Uses Strip Primers
This Editor owns an RCBS Pro-2000 progressive press. The RCBS strip-priming system was one key reason I selected the RCBS Pro-2000 over similar-priced progressives from Dillon and Hornady. I believe the strip primer system is safer, more positive, and easier to use. Before I purchased my RCBS progressive, I “road-tested” the competition. I loaded hundreds of rounds on each of four different progressives: Dillon 550B, Dillon 650, Hornady Lock-N-Load, and RCBS 2000. I was concerned about the primer feed tubes on the Dillons, and I found the RCBS rotary powder measure was much more precise (and easier to adjust) than the sliding bar system on the Dillon machines. The RCBS priming system was definitely more fool-proof than the system on the Hornady press (a first-generation L-N-L that had issues with primer feeding). After “test-driving” blue, red, and green brand progressives extensively, I settled on the RCBS Pro-2000. A decade later, I still think I made the right choice. I like the APS strips for big jobs, and I can also use them in the RCBS hand-priming tool (shown below). With the strips, it’s easy to prime 20 or 40 cases at a time, and then switch to another type of primer for comparison testing.
The APS priming system also works with press-mounted priming tool, bench-mounted tool, and APS hand-tool. EdLongRange uses the press-mounted tool: “I also like the APS approach but use the press-mounted unit (saves your hands/wrists — and I haven’t had a need for a progressive press in over 20 years). Loading the primers in the strips is a bit of a PITA but very manageable. As with all tools there is a learning curve.” CLICK HERE for video showing strip-loading tool and press-mounted APS tool. The press-mounted tool is no longer in production, but you can still BUY IT HERE.
Similar Posts:
- Chain Detonation in Primer Tube — When Bad Things Happen
- Chain Fire! What Happens When a Primer Column Detonates
- Chain Detonation in Primer Feed Tube — Scary Stuff
- RCBS APS Hand Priming Tool
- Priming Tools — RCBS APS Strip System Tools
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Tags: APS, Chain Fire, Detonation, Dillon, Dustin Ellermann, Primer stack, RCBS 2000
Excellent reminder. Equipment never gives notice of when a problems of this type are about to occur, so measures need to be put in place to either keep them from happening or prevent injury if they do. How many of you reload without eye protection, or for that matter shoot without it?
I am for the wear of safety glass when ever required but reading the article with the Brand name dropping looked a lot like an “info-mercial”.
Some time ago, I figured out that the three most important issues for progressive presses are primer feed, primer feed, and primer feed. If reliable priming is achieved by a design, all of the other issues are relatively easy to deal with. Having said that, the reason that the editor gave the recommendation that he did was not because it is an infomercial, he was telling you of his personal experience with various priming systems and about one that has worked particularly well for him, and which by design prevents the problem shown in the lead picture for the article. I believe that this sort of information is some of the most valuable that is available on the internet.
While the press-mounted APS tool is no longer produced, RCBS does offer a bench-mounted version – http://rcbs.com/Products/Priming/Tools/APS-Bench-Mounted-Priming-Tool.aspx If you have the bench space, this both saves your hands and avoids the steps of swapping dies and the tool back and forth in your press. For those that like a dedicated station for each step in the reloading process, this works great.
The primer tube on a Dillon machine is
double walled to contain an explosion like that.
I’ve read several posts ; of this situation occurring , but no one ever goes into any explanation as to how it happened . The “HOW” might be just as important , and much more relevant ,than all the other “stuff”. Might even keep someone else from having another “accident”….
[QUOTE]I’ve read several posts ; of this situation occurring , but no one ever goes into any explanation as to how it happened . The “HOW” might be just as important , and much more relevant ,than all the other “stuff”. Might even keep someone else from having another “accident”….[QUOTE]
Exactly.
I just bought some tubes and they came with the recommendation that they regularly be washed out with soap and hot water – which I plan on doing with each use. The time spent is worth it to me.
Finding this took all of 10 seconds. In the search results are several mentions that I did not look at, and one video that I did. Take a look.
https://www.google.com/search?q=chain+detonation+of+primers&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
I have never personally seen this happen or seen the aftermath of it happening. I would like to know if this is a common issue with all reloading equipment or if it is only one or two specific brands of equipment. I did a quick search and I found Dillon and Lee as the culprits but I am not sure if they are the only ones that are capable of doing this. I will say this much I have a first generation RCBS ammo Master Progressive and I have had this press since it first came out in the late 80s. Never had a problem with it I know what a primer should feel like when your seating it and anytime that I run into problems I Don’t Force It I stop and check to see what the problem is. Often times I find that I’ve missed a military case that did not get the crimp removed from the primer pocket and had I just forced it in I am sure they would have went off however I do not think it would have created a chain reaction on my particular Pres based on the way it is designed to work so I would like to know if this is a poor engineering issue and from the way I saw one YouTube video on Lee I would definitely say it’s a poor engineering issue so what brands does this happen on