DaveB
Well-Known Member
About 17 days ago.....
Every so often I take everything off my reload bench and since it is a formica finish I windex it clean. We have been doing tons of case prep and loading for 9, 223, 308, 6.5, and 280 so the need was there. On my lee turret press there are cavities on either side of the ram where decapped primers can collect or fall through and the way to empty these reservoirs is to vacuum them.
During our case prep we had primered some brass that needed to be sized and we just decapped them with no issues. While vacuuming the left side reservoir I stuck the nozzle into the reservoir and and ignited a primer which ignited at least 4 others. A lot happened really fast.
Big noise, lot of flame, intense pain on left hand. Dropped everything jumped back grabbed left with right as blood was moving pretty good. Eyeballed the bench and surrounds looking for smoke, nothing. Down to kitchen sink and inspection showed anvils from three primers embedded in my fingers. US Army Engineer Son grabbed his first aid kit and after advising me this was gonna hurt he removed the anvils. In meantime I bleeding pretty good and little finger is looking like seared steak so we are flowing water over it and to my surprise it cleaned up pretty easy. Pat dry, touch of antibacteria stuff, bandages. Lift my tshirt to look at two more anvil impacts and they are just scratches and although bleeding no worse than blackberry stickers. But, I felt something raising my tshirt and I lifterd it up and a primer shell fell out, burned through the tshirt and bruised me. There was also a strange lump close by and it was a primer shell that had burned through my T, penetrated my skin, and being so hot it cauterized the wound. Son grabs his forceps and extracts the shell. three drops of blood and that was it. Interestingly, this was a 210M.
Have to admit the noise really scared me for a moment, thought I had been shot. No idea how a primer ignited but my assumption is one of the live decapped ones must have been very close to ignition and pressure from the tip was all it needed. Over next ten days I laid down many layers of caulk to fill the reservoirs and now the decapped primers are dropping into a container of water.
I have healed up with no permanent damage although little finger is still sensitive.
Every so often I take everything off my reload bench and since it is a formica finish I windex it clean. We have been doing tons of case prep and loading for 9, 223, 308, 6.5, and 280 so the need was there. On my lee turret press there are cavities on either side of the ram where decapped primers can collect or fall through and the way to empty these reservoirs is to vacuum them.
During our case prep we had primered some brass that needed to be sized and we just decapped them with no issues. While vacuuming the left side reservoir I stuck the nozzle into the reservoir and and ignited a primer which ignited at least 4 others. A lot happened really fast.
Big noise, lot of flame, intense pain on left hand. Dropped everything jumped back grabbed left with right as blood was moving pretty good. Eyeballed the bench and surrounds looking for smoke, nothing. Down to kitchen sink and inspection showed anvils from three primers embedded in my fingers. US Army Engineer Son grabbed his first aid kit and after advising me this was gonna hurt he removed the anvils. In meantime I bleeding pretty good and little finger is looking like seared steak so we are flowing water over it and to my surprise it cleaned up pretty easy. Pat dry, touch of antibacteria stuff, bandages. Lift my tshirt to look at two more anvil impacts and they are just scratches and although bleeding no worse than blackberry stickers. But, I felt something raising my tshirt and I lifterd it up and a primer shell fell out, burned through the tshirt and bruised me. There was also a strange lump close by and it was a primer shell that had burned through my T, penetrated my skin, and being so hot it cauterized the wound. Son grabs his forceps and extracts the shell. three drops of blood and that was it. Interestingly, this was a 210M.
Have to admit the noise really scared me for a moment, thought I had been shot. No idea how a primer ignited but my assumption is one of the live decapped ones must have been very close to ignition and pressure from the tip was all it needed. Over next ten days I laid down many layers of caulk to fill the reservoirs and now the decapped primers are dropping into a container of water.
I have healed up with no permanent damage although little finger is still sensitive.
