[C5Mackie]

Years ago, maybe, in my first Lyman reloading manual, or perhaps some other article on reloading, it mentioned sympathetic ignition of primers. From what I remember, Sympathetic ignition was defined if one primer would ignite the entire package would ignite, if primers were stored loose in the same container. Kind of like spontaneous combustion.
Today primers are sold in 100/packet, with 10 packets/brick. The packets separate the primers.
The other day I found a gun shop in York, PA selling Nobel 209 primers with 1000 loose primers/zip lock bag. I did buy a zip lock bag of 1000, but wonder if this is a dangerous or sketchy practice that could result in disaster.
Has anyone else heard of sympathetic ignition, and if so, can you expand upon it?

 

[Old School or Nothing]

I'm not an expert but experiance says chain ignition is likely if one goes off but as long as all are the same batch or type there should be no more risk of self ingnition of one by itself or a whole pile together as they would all have the same chemical compostion and shoudn't react with each other.

Someone else may know more than I. I'm just an old country boy.

 

[gdmoody]

Never heard of it myself. If there is such a thing, there would have to be some sort of "action" to set that first one off. They just do not go off by themselves.

 

[rawright54]

Sympathetic ignition/detonation is a term I usually hear in reference to high explosives. These can be detonated by the energy of a pressure wave caused by a nearby explosion. It happens. Since primers are also set off by the energy of a firing pin strike, I have no problem believing this can occur with them, too.

 

[ral357]

Many years ago a fella I worked with, who wasn't exactly what you would call cautious, was loading the primer feed tube on a Dillon press and some how set them off. I don't know if all of them went but the ceiling above the press was peppered pretty good

 

[vassago]

Happens sometimes with progressive reloading presses, when you detonate a primer chances are the entire primer tube goes up. with this result:
Some presses are more known for this than others, for example the Dillon 650 has a string of primers going from the primer station to the primer tube. If the first goes chances are the rest goes as well.
The Hornady LnL AP has a 2" or 3" gap between the priming station and the primer tube so it's uncommon for that press.

That said, there needs to be an action causing the first primer to go off, they don't explode just because.
For example trying to seat a primer in a crimped primer pocket, a LP into a SP hole (.45 acp?) , or a not fully indexed shell plate.
This is also the reason some reloaders will not use Federal primers on a progressive press, they are too soft.

I had a primer detonate myself trying to prime a not fully swaged .223 primer pocket. Fortunately it as on the red press and not it's blue neighbor so I did not have to dig the primer rod out of the ceiling.

I am working on this box btw, still has not blown up on me (3500 when new)

 

[AnthonySWeir]

I'm not an expert but experiance says chain ignition is likely if one goes off but as long as all are the same batch or type there should be no more risk of self ingnition of one by itself or a whole pile together as they would all have the same chemical compostion and shoudn't react with each other.

Someone else may know more than I. I'm just an old country boy.

Yes, you are right. In simple word we can say that all have the same chemical compostion and shoudn't react with each other.

 

[mudman35962]

Richard Lee had a incident with federal primers, and said never use them. it is in his reloading book. i know because i read the whole front section of that book before i ever reloaded my first case. i will let every one read or not that book, but i do think it is worth the time no matter what you may believe about the man and his products. as good a starter book as any in my opinion.

rick
edit: i used that book till the pages started to fall out. got a second one, still a good reloading data source.

 

[joe45c]

Nope never heard of it, but i always keep my primers in their container just to be safe. i have heard that in tubular gun magazines a chain reaction can occur if pointed bullets are touching the primer/round in front of it.

 

[mathews691]

At the height of the shortages I had a chance to buy a....I will call it a dime bag.....of primers. I think some of you will get the reference.
It was a hard pass for me, I was really leery of what really was in there. I just had a big question mark in my head. I was not worried about the storage, but just what was really in that bag.

Generally when I reload 50 rounds is a large run for me, so I always have primers left over....what to do?

I put them in old pill bottles, cut off the label on the box and stick it in there with it, so I know this bottle has CCI #200, that bottle has Remington # 2 1/2....that kind of thing. I think the bottles are pretty safe as far as humidity goes, but that little cardboard should take care of that....not like after you open them up they are all in plastic.

 

[ral357]

At the height of the shortages I had a chance to buy a....I will call it a dime bag.....of primers. I think some of you will get the reference.
It was a hard pass for me, I was really leery of what really was in there. I just had a big question mark in my head. I was not worried about the storage, but just what was really in that bag.

Generally when I reload 50 rounds is a large run for me, so I always have primers left over....what to do?

I put them in old pill bottles, cut off the label on the box and stick it in there with it, so I know this bottle has CCI #200, that bottle has Remington # 2 1/2....that kind of thing. I think the bottles are pretty safe as far as humidity goes, but that little cardboard should take care of that....not like after you open them up they are all in plastic.

Why not store them in the plastic trays they come in? They are made in such a way that transportation and storage is safe. I used to put those trays in ammo cans with a desiccant bag or two. Partial used trays are secured closed with a wrap of tape. Storing them jumbled together in a bottle seems..........

 

[mathews691]

Why not store them in the plastic trays they come in? They are made in such a way that transportation and storage is safe. I used to put those trays in ammo cans with a desiccant bag or two. Partial used trays are secured closed with a wrap of tape. Storing them jumbled together in a bottle seems..........

After you take them out of the trays and put them in the circle primer tray/feeder thingy, it really sucks putting them back in the little trays. Plus I was told to handle them as little as possible as the oils in your hand could contaminate them.....not sure if that holds water or not, so just using a little funnel and "pouring" them into the bottle seems faster and with less skin contact.

 

[pdkfishing]

i always keep my primers in their container just to be safe.

Why not store them in the plastic trays they come in? They are made in such a way that transportation and storage is safe.

+1 and +1. FWIW, I prime with an old Lee Auto Prime II. The instructions say not to use it with anything but Winchester or CCI primers. Have heard stories of the whole tube going up with progressive presses.

 

[Smoke]

Yes they do chain fire. It takes very little heat to the bottom of a primer to set it off, so if one is stored close enough when one goes off the heat from that one will set off more.
I found that out when pushing out live primers from some .45s. The primers had gotten caught in the tube & when I pushed out one that had been hit but not fired it went off & set off every one in the tube.
Now I only push out one at a time, if it goes off it's no problem

 

[Smoke]

After you take them out of the trays and put them in the circle primer tray/feeder thingy, it really sucks putting them back in the little trays. Plus I was told to handle them as little as possible as the oils in your hand could contaminate them.....not sure if that holds water or not, so just using a little funnel and "pouring" them into the bottle seems faster and with less skin contact.

Only put in the round tray what you are going to load. You can use the cardboard wrapper pulled only half way to only dump 50 primers.

 

[ral357]

After you take them out of the trays and put them in the circle primer tray/feeder thingy, it really sucks putting them back in the little trays. Plus I was told to handle them as little as possible as the oils in your hand could contaminate them.....not sure if that holds water or not, so just using a little funnel and "pouring" them into the bottle seems faster and with less skin contact.

By just sliding the cover back far enough you can dump primers by the row.

 

[soundguy]

Many years ago a fella I worked with, who wasn't exactly what you would call cautious, was loading the primer feed tube on a Dillon press and some how set them off. I don't know if all of them went but the ceiling above the press was peppered pretty good

Oddly enough.. the only primer ignitions outside of a gun.. or when seating a primer that I have ever heard of have fome from dillon primer tube. I've heard about 3 instances of that. Heck.. I have DROPPED a sleave of primers before.. nada happenned.

On 209's I know some brands don't have them in individual divots.. but in rows all next to each other. not aware of any maker selling them bulk bagged.. that seems odd.

Now.. noble DOES sell a 10K pack of 209's that is literally a box with 10 trays of 1k primers each.. and those are loose on each tray. IMHO.. that seller likely bagged each tray to make it easier to break up and sell.. you can't let a customer walk out with a 5" x 10" x 1/4" tray of primers.. they would spill them all over.

Like this:

 

[mathews691]

By just sliding the cover back far enough you can dump primers by the row.

I have tried that and end up with several half done "cards". I never remember that I had one already started.

 

[ral357]

I have tried that and end up with several half done "cards". I never remember that I had one already started.

If you tape and mark this can be overcome.....

 

[m1892]

I would think that storing and handling primers loose in a plastic bag a detonation might be initiated by static electricity.