Exploding Primers???

[Blue Steel Traveller]

I'm new at reloading so I decided to start out with the Lee Anniversary kit.  Anyway, I open up the box for the Auto-prime tool and there in big letters is:

Primers

Federal All DO NOT USE

It says "Other primers, especially FEDERAL, can explode with sufficient force to seriously injure the user, or persons nearby".

and guess which brand of primers I picked up when I kitted out??

So, does anyone have any experience with this situation??  Any advice??

[Jubel]

I understand that some primers are softer than others and perhaps that's the issue here. I use either Winchester or Magtech primers and have for years using the same setup you have, with no problems.

[Micheal Fortune]

Yep, Lee says the same thing concerning all of their equipment, "Don't use Federal Primers"

I use the Lee Loadmaster Progressive press.  Federal primers are copper colored, they don't feed well.  I use CCI as they are chrome they feed well.

Wish I would of saved up for a Dillon but I have loaded may thousands of round with me Lee.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Mike, The Wins. are copper colored and don't slide well in LEE's. Federal's, CCI's and I believe Remington's are silvery. I use a LEE PRO 1000 and a LEE hand primer and use Federals.....Carefully. More attention to the priming stroke averts some problems, the cups are softer on the Federals and will crush easier if you're not careful. I also have an SDB, and it doesn't like CCI's. It will run Feds and Wins okay....Buck

[Delmonico]

Federal uses a different type of lead styphante in their mix, it is a bit more sensitive.  Winchester used to be nickel plated but the last ones I bought are not.

I do use the Federal 215's in my Lee primer, I am careful and have never had any problems.  If it don't seem right when you try to prime, find out why, don't force it.  This warning helps Lee from being sued if someone does something stupid.

[Micheal Fortune]

I stand corrected!   

Been using CCI for so long I forget about the rest of them.........

[Pinto Being]

Amigo,

Obviously, you will do what you want.  But, I can tell you that from my personal experience Federal makes the best primer on the market for CAS.

Because I shoot .45LC I use Federal large pistol primers for both the rifle and the pistol.

Federals, to my mind, are the very best.

They are the softest, the most uniform, and the most consistent of all the primers on the market for our sport.  FWIW, I've had problems with both Winchester and CCI primers.  But, never a problem with Federals.

Y'know what, though?  A body needs to try 'em all out for himself/herself.  Whatever works for you...  Those other primers would not be on the market if they were no good.  So, try 'em all and then make your decision.

Just one feller's opinion, you understand...

[Hemlock Mike]

Simply stated -- When seating ANY primers -- Keep yer face out of the way.

Feces happens no matter what you do.  All primers have at some time, somewhere for someone  fired off when not expected.

Use caution and you'll be OK.

Mike

[litl rooster]

Now ya all are going to make me read the directions........On my Lee equipment. I just loaded some Federal 155 pistol thru it. Now I have set one off accidentally, but it wasn't in any of the Lee loading equipment. I may have had second thoughts to using them if I had read this first.  Hemlock Mike's advise is wise.

[44caliberkid]

This reminds me of a story, perhaps urban legend, of a Federal employee who was carrying a bucket of primers from one point to another in the ammo factory.  As he walked, he bounced the bucket as it made a pleasing jingle to him.  What next?
   Ching, ching, ching, BOOOOM!!
All they found were his shoes.

[Delmonico]

I read about that years ago, but it was Winchester, not Federal, it was in a book on the history of Winchester, but I don't remember which one.

[Micheal Fortune]

I heard the same story but it was someone who just ate a bunch of your beans Del.....

[Delmonico]

Delmonico adds Micheal Fortune to his "Needs a Dose of Castor Oil" list.

[Grizzle Bear]

I know this happened at the Lake City Army ammunition plant near Kansas City.  A worker spilled a 5 gallon bucket of priming mixture on a concrete floor, and then tried to sweep it up.  They saw him do it on a TV monitor, that's the only way they knew who had done it.

Grizzle Bear

[Delmonico]

Priming mixtures are some of the most powerful non-nuclear explosives known to man.

To satisfy my own curiosity I cut a slit in an empty tuna can and positioned it over my electric soldering iron with a Federal 215 on it with the anvil up.  I plugged in the iron and left the room, closing the door.  When it popped I found the can no longer on the work bench but on the floor, the anvil was wedged in a hole in the can, almost but not quite through.

[Howdy Doody]

Federals and in particular the small pistol match ones that I use compared to the winchester that I quit using, have a tad higher anvil, which may be what is of concern to Lee. Seems Dillon doesn't care for them either, but that is what I do, load them on a Dillon.
Everything is at your own risk, some or most of it is lawyer talk, but you must do what you feel is safe.
I have had one incident, caused by myself with Fed primers. I set of a string of 5 in the primer disc off on my press and luckily not the ones in the tube. I felt it was my fault for letting my hand slip and bounce the lever, and went to winchesters and then I had at least one primer per match I had to hit twice and some that wouldn't fire even then and upon inspection were dented well. Probably a bad batch, but I went back to the softer and easier to light off Feds and no problems since.
Just my experience and every one has stories of their own, but I say again, don't do anything you are not comfortable with. Be safe, wear eye and maybe even ear protection when loading.