Dangers of handloading process

[User702]

Never a truer word spoken. Good eye protection is a must in almost any situation where hot or fast stuff could come at your face. I even wear glasses out cycling.

[johngarnett]

I don't wish to 'hijack' a thread but there are some interesting points here.

In a previous life I was or still am an optician and over the years have seen a few things, excuse the pun!.

Re protective shooting specs... Yes, wear them and, AT THE RANGE. It might not be your gun that has a problem.
When buying, try several different styles. These are made by the million for Mr Euro Head. They are one size fits all. That is not the case. A good source is a company providing safety kit for industry. They should let you try them on for fit. Those fortunate or unfortunate enough to be working could check safety specs through their work. Then speak nicely to your safety officer!!
Check how the sides (ear pieces) fit under ear muffs. They can get very painful. If specs hurt, you won't wear them. See if you can get curl sides. (Like old NHS kiddies specs) These fit right in the back of your ears.
Make sure the lenses are to DIN or BS or equivalent. Don't store them in the bottom of your shooting bag with all the empty cases and s**t that accumulates therein. Clean them wet, with a soft cloth. Not the hem of your jacket you've been laying in the muck on..

Regarding reloading. As we get older we will need help for reading or close up work. Again, get at the least plastic or better polycarbonate prescription lenses. Glass lenses are worse than useless for protection in the workshop.(toughened glass lenses are heavy). High end 'thin' lenses are very good but expensive to use in a a workshop environment.

If I can help anyone, PM me. I no longer work so I'm not going to be flogging one company against another!

JohnG

P.S. Happy New Year. 'Good shooting to you all' TR shooters will know those words well!!

[Gaz]

I am paranoid about eye protection for a good reason this is me the day after being released from Hospital having surgery on my right eye to save my sight. At the same time they removed a cataract from the left eye and replaced the lense in the eye otherwise I would not have been able to see at all while we waited to see how the right eye recovered. I found out afterwards they also removed the lens from the right eye and replaced it so I would not have to have follow up surgery if the right eye recovered successfully . It took a couple of month but luckily the sight returned in the right eye all though not as good as I would like. The lenses in my eyes only work at one distance I can see for miles but can not see a foot in front of me with out corrective glasses.
My point is GET YOUR EYE PROTECTION ON.

EYE EYE.jpg

How did that happen, Alpha?

[ovenpaa]

For years I used to wear a pair of reading glasses under a pair of safety glasses for close up work on the lathe and it was never ideal and I would often forget the safety specs completely then one day Christel suggested bi-focal wrap around safety glasses, I gave them a try and was staggered by just how good they were for all of the hazardous things around the shop, polishing, sawing, machining they stopped all of the crap in one go with one minor exception. Occasionally I get my materials delivered in 4.8-5.0m lengths which is a nuisance to get into the saw to cut and to get into the storage loft so I shop the lengths in half, sometimes with a hacksaw and sometimes with a jig saw and the latter is the problem. Using a jig saw is the only time flecks of material can bounce up through the tiny gap between the glasses and my cheeks. Now I know and either hold my head back slightly or use full contact safety glasses.

The bi-focal safety glasses are also perfect for the range and I always have a spare pair on hand.

[Maggot]

Does anyone know of any cases of injury or damage caused by the actual process of handloading, including corollary activities, e.g. storage of components, but excluding problems from using the handloads once assembled?

Yes.

I get a slightly achy right thumb trying to grab hold of 556 cases when reaming out the primer pockets......kicks in at about 70, does that help?

If you wrap them in a bit of old suede that seems to help

[pnuk]

Completely agree on glasses at all times.
They need to meet En166f standard.

[Chapuis]

For years I used to wear a pair of reading glasses under a pair of safety glasses for close up work on the lathe and it was never ideal and I would often forget the safety specs completely then one day Christel suggested bi-focal wrap around safety glasses, I gave them a try and was staggered by just how good they were for all of the hazardous things around the shop, polishing, sawing, machining they stopped all of the crap in one go with one minor exception. Occasionally I get my materials delivered in 4.8-5.0m lengths which is a nuisance to get into the saw to cut and to get into the storage loft so I shop the lengths in half, sometimes with a hacksaw and sometimes with a jig saw and the latter is the problem. Using a jig saw is the only time flecks of material can bounce up through the tiny gap between the glasses and my cheeks. Now I know and either hold my head back slightly or use full contact safety glasses.

The bi-focal safety glasses are also perfect for the range and I always have a spare pair on hand.

My father had exactly the oposite experience of using bifocals in the workshop ovenpaa. He was persauded to go the bifocal route by his optician but the first time he used them in the workshop when using the circular saw he said he was in real fear of loosing fingers to the saw. Subsequently he would never use the bifocals in the workshop again.

As regards accidents when reloading. I can attest to the dangers of primers should one go off and how dangerous the shrapnel is, having had one hit me on the cheek just below the eye leaving a nasty cut and a bruise that lasted several weeks. Fortunately it missed my eye but since then I always wear safety glasses when dealing with primers. You probably won't believe me when I tell you what I was doing at the time!

I was trying to pry out a second small pistol primer that another club member had miraculously managed to squash on top of another live primer already sitting in a .38spl case. Prior to seeing it I would have said that it was totally impossible to manage such a thing, but he managed to do it and to remove the affected case from the press but try as we might we failed to get the affected case back in the shell holder. Hence I was trying to pry the second primer off the top of the first with a small screwdriver when it went off. Common sense should have told me to simply dump the case but I suppose it was more in annoyance of the ineptitude of the other reloader than made me attempt it.

I can also confirm that it's not a good idea to attempt to dispose of a damaged shotgun primer on the back of the parkray. Shotgun primers have the ability to move a fair bit of the fire on to the hearth rug when they go off.

[Mezzer]

For years I used to wear a pair of reading glasses under a pair of safety glasses for close up work on the lathe and it was never ideal and I would often forget the safety specs completely then one day Christel suggested bi-focal wrap around safety glasses, I gave them a try and was staggered by just how good they were for all of the hazardous things around the shop, polishing, sawing, machining they stopped all of the crap in one go with one minor exception. Occasionally I get my materials delivered in 4.8-5.0m lengths which is a nuisance to get into the saw to cut and to get into the storage loft so I shop the lengths in half, sometimes with a hacksaw and sometimes with a jig saw and the latter is the problem. Using a jig saw is the only time flecks of material can bounce up through the tiny gap between the glasses and my cheeks. Now I know and either hold my head back slightly or use full contact safety glasses.

The bi-focal safety glasses are also perfect for the range and I always have a spare pair on hand.

+1

Use them all the time at work AND while reloading.
These are cheap and can be bought from ebay for around £12. It's a very small price to pay to keep your eyesight.

Mezzer

[ovenpaa]

My father had exactly the oposite experience of using bifocals in the workshop ovenpaa. He was persauded to go the bifocal route by his optician but the first time he used them in the workshop when using the circular saw he said he was in real fear of loosing fingers to the saw. Subsequently he would never use the bifocals in the workshop again.

Heh, my Father struggled with bifocals as well and people around me used to mutter about how awkward they were so I was quite wary of them until I tried them, I found them spot on from day one.

[BRYAN3]

Does anyone know of any cases of injury or damage caused by the actual process of handloading, including corollary activities, e.g. storage of components, but excluding problems from using the handloads once assembled?

Sandy. Hi.
I don't wish to offend but, why do you ask?
Bringing accidents to the attention of the NRA for example could be a mistake because they might be trying to force reloading competency certificates on us,at our cost.
Our Police and government will probably use the banning of home loading to further kill our hobby.

I just don't see why we should make it easier for them.

Bryan.