De-Priming Old Mil Brass?

[Syncrowave]

I have a bunch of old 30-06 ammo that I pulled the bullets from years ago when I had planned to neck it down for my 270, but I never did anything with it except pull the bullets and discard the powder.

Now, I want to use them in a 30-06, and I'm left with maybe 100 Boxer primed military cases with the original primers.

The heads are stamped "FA 43" ... would this refer to "Frankford Arsenal" in 1943?

My main question is, how can I reclaim the brass for reloading?

I considered just popping off the primers in my rifle so I could then decap the cases, but I'm concerned the primers might be corrosive, and I don't feel like having to take my rifle through the car wash.

Would these primers be corrosive? If so, how should I remove them? I considered giving them all a shot of oil into the case to kill the primers so I could decap them (I would wash/tumble them afterwards) but I'm not sure whether that would reliably kill the primers.

Anybody know the best way to do this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[stool]

the primers are most likely corrosive. so if you shoot them clean the rifle well...specifically for salts.

you may be able to PUSH them out like a spent primer...the crimp may be an issue.....

i would try pushing them out.....as long as you do not IMPACT them you should be fine...safety glasses....

 

[CatShooter]

Just slowly push them out with whatever you use to remove fired primers.

They are extremely hard to "kill" with water, WD-40, etc - they do not work.

 

[wapiti25]

I would shoot them and then clean with warm soapy water, just oil after the final cleaning.

 

[nicholst55]

I would shoot them and then clean with warm soapy water, just oil after the final cleaning.

And don't neglect to swage/ream/cut the crimp out of the primer pockets.

 

[Syncrowave]

Thanks, guys.

If the primers are crimped (there does appear to be an indentation encircling the primer on the heads), am I going to have trouble pushing them out with a FL resizing/decapping die?

 

[navyrad8r]

syncro,
if you have access to a universal decapping die, do it that way. I use a lyman one for the military crimps...built heavy duty works great! make sure you wear safety glasses. since they are "virgin" cases that is the route I would go ant not use the sizing die at all. other thought would be the Wilson punch/base set up...just my .02
cheers
doc

 

[stool]

NO...
THAT IS IMPACT...DO NOT DO THAT.
use a press and PUSH them out.
or shoot and clean...

syncro,
if you have access to a universal decapping die, do it that way. I use a lyman one for the military crimps...built heavy duty works great! make sure you wear safety glasses. since they are "virgin" cases that is the route I would go ant not use the sizing die at all. other thought would be the Wilson punch/base set up...just my .02
cheers
doc

 

[Old Navy]

Am I the only one on this forum old enough to have started reloading with the Lee hand kit? The old primers both live and inert were driven out with a punch and a nylon head hammer. The punch was the same diameter as the bullet. It was hell for stout and for many years it was recommended to d-prime military cases. A new primer was set on mandrel with a recess to center it. The d-primed and resized case was literally pounded down on the primer. Never had any standard primers go off but I did with a few CCI mags. Never any damage done. Later! Frank

 

[stool]

i own over 100 lee loaders....there no part of their instructions to DEPRIME A LIVE PRIMER with the depriming tool.
and yes priming with a beat in lee tool has set off more than one primer....just one more reason to NOT DEPRIME live primers that way.

Am I the only one on this forum old enough to have started reloading with the Lee hand kit? The old primers both live and inert were driven out with a punch and a nylon head hammer. The punch was the same diameter as the bullet. It was hell for stout and for many years it was recommended to d-prime military cases. A new primer was set on mandrel with a recess to center it. The d-primed and resized case was literally pounded down on the primer. Never had any standard primers go off but I did with a few CCI mags. Never any damage done. Later! Frank

 

[MGYSGT]

Just de-prime in your press. It was the primers that caused all the problems with salts in the bad old days. You couldn't pay me to shoot that stuff.