Is it safe to remove live primers?

[TheCreeper]

I want t unload some factory.44 mag rounds that have accuracy problems. Is it safe to us the press to remove the live primers?

 

[ballisticxlr]

Yep. Primers will probably not be very reliable afterward so soak in something and discard when done. Just treat them like otherwise live primers once deprimed from the case.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Press them out very carefully and you can probably use them again. I have many times, with no issues.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

I cannot afford to waste primers! Take them out carefully. I do it on the Dillon which catches then nicely.

 

[joshb]

Why remove them? Pull the bullets and powder and reload them. You can also pull your decapping stem and resize them. No need to waste primers!

 

[paw]

I have many times. With no problems. Use your head wear safety glasses

 

[Steve K]

As stated before, removing live primers is easy, but be careful. I use a Lee Decapping Die. There is no pressure to contend with as with a resizing die. Move slowly and the primer will fall out.

 

[hpshooter]

I use a Lee Decapping Die.

One of the handiest tools to have on the loading bench. The point about it not becoming a pressure vessel was a great selling point for me. Easy to modify the pin for small flash holes. If cost is not a problem Redding makes a small flash hole decapping pin for their decapping die.

 

[Bill Norris]

Primers can be safely removed and re-used if care is taken to not damage them. Never had an issue with the few I have removed and re-used in the past.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Why remove them? Pull the bullets and powder and reload them. You can also pull your decapping stem and resize them. No need to waste primers!

Only to anneal cases - normally after seating a couple of pills, then realising that the seating pressure is all over the place.

 

[TheCreeper]

Thanks for the information guys.

 

[243Lapua]

I have many times. With no problems. Use your head wear safety glasses

Use a bomb suit. Jajaja. Kidding aside. They are safe to remove, just go slow, and safety glasses at all times.

 

[Dave Way]

You are applying pressure to the anvil. That is exactly how a primer goes off although the force is normally applied from the primer face to the anvil crushing the compound in between

I have never heard of one going off but I believe the only way for pressure to escape would be for the primer to blow out. I don’t think I would want to find out.

My recommendation would be to shoot them as is and keep all your body parts. What is an eye or finger worth?

It is surprising how much energy primers have. This is a test I conducted on a Federal 205M. The barrel length was 22”. Nothing but the primer in an empty case. Be careful everyone.



Dave.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I don't believe primers are major accuracy killers in factory ammo.

 

[Retired Grunt]

I fixed 7 Rifle Rounds this morning, I had bumped the shoulder too far and had a slight bulge keeping them from chambering. Pulled the bullets and dumped the powder in a pan, resized and reloaded with no problems.

 

[BOB LEE SWAGGER]

Until it's not. My deductible is more than any carton of primers.

 

[darkangel_r2]

I want t unload some factory.44 mag rounds that have accuracy problems. Is it safe to us the press to remove the live primers?

As long as the pockets are not crimped you should be fine. 1 had to pop out 100 pieces of small primer 308 brass and none went off. Take it slow should be fine.

 

[NorCalMikie]

And it's a PUSH not a SLAM to remove live primers.
And if you ever have issues with a FTF and "blame it on defective primers", push one out, set in on the cement floor and do the hammer thing. If it goes BANG, the primer WAS good. If not, look somewhere else for your problem.

 

[Taylorbok]

I've removed tons of live primers, never had one go off. I haven't ever reused one.

 

[6bra1k]

You are applying pressure to the anvil. That is exactly how a primer goes off although the force is normally applied from the primer face to the anvil crushing the compound in between

I have never heard of one going off but I believe the only way for pressure to escape would be for the primer to blow out. I don’t think I would want to find out.

My recommendation would be to shoot them as is and keep all your body parts. What is an eye or finger worth?

It is surprising how much energy primers have. This is a test I conducted on a Federal 205M. The barrel length was 22”. Nothing but the primer in an empty case. Be careful everyone.

View attachment 1294461

Dave.

wrong...a primer is an IMPACT EXPLOSIVE.....no IMPACT no explosion. PUSH them out smoothly, and they are typically reuseable. just inspect and re use..i have done bunches of them this way......