Removing dud primer from loaded round

[fr3db3ar]

Do you guys have a method for safely removing a dud primer from a live round? My search fu didn't turn up anything useful.

Am I just better off to pull the bullet and powder and reload it?

 

[Leaddog]

Am I just better off to pull the bullet and powder and reload it?

Yes, that's the only safe method. Don't put yourself in harm's way.

 

[ReedG]

Yes ... pull the bullet and start over.

 

[lpreddick]

by "dud" i assume you had sufficient firing pin strike with no bang. i would test a few as blanks(no powder or bullet) after a good visual using magnification...any differences in anvils and is one in all primers, also, how old, storage, wet, why did it not bang? is the anvil still intact and if so gently remove and see if primer charge is there. if primer went off and powder did not...could this be problem? primers are possibly the most stable of our components and a dud is very unusual. keep us posted.

 

[fr3db3ar]

Plenty of impact strength. The primer is caved in. I didn't even fizz, I tried it twice to be sure. These were all loaded this summer and all the others have gone off without a hitch.

Probably not that bad as it's the first failure of the CCI 400 is several thousand shot.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

I've had a few of those. Pulled the bullet and no powder..

 

[DeadEyeDick45]

Pull the bullet, dump the powder (if there is any) and decap the brass. I do this all the time without any kaboom, just go slow and you won't have any problems. Remember to wear a face shield just in case.

 

[fr3db3ar]

I guess I'll be pulling it. No problem I have a collet puller. I'm sure there's powder as I do all of my loading by hand one at a time.

 

[Clod-NC]

Hi FR
Well,to add my advice to the others,unload your unfired round(cautiously),take bullet and powder out,then protect your eyes and hands,and very prudently unprime it,be very careful with this,and don't forget to check that faulty primer,but careful with all of this,it's the most dangerous part of the round,remember?You should be all safe if you're cautious.I've done it many times it works great...
PS:If you ever have an issue with your bullet puller,like I had,give the kinetic hammer a go,it's radical,I put my Forster puller aside ever since I tried one,there's no comparison,it's sort of bluffing...

 

[XTR]

I use a kinetic puller. Then run them through your decapper, as stated, make sure your eyes are protected.

 

[Tozguy]

Before decapping, why not give the primer a squirt of WD40 through the flash hole?
That stuff has got to be good for something.

 

[fr3db3ar]

I've used and broken some inertia pullers. The collet puller is da bomb. I'm not worried about depriming after the round is unloaded. I've done that a few times when I had to resize some brass that wasn't quite pushed back enough at the shoulder.

The inertia puller worked fine for 223 but no so much for 308.

 

[amlevin]

If you pull the bullet and find that there's powder in the case, and it didn't fire with a well hit primer, what makes anyone think it will suddenly explode when pushed out when depriming with a die?

I regularly deprime cases like this, some even with good primers, and no issues. Of course those who can't use a press with out slamming it, and are always breaking things on it, their operating style could be a little hazardous in itself 8)

 

[Stimpylu32]

Before decapping, why not give the primer a squirt of WD40 through the flash hole?
That stuff has got to be good for something.

Doesn't always work to kill a primer , I had some that I soaked for 3 days and still went POP , besides that , then you have to wash out the case or you run the risk of contaminating the next powder charge that goes in .

stimpy

 

[Martin52]

I put a few drops of oil into the empty case to cover the live primer (supposed to make it inert), let it penetrate for a few hours then tip out the oil, dry the inside of the case with paper towel (to stop any oil residue from getting on the press).
Place the case in the shellholder in the press and very gently lower the handle, raising the ram and slowly pressing the live primer out of the case. I have not had to do this many times but so far so good, no primers have gone off. I use a Lee decapping die for this. I use eye protection and place a small timber board between myself and the press.....just in case.

Martin

 

[DennisH]

Pull bullet, drop powder, put a few drops of transmission fluid in case (primer side down), let sit overnight is best, next morning remove primer. I have done this many times.

I also run the brass through an ultra sonic cleaner to clean the excess oil out.

The trans oil will neutralize the primer, BUT always wear protective gear when removing.