Removing live primers?
- Thread starter lazyeiger
- Start date
lazyeiger said:
Yes, there is. I've done it many times for various reasons. Just go VERY SLOW when decapping. I DO NOT recommend reusing them.
Until you get used to doing it, you might throw an old heavy towel over the press while decapping for peace of mind. After awhile you'll see that going slow is the key.
Military brass: Have pushed primers out and some came out with a slight protrusion on the stricking surface, probably due to not having all the crimp swaged out or removed prior to reloading if not from just overall tighter pockets. I could feel the slight variance in resistance which required slightly more effort. Those primers with protrusion I was not comfortable using and were discarded.
Comercial brass: Did remove and never had any protrusions on stricking surface. Did reload with them. Would not recommend use for anything important or serious. I used for sighting, small game, practice on paper and worked without incident. If you do get the protrusion from pushing out of commercial brass I would discard those primers as well. The decision is yours of course as is to use any you push out.
Just go easy and be careful when pushing out. The use of a towel as a protective barrier mentioned by Snake until you are comfortable and get the feel of it is certainly a good idea. Eye protection too and always! After you push some out you should have a pretty good idea how they feel during removal.
Comercial brass: Did remove and never had any protrusions on stricking surface. Did reload with them. Would not recommend use for anything important or serious. I used for sighting, small game, practice on paper and worked without incident. If you do get the protrusion from pushing out of commercial brass I would discard those primers as well. The decision is yours of course as is to use any you push out.
Just go easy and be careful when pushing out. The use of a towel as a protective barrier mentioned by Snake until you are comfortable and get the feel of it is certainly a good idea. Eye protection too and always! After you push some out you should have a pretty good idea how they feel during removal.
"I DO NOT recommend reusing them."
Dunno why not? I use them for plinking cast bulets loads in various rifles and they go bang just fine. Been doing this for more years than I care to count. Use 'em for light duty and save the good primers for serious work. I've even used them for some preliminary load work ups with no problems at all.
Paul B.
Dunno why not? I use them for plinking cast bulets loads in various rifles and they go bang just fine. Been doing this for more years than I care to count. Use 'em for light duty and save the good primers for serious work. I've even used them for some preliminary load work ups with no problems at all.
Paul B.
I bump live primers out gently all the time, and have had no problem, not to say that it can't happen. But you are pushing the anvil backward, not forward against the fulmigate (whatever the mixture is called). I would think the risk is minimal.
And I have not detected anything adverse in re-using them. But then again, I am cheap. I also re-use powder and bullets.
And I have not detected anything adverse in re-using them. But then again, I am cheap. I also re-use powder and bullets.
I have done it a number of times, as mentioned just go very slow. If you are really concerned about it a drop of water inside the case would not hurt.
I also like to use a decapping die instead of a sizing die for this purpose so that if one does go off there is nothing really holding the pressure.
I also like to use a decapping die instead of a sizing die for this purpose so that if one does go off there is nothing really holding the pressure.
I have removed live primers by firstly pouring a small amount of oil into the case to cover the primer. I let it sit to for a while then pour the oil out of the case before slowly removing the live primer using a Lee decapping die. I got this tip from one of the forums. Oil is supposed to make the primer less likely to go off, if not rendering it inert. The process is a bit messy, you get some oil around the press and in the decapping die. The primer then needs to be safely disposed of, I usually soak it for a while longer in oil before disposal. I think safety in primer removal comes before considerations of re-use, just consider the minimal cost of a primer and compare that against what may result if it goes off in front of you.
tenring said:
Actually, the explosive pellet is between the anvil and the cup, so it is being compressed when decapping. I am not sure if mercuric fulminate is still used for primers.
Having said that; I use a drill press and wood block fixture. The large quill feed handles allow very slow pressure application and the wood block gives the primer a place to go. I use this setup both for live decapping and for decapping prior to ultrasonic or stainless pin tumbling. Just close the chuck jaws completely and they provide an excellent surface to contact the decapping rod.
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bozo699
Gold $$ Contributor
lazyeiger,
As stated by most of the other posters I have done it for years with no problems what so ever, I usually don't reuse the old ones but I wouldn't be afraid to. If it bothers you soak your cases in soapy water over night before depriming
RonAKA posted last year I think it was he had one go off ??? so be careful and procede slowly as suggested, hope this helps.
Wayne
As stated by most of the other posters I have done it for years with no problems what so ever, I usually don't reuse the old ones but I wouldn't be afraid to. If it bothers you soak your cases in soapy water over night before depriming
RonAKA posted last year I think it was he had one go off ??? so be careful and procede slowly as suggested, hope this helps.Wayne
I push them out using a hand punch, the case head in a shellholder, everything placed between the jaws of my bench vise. Slowly tighten the jaws and the primer will nicely come out. When removing the punch,case & shellholder, tilt the case head end up to keep the primer from falling onto the floor. Been doing it this way for too many years to remember, have never had one go off, and do not hesitate to reuse them, and there have never been any "clicks" instead of "bangs".
Sleepygator,
no, no mercuric primers isnce the late 20s early 30s or so. If they're encountered now in very old ammunition, taht brass shouldn't be reloaded anyway. The mercury seruiously weakend the brass creating something akin to work hardening, produced cracking, all kinds of ugly stuff. Can still find corrosive primed stuff in a lot of foreign ammo, but mercuric primed is pretty much a thing of the past.
no, no mercuric primers isnce the late 20s early 30s or so. If they're encountered now in very old ammunition, taht brass shouldn't be reloaded anyway. The mercury seruiously weakend the brass creating something akin to work hardening, produced cracking, all kinds of ugly stuff. Can still find corrosive primed stuff in a lot of foreign ammo, but mercuric primed is pretty much a thing of the past.
coyoteklr
maybe i'm just lucky.... i have removed live primers since moby dick was a minnow...
i have never had a problem..... i don't reuse them all though they may work i just don't have the confidence in them.... i like to have the confidence that everything is going to work right and know i can hit where i'm aiming at that distance......
i have never had a problem..... i don't reuse them all though they may work i just don't have the confidence in them.... i like to have the confidence that everything is going to work right and know i can hit where i'm aiming at that distance......
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