Primer didn't fire, what to do?

[SkookumJeff]

Not sure where to post this question, wish there was a reloading forum here, this is not a reloading 'equipment' issue.

I have a .357 magnum hand load that did not fire. Out of a box of fifty, this is the only one that failed. As I recall, I tried to fire this cartridge several times to no effect. There is a nice dimple in the primer.

I am nervous about trying to disassemble this cartridge, all I have is an impact puller for this caliber. I hate to just throw the cartridge into the garbage as is, I'd like to get it broke down and remove the primer. I'm nervous that this thing might still go off if I mess with it in any way. Any suggestions other than to just toss it?

Skook

[rototerrier]

Use a kinetic puller on it. No more chance of it going off than anything else. In fact, I'd even argue this round has an even less of a chance of going off since it won't fire from a direct hit.

If you are really concerned, though I wouldn't be, get a collet style puller.

You can also rig a manual puller. Put some leather around die hole of a press. Stick some needle nose vice grips down in there (threads protected by the leather/cloth) and then run the bullet up in the hole. Grab hold of the bullet with the vice grips and then lower the ram to pull the bullet.

[John Boy]

Only one round with a light hit? Bad primer
As far as pulling the bullet with a kinetic bullet puller - millions have been done by thousands of reloaders so what makes you so afraid!

[JBinMN]

ETA: I see to others have posted while I was typing.. G'luck! anyway!


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Are you trying to save it for some reason, or trying to make it inert/dead only?

I see no real good reason to save any of the components for just one cartridge, as all are not worth much. The cost of one case, a questionable primer & the charge & boolit/bullet being maybe about a quarter dollar or so max. isn't worth much in the grand scheme of things, IMO.. I would just want to make it "inert/dead" & throw the parts away or recycle only the lead & powder.

If , for some reason you want to save the components , I would just take the cartridge, place it in a shellholder of the correct size, then either run it up to the top of a single stage press & grab the projectile with a pair of "dikes" ( Diagonal pliers/snips) & lower the ram [pulling the case & the projectile apart. Or, if your press & the cartridge are not long enough for that, then place a socket that fits over that ram & run the projectile up thru the 3/8 or 1/2 square hole & do the same with the pliers there at the base of the press.

You could also,I think, if ya don't have a way of doing that, just take 2 pairs of pliers, eye protection & some leather gloves, then grab the case with one set of pliers & the boolit/bullet with the other & twist & bend at the same time to break apart the connection. I believe the likelihood of it going off is pretty small doing it that way also, but I would go with the first suggestion myself.

( I have done the Press method before & then removed the live primer also, for more than one cartridge to break down to use the components. All went well. So far, & I have enough confidence in that, to do it again. it is a YMMV deal, I guess. ).

IMO, a cartridge would not have the same pressures outside of the chamber as it does when within the chamber since nothing constricts the possible pressure created if it for some weird reason would go off.

Do as ya like, but that is "My Opinion". You have to decide for yourself.
G'Luck!



PS - I have tried the kinetic "whack" method & prefer the press method..Works every time for me, when the kinetic sometimes takes more than a few hits on some cartridges. I prefer to just get the job done without extra effort, myself.

Once again... YMMV.

[SkookumJeff]

Only one round with a light hit? Bad primer
As far as pulling the bullet with a kinetic bullet puller - millions have been done by thousands of reloaders so what makes you so afraid!

I've had and used my kinetic puller for at least 20 years now. I've used it enough to know that there's a lot of energy involved in getting a bullet to move. What I'm nervous about is the primer going off as I'm pounding the puller. Just because this primer didn't go off from a firing pin strike, doesn't mean the primer is dead. I've seen a picture of one of these kinetic pullers that did get blown apart from a cartridge detonating, so it does happen. I don't want to win a Darwin award.

Skook

[lightman]

You should be safe to pull it. While you should hold the gun in a safe way for a little while, it has been plenty long enough. I pick up any duds that I find at the range and break them down when I get home. Never a problem.

[popper]

Lightman is talking about a 'hang-fire', not normally a problem for us but a good reminder to "leave it in the chamber' for a while. Powder kinda fizzles for a while before going bang. Pull boolit, dump powder and punch out the primer (wear your safety glasses).

[SkookumJeff]

Are you trying to save it for some reason, or trying to make it inert/dead only?

Just trying to make this cartridge dead, I don't care about saving the components, 'cept the lead of course, which I will remelt. I just want this cartridge dead.

Let me clarify, for some reason the anvil didn't detonate the primer mix. That doesn't mean the primer mix is dead (although that's a possibility too). This primer has a nice dimple in it but did not fire. It could be this primer is ready to detonate if the primer cup is flexed or the primer sustains a severe enough shock, say, from an impact puller. I don't want to be picking little pieces of hard plastic our of my face. Maybe I'm being a little over cautious here, that doesn't seem unreasonable to me given the nature of this hobby.

Skook

[fredj338]

I've taken apart dozens of live rounds with a kinetic, never an issue. Wear safety glasses just in case though.

[Soundguy]

I would bet a live round is less safe than your non firing one to kinetic pull, and I've kinetic pulled bajillions of rounds in the past to reclaim materials.

Chances are, bad primer.

[44MAG#1]

Put it in your press raise it up and take a pair of side cutters to the bullet and slowly raise the handle.
Again not rocket science.

[Grmps]

cheap bullet puller; (Will ruin the boolit)
a piece of pipe (PVC OK) that fits over your presses ram and is taller than the cartridge
place the cartridge in the ram, raise it until the boolit is clear of the pipe and grip the boolit with something (I use a wire stripper with the holes enlarged to a little under the boolit diamiter, but needle nose vise grips, side cutters, pliers, anything that can firmly grip the boolit)
Lower the ram and your done

[country gent]

If you arnt comfortable with the kenitic puller and hammering it out, then theres another way to pull it that's pretty easy. Pick up a piece of pipe or conduit that fits over the shell holder /ram of your press and cut it 1"-2" set this over the ram and raise ram up grip bullet with sidecuts and pull down the pipe will hold the side cuts up and the ram will pull the bullet.

[NSB]

Two years ago I pulled apart over 3,500 rounds of live ammo with a kinetic puller to salvage the bullets and powder. Not one problem. I've been using these pullers for years. If there were any real danger in using them no one would be making them....liability and lawsuits, etc. I wouldn't even hesitate doing it.

[RogerDat]

I'm not sure I see a direct compare between pulling apart live ammo and pulling apart a hang fire. By design the primer has pushed down to the anvil and might be more susceptible to going off. I would think the dikes and press pull down would be better than a kinetic, stand back not over your work, and if you have one wear a face shield, if not at least wear decent safety glasses.

I do recall a video that showed a bullet wouldn't penetrate drywall at 12 inches without a barrel around it to channel and contain the pressure. Putting it into a plastic container that will contain that blast like a pipe bomb seems less advisable than the press and pliers method.

[MOA]

If you are still nervous after these posts than just get some penetrating oil and put some in a plastic cap off a handy bottle from your shop and set the case in it for a day or so and the primer should be very, very, dead. Than just pull it. Throw powder away and re-use case and bullet.

[runfiverun]

you couldn't make it fire by igniting the primer 6 other times, it ain't gonna go off now.
knock it apart, throw the bullet in the pot, and reload the case.

[gwpercle]

It's OK, in the last 50 years I've used the kinetic puller on thousands of loaded rounds , most military with crimped in bullets. I've never had a primer go off...it sounds risky but it really isn't.
Get out your seating die and break the crimp by seating the boolit just 1/10th inch deeper , while applying no additional crimp. The primer on your round is more than likely non functioning anyway.
Insert in the puller and whack on a solid surface...three moderate blows works better than trying to do it with one big sledgehammer blow.
Case , bullet and powder can all be re used. Resize , deprime and carry on.

We used to break down military 30-06 ammo for the primed cases or to replace the full metal jacket bullet with soft point for deer hunting.
Gary

[RogerDat]

That break the crimp by seating the bullet deeper is a nice trick, I'll have to remember that. Made some "dummy" 45 colt rounds to go in a cartridge belt for a play and now have to pull them down, those have no primer but I think they do have a crimp on the bullet.

[Soundguy]

Heck, I even deprime live primed brass. As long as they aren't sealed, crimped or staked, go slow and its usually noise free