Remove Live Primers

[Harry]

I have some 30-30 brass that were prepped by my dad years ago. The have been FL sized and primed but not loaded. Some of the O.A.L. exceed the max. SAAMI specs by as much as 0.030". I have, in the past, trimmed brass with the primer in using the Lyman trimmer. These brass were never cleaned. They were prepared using the old Lyman EZ-Loader. I would like to remove the primers and clean them and trim to specs before loading. Is it OK to deprime with the LEE universal tool, then clean, then use the same primers again?

[RAK2018]

I have removed primers and used them over with out a problem. I just go slow when removing the primers.

[earlmck]

Yes. Might want to wear safety glasses "just in case" but I've never had one go off when depriming and I've been doing it (occasionally) for 50 years or so...

[largom]

Before deprimeing I would give each case a shot of penetrating oil inside to kill the old primer. Whichever way you decide to deprime I would not reuse the primers.

[John Boy]

Is it OK to deprime with the LEE universal tool, then clean, then use the same primers again?

Yes, if the anvils in the primer are not distorted when you removed them. Reload one - fire it and see whats happen. Best advice though - use new primers, their cheap

[kaiser]

I would advise against doing that; I'd recommend you deprime, as planned, and prime with new primers after trimming and cleaning the brass. It might cost you $0.30 or $0.40 (new primers) to preclude a "misfire" at an inopportune time.

[JBinMN]

Another vote for re-priming with new primers.

Why take a chance with old primers & new components & the old primers ( or even just some of them) don't work & then you went to the efforts of loading & all for nothing & then still have to dispose of, or take them apart to try to recover, etc.

Your decision & G'Luck! with whatever ya decide.

[modified5]

The old boy that developed the wildcat that I have for my contender also built custom 50 BMG guns.
He was depriming some 50 cases and had one go off when he had a pile in his press. They all started going off and he ended up with some imbedded in his face.
I would pop them and then carry on as normal. JMHO.
Whatever you do, be safe.

[Harry]

OK, thank you all for the advise. I will carefully deprime and start from scratch. I suppose placing the primers in water for a time should make them safe. Is that OK? How do you dispose of live primers?

Thanks,

[JBinMN]

You could always try to shoot just the primers in the firearm you are going to load them for first. Then deprime & then you would know that most or all are now "inert".


I could add a couple of other methods guaranteed to make them inert, but I think someone would complain that I was advocating for doing something that could get someone hurt, even though much of what we do can get someone hurt if they do not take the right precautions...

So, I will refrain from helping out on that.
LOL

[fredj338]

You can safely deprime, just go slow. Though if it is just dirty brass, some steel wool cleans that right up, no issues trimming primed brass either.

[Walter Laich]

I suppose placing the primers in water for a time should make them safe. Thanks,

Nope, once they dry out the priming compound is again 'hot'

priming compound is put into the primer cups in a slurry--probably a bit more like toothpaste. Once the water evaporates the compound is ready to go.

oil is a much better way to 'kill' the primers for good.

I have deprimed and reused primers for years. I do dispose of the ones I find in cases on the gun range though.

[tankgunner59]

I have done it both ways. I deprimed live primers from several cases and decided to reprime with the same primers in a few to see if they still fired. After a trip to the range I found that all 10 fired. So I can save the primers, but if you aren't sure about it I would go ahead and use new primers. I personally have an overstock of new primers so I don't worry about it.

[Soundguy]

Chamber them, pop them, resize, trim, prime and go.

I deprime live ones going slow, but if you are wondering how to deactivate them, then just popping them in the gun is the safe, easy solution.

[RogerDat]

I have removed live primers using the Lee Universal depriming die. It works fine. Press has a through the ram primer disposal and I take the cap off the hose so the primers can drop into a container on the floor rather than hanging there in a plastic tube between my knees and my belt buckle.

I have set them off in a vise with a nail while wearing a face shield and gloves but that was just for a couple that were berdan primed and I'm pretty sure that is nothing I would recommend to others.

I'm with the folks that suggest if you remove old ones you replace with new. FTF are a hassle even if just on the range plinking. If you are going to re-use them while dressed in protective face shield and leather apron, then label the box as suspect, and shoot them all up at the range to dispose of the suspect primers all in one go then maybe re-use. But really at $4 per hundred to replace primers why bother.

I spray with WD40 put them in a plastic bag and take them to scrap yard with rest of my brass scrap. I don't know if they are all 100% dead but figure that's as good as it gets other than setting them off.

[crackers]

You have to trim them. That you would like to clean them is to unnecessarily tie your own hands.

[country gent]

I would recommend a press mounted depriming tool or a hand type tool over the Lee hammer tool for depriming live brass. It takes a lot more push force to detonate a primer than a blow. The press mounted also has the advantage of containing the force better if one does detonate. A simple hand style deprimer ( like a little hand held press strictly for depriming, Frankfort arsenal, Harvey, pope style, and some others make them and they arnt hard to make yourself) also is a steady push not a blow removing the primer.

Water may deaden the primers while wet but as stated above when dried out they may become live again. Oil may deaden them. Some covered primers may resist the soaking also. Also some solvents may make the compound more sensitive.

If you want to deprime live and reuse use them for target work not hunting or defense. This way f there are duds then its on the range not in the field where game could be wounded instead of taken cleanly.

Depriming live primers be safe and use the proper equipment. A face shield is best here googles next and then safety glasses. Contained in a press mounted die not much will get out if one detonates. You might want to ground your press bench also. There will be a lot of dust from this. And a good cleaning after to remove this dust.

[Geezer in NH]

I have pushed live primers out for almost 50 years and NEVER set one off. Push is the way don't just slam the press handle.

I am now using a Lee universal deprimer on a Lee classic Iron prees catching the primer in the tube. After depriming I get rid of them by tossing them in the wood stove it's pop pop pop. No worry they are not TNT.

For years in my gunshop we tossed old ammo into the stove to cook off it goes pop and that is it. The lead will be recoverable in the bottom of the stove.

WARNING!! do not toss Black powder cartridges or shells in just the smokeless ones unless you want to clean the soot after the pipes let go.

[Reddirt62]

Stuff like wd40 is not effective in killing a primer, like water when it evaporates the primer is live again, don't ask how I know.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Texas by God]

I save decapped live primers in a pill bottle marked "decaps".
I use them for plinking or experimental loads. I would never just toss them- I've lived through two "shortages" when you could NOT find primers.
Thomas

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk