Pulled primers

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I decapped hundreds of cases with live primers.
Usually when I've bought brass which was primed, but not properly stored or properly processed...once a batch of brass had different color primers...I want primers from the same batch in my ammo.
I only use salvaged/pulled primers for non-critical applications, like forming cases, or another one is, when I'm loading a large batch of pistol ammo, I always load in batches with matching HS cases, but when I get near the end of a large batch, there is always some mixed HS cases...I will use pulled primers for those and label them blasting ammo...I don't even call it plinking ammo...blasting ammo is used for testing, whether testing a gun or a new type of target or something else wear accuracy and 100% reliability isn't needed, I am much more aware of squibs and things when shooting blasting ammo as well. Lastly, I will say I have never had a Dud primer that was pulled and reused...but I expect to someday.

[Nueces]

Ain't they "pushed" primers?

[Idz]

Primer sensitivity is usually advertised as an all-fire energy of a weight dropped on the firing pin. However to fire a primer you need not only the listed energy but sufficient power. Supplying energy slowly like a gentle hand on the de-capping press doesn't generate enough power to fire the primer.

[Texas by God]

I keep them in a bowl labeled "De-caps" and use them for shot loads, wax bullets, and experiments.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[fatelk]

My son and I occasionally pick up brass at the range. After a match especially, there are many thousands of mostly 9mm on the ground. We also find a fair quantity of live rounds. I always pull them apart with an inertia puller, dump the powder, keep the jacketed bullets and melt the cast ones. The primed brass gets checked for high or dented primers and thrown in a can.

When I accumulate enough I load them up. Free primed brass, why not? I use a moderate load that should be safe with the hottest magnum primer, and use them for informal shooting. I’ve been surprised to find them pretty accurate, or at least plenty accurate enough for shooting clay targets off the 25 yard berm.

[Traffer]

I set off a 22lr primed case by accident in a case sizing die. About as loud as a primer. I apologized to my wife who was in the same room. She said,"oh I thought you just hit something really hard with a hammer".
Good wife!

[bob208]

in one of his books skeeter tells of a guy that took the primers out of .45acp and used them in .44spl. while in panama.

I have used primers I have removed from other shells. never a problem.

[DCP]

Y'all talk like it's an earth shattering kaboom if a pimer blows. I've never had one blow when decapping live, but had a few blow when using a lee loader. You'd think the rod would go trough the ceiling, it dont though, just scares you constipated. Long as you got eye protection, I don't see how they could do more than scare you.

Yes those Lee Loaders keep you on your toes you just never know when!

[sharps4590]

It ain't no thing. I couldn't tell you how many I've pushed out and re-used with nary a problem or detonation. If the anvil and priming compound are still as they should be what's to happen? I HAVE set off a couple with the old Lee loader as others have described. I've set them off with a hammer on a concrete floor as an exhibition as well. They go bang pretty good but with precious little effect other than that. On a few cartridges I didn't know what was in them I've pulled the bullet, dumped the powder and just fired the primed case in my basement shop. Nothing remarkable. I still prime my brass shot shells with a hammer and dowel on a piece of granite and I've had a couple primers inadvertently tip on their side when I tried to seat them. Drove them nearly flat and none have gone off to date. Common sense and care go a long way. I've read of a couple guys who went to all kinds of extremes to make the primers they pushed out inert before disposing of them. Seemed an awful waste to me.

[shooterg]

They ain't "pulled" primers - I "push" mine out ! lol

And I reused them also and they all went bang. But these were from rounds I loaded and not unknown origin.

[WRideout]

Man the look on the wife's face the first time a primer exploded while using a lee loader in the house. I told her it could happen beforehand. Scared us both pretty good. She's an understanding sorta gal.

The woman is crazy in love with you!
Wayne

[jsizemore]

I use my RCBS universal decapping die. Very roomy inside and will vent downward. SLOW, EASY pull on the press handle. Haven't had one go off yet. I use the pulled primers for starting load powder charges and no bullet case forming. So far every one has gone bang.

[Walks]

Never "reused" a decapped live primer. It has never occurred to me to do it.

Why was powder, lead and time on something that may or not go off.

[EMC45]

I have decapped 100s of primers and only have had 2-3 not fire. Had a buddy give me a 5 gallon bucket of spent brass and rejected reloads and I reclaimed a bunch of the bullets and primers and overall they did just fine. I'm cheap and when the opportunity presents itself to save and re-use I take it.

[jsizemore]

Never "reused" a decapped live primer. It has never occurred to me to do it.

Why was powder, lead and time on something that may or not go off.

If you've been through component shortages, you don't want to waste anything. And, if you pulled it down once, you can pull it down again especially if it doesn't go bang.

[skeettx]

The common sense thing here is to use these primer
to load low powered loads for a revolver.
Should not be an issue in 38 Special with 3.1 grains of Win 231
What FUN

[docbrown]

Like others have mentioned, I have used pulled pistol primers for light practice loads. I have also set off primers off with my Lee Loader, and a couple of weeks ago, even managed to set one off with my RCBS hand primer. Thankfully, I was home alone and no laundry was soiled.

[Bazoo]

I've used pulled primers for full power 30-30 and 45 acp with no issues. I didn't group them.

[rbt5050]

I have been reloading for 55 years and have pull primers and never had a problem. but still be careful you never know.

[mdi]

If you talked to a bunch of experienced reloaders, they would admit they have popped out live primers and reused them, no big deal. When I first started reloading, 1969, I took apart a primer to see how it works. It needs a solid blow on the cup to crush the compound between the cup and a solid anvil. Pushing from the anvil side won't set off the primer, unless the decapping pin is slammed into the primer. Of course reloading manuals will say "Nope, never", but that is mostly a CYA statement...

Edited year. I've been playing with guns a long time but not 900 years...