Removing live primers

[NVcurmudgeon]

+1 on Blammer's and Chargar's tips for safely decapping live primers. I would add, wear safety glasses AND close your eyes. NEVER do it with military crimped-in primers. I have decapped many live primers with no surprises. I don't reuse the primers because disassembling a misfired cartridge is a PITA, especially with pistol rounds as it's hard to come to grips (pun intended) with the bullet/boolit.

[leadman]

I;ve decapped hundreds of live primers. Guys at work used to give me ammo for various reasons so I would break this down.
I reuse the decapped primers for initial sighting in to get on the paper, fouling shots, plinking, etc. Not for hunting or self defense loads.
Never had a problem.
I would absolutely not decap a live crimped in primer!

[Calamity Jake]

I've done it, and still do!! No problems. They all went bang when reused.

Would I tell someone else to do it? NO

It's your call!!!

[mike in co]

Well... I have removed live primers with a die in the press and if done slowly the primers won't go bang. I have had them go bang, but other than making me jump did no harm.

I removed the live primers from a group of 200 vintage WRA 30-40 primer brass using a Wilson punch and base. I was doing it on a wooden TV tray in the bedroom while watching TV. The wife asked if that was a safe thing to do. I assured her it was and proceed to decap about 150 of them. About number 151, one of them blew and there were eight or ten others in the recess in the base, which went along for the ride. It made quite a noise, set off the smoke alarm and raised the base an inch or so off the wood. It almost made me crap in my pants. Other than having a wife somewhat pissed and the wooden TV tray scared for life, there was no damage done.

I don't reuse such primers. That is my story and you are on your own. Enjoy!

beating, pounding and having more than one primer out at a time is a definite no-no.

mike in co

[mike in co]

+1 on Blammer's and Chargar's tips for safely decapping live primers. I would add, wear safety glasses AND close your eyes. NEVER do it with military crimped-in primers. I have decapped many live primers with no surprises. I don't reuse the primers because disassembling a misfired cartridge is a PITA, especially with pistol rounds as it's hard to come to grips (pun intended) with the bullet/boolit.

crimp is harder, but not an issue. primers need impact to fire. slow push no issues...been there done that...over 500 lc '06 cases.

mike in co

[jsizemore]

I use a universal decap die and raise the ram SLOWLY after contacting the anvil.

[Rick N Bama]

I use a universal decap die and raise the ram SLOWLY after contacting the anvil.

I do it as you, but I put a heavy towel over the press just in case it does pop. So far I've never had a problem.

Rick

[kodiak1]

Sure do when needed.

Ken.

[docone31]

I messed up a bunch of 30-30 reloads once. I did also deprime, and reuse. They went well. It was not as relaxing as just popping out spend primers, and they were in reloaded brass as well.
To date, I have not had a primer go off either deprimeing, or reloading. I do all my priming in a Lee Primer. One at a time. I feel each one for depth. I also hand charge each cartridge. I do not use an auto prime, or auto load.
If you go slowly, and they are not first loading, I do not see why there would be issues outside of carelessness.
This is not to say it is a good idea.
Things can go South in a real hurry reloading.

[Tom Herman]

Well... I have removed live primers with a die in the press and if done slowly the primers won't go bang. I have had them go bang, but other than making me jump did no harm.

I removed the live primers from a group of 200 vintage WRA 30-40 primer brass using a Wilson punch and base. I was doing it on a wooden TV tray in the bedroom while watching TV. The wife asked if that was a safe thing to do. I assured her it was and proceed to decap about 150 of them. About number 151, one of them blew and there were eight or ten others in the recess in the base, which went along for the ride. It made quite a noise, set off the smoke alarm and raised the base an inch or so off the wood. It almost made me crap in my pants. Other than having a wife somewhat pissed and the wooden TV tray scared for life, there was no damage done.

I don't reuse such primers. That is my story and you are on your own. Enjoy!

And I'm glad nothing worse happened than the tray getting scarred!

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[Down South]

I've deprimed many live primers through the years with no problem. I wear safety glasses while I'm reloading but that's easy for me. I wear prescription glasses and they are safety glasses. Wear saftey glasses just in case. I've also reused all of the primers that I've removed.

[Blue2]

I was given a five gallon pail last year of ammo and primers that had been under water because of a flood for over two weeks. My intention was to salvage the bullets from the loaded ammo but after shaking the cases I found that almost all appeared to hold dry powder so I attempted to fire them. About 85% of the ammo would fire but some shot with an obvious reduced energy. The primers had been in original packaging but under water. The yellow priming compound had even leaked to some entent out of the individual primers. After drying out the primers in a cement floor and then a container holding silica gel I tryed to fire them. They all fired but some at reduced energy. OK for plinking on a target range but not depedable for self defence or hunting.

[DLCTEX]

I've punched out hundreds and reused most with no problems. I have knocked the anvil loose on some, so discarded those. I have had primers get sideways in my progressive press and crunched them, no bangs. So far, so good.

[dominicfortune00]

Back when I was young and stupid and had a lot of time on my hands, i had some loaded mil surplus 30'06 with cracked necks.

So I popped the bullet out, and saved the powder.

I next took my dremel and a diamond cutting wheel and cut into the extractor groove at a slow speed while I rotated the case; cutting into it evenly all the way around.

Eventually,(did I mention that I had a lot of time?), I got to the point that I was able to pop the head of the case off by hand and remove the live primer.

Seated the primer in a good resized mil surplus case, added powder and bullet; and i had a good round that I could fire and did.

YMMV

[454PB]

Throw a heavy towel over the press and punch them out. I've done hundreds and never had one pop yet.

[BLFD1]

I just decapped one today that got flipped over in my progressive press. I pushed it out in my sizing die and reseated it in another piece of brass. It has a little dimple, but I'm pretty sure it will still go bang.

[3rptr]

Looks like I found the right bus stop.

Some of yah even thriftier than myself.

I like that!
I can learn here.

[Depreacher]

I have 60 1943 Denver '06 armor piercing rounds. I only have a hollow plastic hammer bullet remover tool. May not remove the bullets since they are sealed with asphalt. Anyhoo, if they do I am going to try to de-cap these babys. The AP bullets are going for $1.00 each on G-B. I am selling 38 of them right now. 2 weeks ago I sold 300 AP bullets for $1.50 each on G-B!!!! I don't want to fire those corrosive primers and have to cleanup hulls and my 98% O3-A3 Remmy. OK, so I'm lazy. Am going to shoot ONLY light to med Cast boolit loads in them. All this is just for the fun of it. Bet I'll have to get or borrow a bullet puller.

[jhrosier]

I... May not remove the bullets since they are sealed with asphalt. ....

Use your seating die to push the bullets in another 1/16" or so.
This will break the seal and allow them to be pulled.

Jack

[Depreacher]

THANKS jhrosier and TAWILDCAT for the deeper seating to break the seal trick first. Never thought of that!!! I did just that, then removed the bullets with my trusty plastic inertia puller with only 5 or 6 whacks each. Saved all the powder too. Looks like 4895, I think. I have deprimed 5 cases so far with no problems. SLOWLY push primer out, and with a thick towel wrapped around the press. Wore my muffs too. Will swage the crimp out and enjoy my 66 year old cases with 21 gr. 4759 and 311291s.