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Thread: What to do with this?

  1. #1
    Boolit Man
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    What to do with this?

    This factory round would not chamber in my rifle, so I did not force it. The reason was obvious - wrinkled case mouth. Most probably when the bullet was seated. Back at the ranch, I pulled the bullet, emptied the power, and began inspecting the case. The pictures tell the story... What should I do with this case?
    I do not (will not) throw a live primer in the trash. I could use pliers to pinch the wrinkle enough for the case to chamber and fire it with just the primer, then put the case in the trash.
    Or, after firing the primer, I could trim the case and re-use it? I will be 0.040" too short.
    Or, I could make an arts & crafts project out of it, since I have so much time in my hands, not!
    Or, I could use it as a reactive target for my pellet gun.
    What would you guys do?
    Remember, I already mentioned putting it in the trash after firing the primer.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    nicholst55's Avatar
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    Personally, I'd toss it after killing/removing the primer.
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  3. #3
    Boolit Bub jrdztech's Avatar
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    Remove the primer and trow case in the metal recycling bin.

    Got Brass

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    I am working towards swageing my own bullets, so I would fire the primer and save the brass for future use. I got a special bucket just for savers, and one just for recycling (spent primers) for the ones too mangled to save.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    I recycle the brass on the range at my gun club, I don't worry too much about the odd live primer in the scrap bucket I sell to the scrap man. My brass gets dumped in to a big gondola with a bunch of other brass which moves up the scrap food chain into larger and larger bins/gons/trucks until it gets back to being re-melted. It then gets dumped in to a crucible with tons of other scrap brass. When that primer finally does pop buried down in that crucible I doubt that anyone would notice. I suspect trapped water in brass water fittings would make things way more exciting that a rifle primer.

    A couple of years back just to prove to my self that everything I had read about cartridges being pretty innocuous in a fire was true. (find Hatchers Notebook he as a lot to say about ammo/components and fire--great read--just wish who ever I loaned it to would return it) I dumped a couple of 8mm mausers in a peach can with a 1/2 cup of gas, lit it and got away. It took AWHILE before there was a couple of pops, no big booms, the can didn't move or get dented. Just the primers and bullets popped out and lying in the bottom of the can.

    If it is going into the municipal waste, I suspect the aerosol cans that get crushed in the garbage truck compactor is a lot more exciting.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by 15meter View Post
    I recycle the brass on the range at my gun club, I don't worry too much about the odd live primer in the scrap bucket I sell to the scrap man.
    This is exactly why a lot of yards won't accept cartridge brass. Their contracts state that no live primers can be in them. So instead of going through them they don't accept them. Not picking on you but contracts have different stipulations.

    For the case in the OP I would deprime and either throw away or in the scrap bucket.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master


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    I have a pond in my yard. Stuff like that gets tossed in the middle of the pond.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    They won't take cartridge brass around here for that exact same reason, live primers.
    The only amendment the Democrats support is the 5th.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by 15meter View Post
    I recycle the brass on the range at my gun club, I don't worry too much about the odd live primer in the scrap bucket I sell to the scrap man. My brass gets dumped in to a big gondola with a bunch of other brass which moves up the scrap food chain into larger and larger bins/gons/trucks until it gets back to being re-melted. It then gets dumped in to a crucible with tons of other scrap brass. When that primer finally does pop buried down in that crucible I doubt that anyone would notice. I suspect trapped water in brass water fittings would make things way more exciting that a rifle primer.

    A couple of years back just to prove to my self that everything I had read about cartridges being pretty innocuous in a fire was true. (find Hatchers Notebook he as a lot to say about ammo/components and fire--great read--just wish who ever I loaned it to would return it) I dumped a couple of 8mm mausers in a peach can with a 1/2 cup of gas, lit it and got away. It took AWHILE before there was a couple of pops, no big booms, the can didn't move or get dented. Just the primers and bullets popped out and lying in the bottom of the can.

    If it is going into the municipal waste, I suspect the aerosol cans that get crushed in the garbage truck compactor is a lot more exciting.
    Reminds me of an episode on the Mythbuster turds..
    Putting a 22rf cartridge in an automotive fuse block will not make it go off....but, they did Not put it in a Shorted circuit...the one that blows fuses..
    The heat generated will set off the round..I know from experience...close range..but, the projectile goes virtually nowhere...the relatively light weight case however steps away at a rather rapid pace...it will bruise, but not Penetrate, my hide [covered by levis] anyway...

  10. #10
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    Minerat's Avatar
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    Put a couple of drops of oil (WD 40) in the case to deactivate the primer then de-prime and scrap.
    Steve,

    Life Member NRA
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  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master
    Mk42gunner's Avatar
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    I've heard or read way too many stories of "killing primers" by either oil or water with them coming back to life to ever believe there is an easy and cheap way for the layman to make a small arms primer inert. I'm also not all that enamored with the idea of throwing a live primer in a fire.

    That is a long way of saying that I would get the case in the chamber and fire the primer.

    Robert

  12. #12
    Boolit Man
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    Thanks for all the replies guys. Some made me chuckle and others made laugh. Great stories. I will not throw it in the trash. I will recycle the brass after firing the primer.
    Have a wonderful weekend & get out and shoot!!!!
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  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy map55b's Avatar
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    Save it for a case conversion. Maybe you can shorten it for something. BTY: Who was the manufacture.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Wanna have some fun??
    decap with one of those "hammer it out" decappers!!!
    don't; stand Over it
    do; have a Story prepared to tell your SWWBO how that "thing" got into yer ceiling!!!

  15. #15
    Boolit Master Skipper's Avatar
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    Poison the primer with WD-40 and punch it out.

    Cut the head off and make a tie tack out of it.

    Drill a hole in it and make a key chain.
    The strongest reason for the people to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against the tyranny of government.
    -- Thomas Jefferson

  16. #16
    Boolit Master


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    I would just deprime it in the universal decapper by lee like any other case. almost 50 years reloading and have yet to set off a primmer decaping live ones.

    It is in an enclosed die even if it goes pop so what guys they are not C4.

    If you are not wearing eye protection doing anything in reloading it is you own fault for being a.ignorant. b. crazy. c. ornery.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dragon813gt View Post
    This is exactly why a lot of yards won't accept cartridge brass. Their contracts state that no live primers can be in them. So instead of going through them they don't accept them. Not picking on you but contracts have different stipulations.

    For the case in the OP I would deprime and either throw away or in the scrap bucket.
    I'm lucky my local scrap yard takes it, he looks more for the odd bullet that is pushing up the weight. As for depriming, then throwing it away, the primer is brass why would you help fill up a landfill with an easily recycled metal? All my spent primers go in the brass bucket and help with the weight. I'm in a very small club with active reloaders and I still turn in anywhere from $150-200 to the club for range improvements from the scrap bucket. (and don't tell anybody but I get first pick of and of the stuff the non-reloaders leave--SHHHHSSS!)

    Any club that is not recycling is missing the boat, first for the money, second every month at the beginning of our membership meeting we all stand and recite the conservation pledge. I try not to be a hypocrite. Off my soapbox now....

  18. #18
    Boolit Master


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    With the bullet pulled it will chamber.

    Just pop it.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mk42gunner View Post
    I've heard or read way too many stories of "killing primers" by either oil or water with them coming back to life to ever believe there is an easy and cheap way for the layman to make a small arms primer inert. I'm also not all that enamored with the idea of throwing a live primer in a fire.

    That is a long way of saying that I would get the case in the chamber and fire the primer.

    Robert
    Many moons ago, I needed some dummy ammunition for function checking military weapons. We had around 80,000 rounds of assorted live ammo, but not s single dummy. So, I drilled holes in the case walls of a selection of ammo and trickled all the powder out, then wondered how to kill the primers. I squirted WD-40 into one group of cases, CLP into another, and water into a third, then left them over the weekend. Monday morning I chambered each round and fired it. Most of the primers in the WD-40 group fired with some authority. I had to tap the bullets back into the brass before I could eject the round. Only 1-2 of the rounds in the CLP group popped, and IIRC, none of the primers soaked in water popped.

    While I certainly don't recommend drilling holes in live cartridges, I also don't recommend counting on WD-40 (or any oil) to kill primers.

    I recommend this video to anyone even remotely interested in the subject of ammo in fires, especially to firefighters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlOXowwC4c
    Service members, veterans and those concerned about their mental health can call the Veterans Crisis Line to speak to trained professionals. To talk to someone, call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, send a text message to 838255 or chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.

    If you or someone you know might be at risk of suicide, there is help. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, text a crisis counselor at 741741 or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    I guess I'm a little different, I would smooth the neck with my needle nose, add a little Rex seat the bullet and shoot it.

    It would then then go in my bucket of others for making into other cases.

    i have deprived many cases with live primer and have had none of them go off but I know I have had one or two anvils come out.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check