Well, there's a first!

[blackthorn]

De-priming some once fired military "308" this afternoon. On the second to last of 205 cases, the de-cap pin punched completely through the old primer and left it stuck part way out of the pocket. This of course left the case stuck in the shell holder. I was able to remove the case and shell holder from the press but couldn't get the primer to let loose. Tried prying on it but could not get enough purchase. Tried using the de-cap rod from a wack-a-mole set but no luck. Finally I put the case and shell holder back into the ram and wacked the case with a small hammer. The case (with primer still partially in) is now out of the holder. The case is of course ruined as the "rim" peeled off on both sides. In all the thousands of cases I have de-primed I never had this happen before, but all's well that ends well.

[runfiverun]

I've punched a few.
I have had them push the top of the primer off, leaving the side in the pocket.[a ring]
that can create all kinds of havoc if your not paying attention.

[dtknowles]

Why didn't you just push the primer back into the pocket? Then the case would be free of the shell holder. If you had a press mounted priming arm you would not even have had to remove the case and shell holder.

Tim

[jcwit]

How you going to get a rod up thru the ram to push the primer back into the case?

[funnyjim014]

My rcbs turret primes threw the ram, depending how stuck (as your speaking very stuck) it could possibly push it threw. I don't know if anything would break tho...

[dtknowles]

The primer arm on my two Lyman presses pushes into a slot in the ram and primes on the down stroke.

Tim

[DerekP Houston]

De-priming some once fired military "308" this afternoon. On the second to last of 205 cases, the de-cap pin punched completely through the old primer and left it stuck part way out of the pocket. This of course left the case stuck in the shell holder. I was able to remove the case and shell holder from the press but couldn't get the primer to let loose. Tried prying on it but could not get enough purchase. Tried using the de-cap rod from a wack-a-mole set but no luck. Finally I put the case and shell holder back into the ram and wacked the case with a small hammer. The case (with primer still partially in) is now out of the holder. The case is of course ruined as the "rim" peeled off on both sides. In all the thousands of cases I have de-primed I never had this happen before, but all's well that ends well.

I've had it happen on *new* once fired brass that I shot! 38 special only cause that's mainly what I'm reloading. but you aren't the first to have looked at the primer and gone...how the H e double hockey sticks did that happen?

[JWT]

Check the depriming pin. I have had one chip leaving a sharp enough end to do the same thing yours did.

[Wayne Smith]

I got a bunch of 38Special brass and some of it had the same problem - I punched out the bottom of the primer. I'm assuming it had been left outside in the weather for an extended period of time.

[MrWolf]

Have you tried depriming off the press? I use a Harvey deprimer that works great. I don't want any crud near my press.

[mold maker]

I've had lots of 5.56 to hold on to the primer wall and pop the head off. It takes good lighting to detect with old eyes. I tried everything I could think of and finally used the RCBS bench mounted crimp remover to determine and discard the problem cases.
I've tried everything I could think of to remove the primer ring and finally gave up on it. The culprit brass is only worth so much effort.
I've never had a case tie up the press because of a penetrated primer. Your experience will serve me well if it ever happens.

[jmort]

Agree with Harvey hand deprimer
Like the Lee "punch" for military brass

[blackthorn]

Quote "Why didn't you just push the primer back into the pocket? Then the case would be free of the shell holder. If you had a press mounted priming arm you would not even have had to remove the case and shell holder."

Just never thought of that I guess, thanks, good idea, ---next time---

[dtknowles]

Quote "Why didn't you just push the primer back into the pocket? Then the case would be free of the shell holder. If you had a press mounted priming arm you would not even have had to remove the case and shell holder."

Just never thought of that I guess, thanks, good idea, ---next time---

Thanks for taking it the way I meant, I did not mean to sound scolding or such, I see my post sounded critical.

Tim

[edwardware]

Never seen that, but I've had a decapping rod make a pretty good attempt at converting a Boxer primed case to Berdan. Punched a neat centered third hole into the pocket, and popped the spent primer cup. . .

The third Boxer case broke the pin.

[dtknowles]

I think you have your terminology backwards.

Tim