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

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[Harry]

Thanks for all the info. I never knew that after drying, the primers would once more be active. This forum rocks.

[Reverend Al]

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

Same here ... I've deprimed hundreds if not thousands of rounds of scrap ammunition after pulling the bullets and powder charges (mostly from ammo given to me which is of unknown heritage or loading information). I save those primers and use them for fire-forming cases with blank charges and cornmeal filler. It saves me wasting expensive, brand new primers and if I get the odd misfire or dud it's really not a big deal since they didn't cost me anything in the first place. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Bmi48219]

I've salvaged a couple hundred primers in the past few years, used a Lee Classic punch & base and a 8 oz. rawhide mallet. Safety glasses and a leather glove on hand that holds punch. Never had one go off while being tapped out. I keep the in a airtight plastic vial marked with the primer size. I use them for target practice loads. Never had one FTF.

[lightman]

I've removed lots of live primers with both a resizing die and a universal decapping die with no problem. Just go slow and smooth and wear safety glasses, just because! I would not recommend driving them out with a punch and hammer. BMI proved that you can, but there are safer ways. Save and reuse them if you want, but I don''t. I have no problems dumping them in the trash can for disposable.

[Blackknight]

I had a lot of shotgun primers, removed from shotgun shells that were broken down to salvage components when the crow roost moved. I placed the primers in a glass jar, filled it with transmission fluid, set it on the work bench for a couple years and while cleaning the bench I found them and threw the contents in a brush pile. When I was burning the brush pile several months later it sounded like pop corn popping.

[Soundguy]

Agreed, I've seen primers recover from being wet and oily. I either re-use em, or pop em..

[mdi]

I'm in the "carefully remove and reuse" camp. I've done a few in my 30 years of reloading (even with a Lee punch type, verrrrrry carefully!). Just like a bunch of the fellers above I've not had any problems and no FTFs using the "used" primers. But, it's your ammo, your guns and your time. If you feel better, mebbe safer, about trying to "kill" the primers and using fresh primers, then by all means do that. What I'm comfortable with my feel "cavalier" or hap-hazard to you...

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

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.


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.
:)


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,

I have stumbled onto "non-factory" primed cases on several occasions. If I feel the need to decap the live primers, I will not use them for anything but plinkers or target loads. I store them in used factory packages, that have been clearly marked Salvaged primers and include a note of their history/source. I probably have 6 or 7 packages of them on the shelf right now.

One time, much like Harry's situation, 200 rds of 30-06 primed cases that were stored in a damp MN basement for more than a decade. The brass was heavily tarnished and I wasn't sure if the cases were FL sized or just necksized...no previous owner to ask. So I decaped them and use the old live primers for fireforming wildcat cases or even plinking loads where I am fireforming cases to match a rifle's chamber.

Another time, I swapped for some 44 mag brass with what turned out to be a former member who is a famed DeadBeat...anyway, in the package that was suppose to only be 44 brass shipped via USPS, was 44 loaded ammo and 45 colt primed cases mixed in...those had Rifle primers in them, and they protruded the case head like a sore thumb.

[blackthorn]

After all the times this subject has been discussed on this board, I almost cannot believe there are still "old hands" touting the soaking of primers in ANYTHING with the idea they will be made dead! SO---I'll post this again:
When I started reloading in the nineteen sixties, the “common” knowledge was; don’t touch the primers with your bare hand---you will “kill” the primer! During that time (and for some time thereafter) if I had to remove a primer from a damaged case etc. I dropped it into a small (airline liquor) bottle along with some really light weight oil. Later I learned I could have reused most of those primers and the little bottle got shoved to the back corner of a shelf. This subject appears from time to time on one or another of the sites I visit and I remembered that little bottle. SO----I went and found it. I dumped out the 20+ oil soaked primers and washed them in white gas (Coleman fuel). I let them dry for a day and then set them into some old 303 brass. The freshest primer in that bottle was at least 20 years old. Every one of those primers fired (to some degree)! Some only lightly “popped” but others gave quite an authoritative “bang”. I don’t know if they had enough power to set off a powder charge BUT I do know I will never believe you can “kill” a primer by soaking it in anything.

See also post #25 in this thread.

[dverna]

It is probably safe to deprime if you do it slowly. I used to do it once in a while and decided it was not worth doing...at least for me. But I rarely run into brass that needs to be deprimed. Now, I would either fire off the primer with the case in the gun, or use a safe load, and use the case for plinking ammunition.

As others have said,, it is nearly impossible to "kill" a primer by soaking it in anything. .

[Harry]

OK, here is the full story for any who would be interested. These 30-30's are once fired from my Win. Mod. 94 that I got for my 14th birthday (now am 75). I have not fired it since around 1966. These brass were deprimed and reprimed by my dad in the mid '60s. I had already stopped hunting due to travel. They are all Peters or Super-X. They have been kept dry in gun case and safe all these years. I am trying to load everything I have. I only target shoot anymore. I deprimed them with my Lee universal decapping tool in my press. No issues. Cleaned in my vibratory cleaner. Then I full length sized (probably not necessary) and trimmed to spec. I may reuse primers or all new. Haven't decided (note: target only).

[sparkyv]

I'm in the "carefully remove and reuse" camp. Just like a bunch of the fellers above I've not had any problems and no FTFs using the "used" primers...

I too, am in this camp. I use a Lee hand press with a universal depriming die, and never had an issue. I always reuse my pulled primers in my plinking reloads and never once did they not go "BOOM".

[JBinMN]

OK, here is the full story for any who would be interested. These 30-30's are once fired from my Win. Mod. 94 that I got for my 14th birthday (now am 75). I have not fired it since around 1966. These brass were deprimed and reprimed by my dad in the mid '60s. I had already stopped hunting due to travel. They are all Peters or Super-X. They have been kept dry in gun case and safe all these years. I am trying to load everything I have. I only target shoot anymore. I deprimed them with my Lee universal decapping tool in my press. No issues. Cleaned in my vibratory cleaner. Then I full length sized (probably not necessary) and trimmed to spec. I may reuse primers or all new. Haven't decided (note: target only).

I am interested & it is great to hear the "back story" of their origin..
:)

Glad to hear/read ya had no issues & I am looking forward to hearing how they work out for you. Both how the primers do if ya use them, & about the completed rounds when ya get them shot.

G'Luck!
:)

[Wayne Smith]

The only ones I don't re-use is when the anvil gets displaced when decapping. It has happened a couple of times.

[HangFireW8]

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.

You're right, push smoothly, not jerk or bang. About 30 years for me, until last year, I finally popped one. It was in a formerly crimped ex-military case. No harm done, as there was no pile of flammables or live primers anywhere near. I snapped the rest of that batch in my rifle, but I'd decap live primers again, as long as they're not crimped, or even formerly crimped.

As for cooking off ammo... I wouldn't re-use that brass, as the heads are now annealed.

I have no problem with people who choose to pop them in the gun, instead of trying to decap.

[bangerjim]

Just pop 'em out! O do it all the time. Never had one go off.

Would not recommend re-use of old primers! Why waste your time.

I use the old ones in my high powered air rifle. Fun to shoot at a brick wall at least 60 feet away. They really go POP! Scares the droppings out of the stupid pigeons. Just don't fire at close-up hard surfaces. And ONLY use high-powered guns.

[RED BEAR]

I have removed and reused thousands of primers and never gave it a thought. Did them the same as if they were fired. Not to sure what this says about my reloading? But am to cheap to let good primers go.

[Duckdog]

Ditto. I would have shot them as your dad left them, if they chambered, and then dealt with them as normal after the fact. If I do remove a primer, I always just use it as normal and have never had issues. Waste not, want not. If I were to have a misfire when hunting, it would just be that critters lucky day, I guess.

[BHill]

If the brass will chamber without trying to enter the throat why not load with light practice loads and prep the brass after practice? Accuracy difference will still be within the offhand margin of error.


Edit: Sorry, I just reread the op's question. I would feel just fine depriming them slowly and reusing the primers for non critical use.

[Motor]

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.

This is unreliable at best. Penetrating oil does not reliably kill primers. It's most effective on the compound that is between the cup and anvil which is difficult to get to because of the main compound sealing it off.

I have removed live primers on many occasions. Like the posts above suggested go slow and protect your eyes. I usually drape a heavy cloth over the press as well. I've never had any issues.

Motor

[bangerjim]

Kill the primers? Use plain old water.......if you are not going to try reusing them. As long as they are completely wet they should not go off accidentally if you are worried about that VERY RARE occurrence.

[lwknight]

Just knock them out. Press slowly and in case one does go off, so what? It will just scare you a bit so don't hold sharp objects in your hand. Safety glasses can't hurt.

[alamogunr]

+1 on primers being live after drying out. I tried killing some once with Kroil. Thought sure that it would work. Nope! These were still seated in brass. Fired right off in the gun.