Spent Primers

[GasGuzzler]

[Wilderness]

Yes.

Quite a while ago a friend was making what he called "bullet pens", making up a Christmas order. The material choices were definitely extravagant.

The plan was to drill into the back of a fired 7.62 case, solder in a (new brass) .30-06, put a biro insert up the middle with a bullet looking tip on the writing end, and chrome all but the bullet. The .30-06 had to have a fired primer, which was to be achieved by priming the cases and firing off the primers. Of course the fired primers looked pretty limp without any pressure in the case. Time for Plan B - who would have primers that had already been fired?

The trade was 5000 Federal Large Rifle primers for my bucket of fired primers (number unknown), since referred to as The Deal of the Century.

The finished pens looked pretty good.

Since then my fired primers have gone for scrap. I still have one scrap dealer who will take fired cases and primers.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

The trade was 5000 Federal Large Rifle primers for my bucket of fired primers (number unknown).

[LAH]

I have jars of them sitting round just to look at in the loading room.

[ioon44]

I have jars of them sitting round just to look at in the loading room.

I would look at them as money in the bank.

[LAH]

I would look at them as money in the bank.

And a remembrance of the joy they brought.

[Alferd Packer]

I inlet them in the stock of my lever action rifles and glue them In designs on the stock like the Indians used to do.
A lot of people have asked me to decorate their lever action rifles with a design.

[Sasquatch-1]

I inlet them in the stock of my lever action rifles and glue them In designs on the stock like the Indians used to do.
A lot of people have asked me to decorate their lever action rifles with a design.

Not true without pictures!

[Beagle333]

Trash em.

[Sasquatch-1]

For those of you who say trash them...I took some old bullet jackets, that I melted the lead out of, to the recycler yesterday. They were paying $2.10 a pound for dirty yellow brass. Most primers are brass.

[GregLaROCHE]

I trash mine, but I don’t have as large a volume as others.

[44Blam]

Well, I have some of the stuff to to make H-48 primers... BUT I've been reading about EPH-20. Diving in - $4/1000 primers with an unlimited supply? SOLD!

[RKJ]

Interesting idea, I'd have never thought of that.

I was thinking your idea was good. I used rice in my last ones I made and they're still too heavy. Who'd have thought?

[hawkeye1]

I do save them, not too sure why. I guess I keep thinking I can use them someday. Do some of you actually reload them?

[lightman]

I do save them, not too sure why. I guess I keep thinking I can use them someday. Do some of you actually reload them?

There have been a few threads about reloading primers. I don't know how many actually do.

[G W Wade]

Yup, haul them and unusable brass casings to recycler. They buy for $2.20 / lb Use the cash to buy more supplies GW

[archangel2003]

The thing to keep in mind is, recently we were, and I still am, unable to buy (most types of) powder and primers, and if the trend continued, or got worse, you would be regretting letting them go as they can be re-manufactured at home just like reloading brass with powder, bullets and primers.
I have all the reloading equipment, instructional videos and files on how to make brass cases, gun powder (yes crappy old school black powder) and various types of impact sensitive compounds used in making primers so that if things were to get really desperate, I (and my descendants) can cast bullets, make a gun powder, and can rebuild primers and black powder caps.
I have recently found a powder supplier (with a VERY limited selection), but have yet to see any primers, and I'm sure that when they become available, the price will have most likely quadrupled.
And yes, black powder, especially the home made variety, would not be the preferred powder for gas operated guns, but my revolvers (modern and old BP cap and ball), 1911's and Glock clones, along with my pump and dbl barrel shotguns, as well as all lever guns will work with it, so we have options.
Also, don't forget Zinc and Pewter can be used in a pinch for bullets.

[jsam]

Took 40 # of spent primers and bad cases to the scrap yard two weeks ago. $1.50 per pound.
I bought 58 # lead plumbing at $1 per pound from them that trip.

[Dieselhorses]

I do save them, not too sure why. I guess I keep thinking I can use them someday. Do some of you actually reload them?

Yes and it’s not too difficult. Not talking about match primers or snap caps either.


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[Charlie Horse]

At first I thought, "who would save them"? Then I remembered a neighbor who bought a camper with money from aluminum cans.