A rookie question about decapping live primers

[nettlle]

I have done a few. As has been said go slow. I didn't try reusing them.

 

[cfullgraf]

The general theme is slow and easy is the way to remove live primers.

You do not want to strike the primer hard. That is an invitation for problems. Think what the firing pin does.

I get a few cases here and there that I need to remove the live primer. I do my best to not screw up an have a large quantity of live primers to be decapped.

 

[Captain*kirk]

I've removed with the Lee Universal decapping die. Easy does it. Never tried reusing them

 

[cfullgraf]

I've removed with the Lee Universal decapping die. Easy does it. Never tried reusing them

The primers can be re-seated if removal is done carefully and the primer pockets are not too loose.

For me, cases fired in an AR-15 rifle (204 Ruger, 223 Rem, etc),. tend to loosen primer pocket tension early. Re-seating some live primers in one of these loose primer pocket cases saves the primer and the case for one last shooting but I try to not make it a habit.

The point is, make sure your priming process is robust enough that you do not get in a situation wear you need to remove and re-seat a large number of live primers.

A few reseating live primers is easy to deal with, alot gets a bit risky.

Don't allow your reloading process that requires re-seating a large number of live primers just to save some costs.

I'm not perfect and once in a while "stuff happens" and I have to waste components that were perfectly good. One of the goals of reloading is to minimize "stuff happenings" events.

 

[lordpaxman]

I usually end up with a lot of unfired reloaded rounds picking up brass after a competition. It’s pretty common for some to not catch the round after unload and show clear. These all get tossed in the recovery bucket for shooting later. Kidding. They all get broken down and the primers are recovered.

I wouldn't try de-capping them with the Dillon spring loaded sizing die.

I haven’t had an issue with mine. I wear eye protection while reloading anyway, but never had an issue. Occasionally a .380 will make it through the 9mm process and needs to be broken down so it just hits the sizing station. If anything the spring provides a buffer. Primers are pretty hard to set off.

 

[sparkyv]

I use my Lee hand press and this:

I've removed lots of live primers and reused them

Lee Universal decapping die.

 

[lightman]

I have removed lots of live primers without incident. Just go slow and easy. Eye and ear protection is a good idea. I use a Lee die.

 

[thump_rrr]

I have had to take apart 500 in one sitting.
I go slower than I would decapping a spent primer but not like I’m defusing a bomb or something.
I also use the Lee Universal decapping die.

 

[CQB45ACP]

I have had to take apart 500 in one sitting.
I go slower than I would decapping a spent primer but not like I’m defusing a bomb or something.
I also use the Lee Universal decapping die.

500?

Used to have my ex-wife decap live primers for me--encouraged her to move at a brisk pace and get up real close so she could see and hear how it's going.

(That's a bad joke. I've been happily married to the same woman for 46 years this coming Wednesday.)

 

[red rick]

Like the others I have done it a few times . I wear earplugs and safety glasses and go slow . I also reuse them in target ammo , that’s all I load anyway .

 

[mm93]

I've removed a lot of them over the last 45 years. Early on I was hesitant, as I didn't know what could happen. But if you know how primers work pushing them out would be impossible to make them ignite. I use hand depriming tools that gently remove or seat primers, so no tapping, or striking with hammers that could set one off.

 

[alfsauve]

Two? Just toss them in the garbage, move on.

 

[thump_rrr]

500?

Used to have my ex-wife decap live primers for me--encouraged her to move at a brisk pace and get up real close so she could see and hear how it's going.

(That's a bad joke. I've been happily married to the same woman for 46 years this coming Wednesday.)

Someone gave me a bunch of 45 ACP brass so I primed 500 cases and started loading.
After the first 50 were loaded I started running them through the case gauge because I store them in 50 round MTM boxes.
I found 4 pieces that split so I didn’t take any chances and scrapped the whole lot of brass.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Someone gave me a bunch of 45 ACP brass so I primed 500 cases and started loading.
After the first 50 were loaded I started running them through the case gauge because I store them in 50 round MTM boxes.
I found 4 pieces that split so I didn’t take any chances and scrapped the whole lot of brass.

Interesting. That’s quite an effort. But better than 500 hammer whacks pulling bullets!

I’m trying to make my 45acp split and it won’t cooperate…yet.

 

[Otto]

"Never attempt to deprime live primers – eventually one will go off. When it does it will detonate the others in the spent primer cup. Depriming live primers is the single most dangerous thing you can do in reloading and can cause grave injury or death."

Quoted from Dillon’s manual.

 

[mm93]

"Never attempt to deprime live primers – eventually one will go off. When it does it will detonate the others in the spent primer cup. Depriming live primers is the single most dangerous thing you can do in reloading and can cause grave injury or death."

Quoted from Dillon’s manual.

That makes no sense at all. How does a live primer detonate spent primers? Maybe Dillon says this because theirs is a fully progressive press and it could detonate live primers, not spent primers. Still find it had to believe, and I'll keep removing them when necessary.

 

[Highland Lofts]

Same here, I'll continue to knock them out and reuse them if I have them.

 

[Chief TC]

Primers are tough. As everyone said - go slow and gentle and they will come out. I have reused all of them with no issue.

 

[Eugen]

I accidentally deprimed about 15 rounds of live primers once and was really surprised and quite happy none of them popped. I considered it a lesson on being more focused while working at the bench.

 

[alfsauve]

That makes no sense at all. How does a live primer detonate spent primers? Maybe Dillon says this because theirs is a fully progressive press and it could detonate live primers, not spent primers. Still find it had to believe, and I'll keep removing them when necessary.

It didn't say it would detonate spent primers it. It said that "it will detonate the others in the spent primer cup" <emphasis mine>

 

[PWC]

When I was doing it, I had an old steel pot I held over my single stage press. Never had any go off, but if they had, shrapnel would have been directed down. Watch your feet.

Only cases I've made a mistake on or comm'l breakdowns. Never try to deprime unfired military brass.

 

[Bronco72]

I have a Dillon 550 that I have deprimed live primers with no mishap. I do not look down the primer tube when I am removing a live primer. It is a joke here

 

[Highland Lofts]

Only two primers I'm surprised this is still going.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

"Never attempt to deprime live primers – eventually one will go off. When it does it will detonate the others in the spent primer cup. Depriming live primers is the single most dangerous thing you can do in reloading and can cause grave injury or death."

Quoted from Dillon’s manual.

That sounds like the kind of warning that is the result of a really dumb mistake. The kind that should never happen but does.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Well a few hours ago I decided to take the Dillon warning under advisement and decap this large primer from an Armscor 45acp case. In doing so, I catch the primer in my hand. That's the way I always do it.

I had disassembled the long ago loaded round after noting the primer wasn't seated quite right. Afterwards, I simply could not get the primer to seat below flush despite "leaning" on it, turning the case, and so on.

I'll play pocket whisperer soon with a reamer and uniformer then ease that primer in as snug as a bug in a rug.