Help - Primer Removal

[paralaska]

Well . . . I bought some used .308 military brass to reload. I've got a Primer Pocket Reamer tool to remove the crimp and a Primer Pocket Uniformer tool.
I thought I was all set to go . . . . BUT . . . . I'm having a problem getting the primers out of the cases. In about one of four cases, my depriming rod on the sizing die just punches right through the primer. Has anyone had this problem? . . . and how do I now get the primers out? I was thinking of drilling them out . . . but wanted to check to see if there is a better method or trick that someone knows . . .
Thanks . .

 

[ReloaderFred]

If you can't punch the primer out, then the case is lost. You might try dressing the tip of your decapping pin so that it is flat, but I doubt that's going to help much. Once you start piercing the primers, it means you've got a bunch of brass that the primers are practically welded in place, either due to a really hard crimp, or some chemical has gotten in there and bonded the primer cup to the case.

Primer pockets are held to a very close tolerance and you won't be able to drill the stuck primers out and maintain that tolerance, either in depth or diameter.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[hans471]

+1 What he says.

I pitch them when they are that tight. But, I have plenty of brass to reload.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Lee sells a large and small military primer removal tool. It's a punch system with a base and a decapper, you supply the hammer and it works quite well.

The 22 Cal is Part #90103
The 30 Cal is Part #90102
They List for $5.98 each but can be found for ~$5.00.

 

[USSR]

paralaska,

I bought some USGI Remington manufactured .308 brass a few years ago, and had the same problem occasionally. Nothing you can do; just toss the cases where your decapping pin punches thru the primer.

Don

 

[rocketdoc]

I toss the punctured primer cases. First time it happened I spent 45 minutes trying different methods to get the "holy" primer out...I found it is not worth the hassle. There are a bunch of folks in my club that do not reload so brass is plentiful and some folks shoot really nice brass!

 

[FROGO207]

Not quite so fast on scrapping the brass there guys. As I am a cheapskate by nature so I drilled a hole in a 2X4 block that would hold the round about 1/2 inch out of it primer up and put the whole thing in the vise. then got an old ice pic and modified the point so that it was shorter (2") and flat like a chisel point. With the beveled side down push it in hole made with deprimer until it hits the further primer wall. Then push down on the pic handle sharply, usually the primer will flip out. If it tears the primer cup turn the cartridge 180 deg and do it again. This almost always works for me--99% success rate so far. You have to ream the primer pocket anyway so a small dent if made in the primer pocket wall will go away then. I figure nothing to loose so I try something.

 

[kingmt]

I do about the same thing with just sharp nose pliers.

I pry one way, then the other, & then grab & pull it out. Works great.

 

[cheygriz]

Before pitching them, I use a flattened decapping pin in a RCBS Universal decapping die. I lower the handle until the pin just barely touches the primer, and slowly increase pressure until either the primer pops out, or the pin goes through.

If the pin goes through, the damaged primer can often be pulled out with needle nose pliers.

(I'm cheap )

 

[medalguy]

I'd also suggest checking your depriming pin to be sure you're using the large pin for .308. There's a small and large pin, and it might be that the pins got switched.

 

[bamacisa]

Midway used to sell a tool that would remove pierced primers..I have one. The methods described on this thread will work fine....you have to pry them out. If you want to see a picture of the tool, drop me a PM.