Depriming live primers?

I have use my decapping die to remove live primers. Not the best idea, but in a pinch I will do it.

The safest route would be to chamber and fire the primers. I have tried killing primers with various liquids. Soaked some for a week in water/oil/mineral spirits (3 separate containers) just to see if it could be done. Every last one of them still fired on the first strike!

You can just push them out with your size die just operate the arm on your press slowly and gently.

There is no 100% dependable way to deactivate them with oil, etc.

Just deprime them in your normal sizing die in your normal reloading press.
They are not going to go off due to the gentle push of a depriming pin.

And even in the million-to-one chance one of them did go off?
They are pretty safely contained inside the die and press.
Throw a rag over the spent primer chute in the ram and they simply can't get out of the steel die & ram.

The only thing is, don't drop a bunch of them on the floor and stomp on them!

rc

i think if i had a lot to do i would get a universal DE primmer (i have one) and pop them out

i say universal because it will be a loose fit around the case and if one did go off psi can escape down ,
using a sizer die it is tight already and some dies have a weep hole that can face you so things can escape but i think some dies don't also.


what ever you do were glasses

i bought 500 44mag brass that came primed i set a few off in the gun and most were week. i used my sizer die to pop them out (before i got the universal die) and every now and then i would here one go off, mine were very faint.

i have been told some put oil on top of the primer some soak in water and what ever, still nothing is for sure, killed the primmer, chances are it is dead but anything can happen.

i have had a primmer go in upside down and i have just popped it back out and reused it.


so far so good.

im sure someone will chime in soon yes/no/he's crazy

but nothing is a sure thing except firing them and then that sucks too

There's the easy way, and the safe way. They are not the same. You can deprime them on the press. That's the fast way. Invites problems. I did this by accident on a few primed cases I got mixed in with spent brass. But I prefer to just chamber them and fire them. That's the safe way.

I deprimed over 8,000 corrosive primed 30-06 cases a while back and had one primer pop. Just use a universal depriming die and pull the handle down to contact the primer very slowly, then gently push it out. Should deprime with no problem.

Primers are made to withstand just about anything. I don't know of anyone who has successfully deactivated any primers using oil, water, spit, or anything else.

Just push them out like rc advises. I've done a couple thousand that way over the years and have never had one go off. Just don't get over exuberant with the press handle and you won't have any problems.

Hope this helps.

Fred

Run them thru the sizer die slowly and carefully, done it many times. Be careful in disposing of them as they are still live primers. I bury them, I have lots of open ground.

It's not a big deal. I have pushed them out in my sizing die no problem and even reused them in practice ammo.

IMO the easy way is also safe enough. Use your decapping die & go easy.
I would mention eye protection but we always wear that anyway, right?

Often debated subject. I have had to remove live primers from good brass on a few occations (a mistake or unsure of origin of primers or jes plain stupidity). I've just pushed them out with my normal decapping tools/dies. I went slowly, no jerky punching, and they all came out easily w/no problems...

Its been cussed and discussed many times. So one more time.

Primers ignite from sudden impact ie: firing pin impact, not from pressure. Press them out using a steady pressure and the primer is fully enclosed in the die with the depriming pin, only course anything can go is thru the spent primer ejection port, as rcmodel said cover it with cloth. Its a primer, not a bomb.

Safe as safe can be.

wear safety goggles

It's not a big deal. I have pushed them out in my sizing die no problem and even reused them in practice ammo.

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I keep them too for use in light plinking loads with round balls.

wear safety goggles

Click to expand...

I wear glasses and never think about safety glasses/goggles, while I think its a good idea I do wonder why? As stated the only way anything can go is down out the primer chute, and if it is covered with a cloth/rag what is the danger? Please explain. Been reloading for 50 years and I must be missing something.

IMHO, a Universal Decapping Die belongs on everyone's loading bench. A very handy tool.

Don

I would see if they fit the chamber & if so just use them.

Just deprime as usual and then reuse if they are the size you need - it is NOT a big deal

i do it all the time and never had one go off by using my resizing die

I just run them through the resize die with a steady normal motion. I've done a bunch and haven't ever had one pop. Even if one did pop and you are wearing eye protection ( recomended ), nothing bad is going to happen. The gases can escape through the die body, it's vented. I doubt it's going to slam the handle down or anything.