Help me avoid a kaboom! Stuck primer in my Press

[dubious]

I have a Lee Turret Press and I've got a primer stuck sideways in a loaded .45 acp cartridge. The stuck primer is preventing me from separating the shell holder. I'm concerned that if I reach in there with needle nose pliers... it could kaboom.

I've thought about dousing it in oil, wd40, water, or something, but I've heard that's not 100% effective. I guess since the primer is stuck sideways, liquid might get in through the primer pocket hole... at least diffusing the powder.

Any ideas?

 

[MaterDei]

Is the case charged already or just primed? If it is only primed I'd just cover the case with a cloth and with gloves on pull it out of the shell holder. I've had this happen several times and never had a primer go off. To be safe though you should wear gloves and eye protection.

If the case is charged, uncharge it before proceeding. Blowing some air into the case will remove the powder.

Good luck.

 

[bullseye308]

Try to turn the primer away from the flash hole then pull it gently out with needle nose. If you are really worried about it going off soak it in water first and with the powder wet the worst that could happen is the primer fizz.

 

[PotatoJudge]

I'll second the being careful with pliers and wearing protection. Maybe drop some epoxy or something in the flash hole in case the primer decides to pop.

You could always buy a collet type bullet puller and go from there, but it'd be cheaper to get a new shellholder and chunk what you've got.

 

[rcmodel]

Why can't you just turn the turrent around to the depriming die, and de-prime it?
(I'm not up on my Lee turrent presses!)

Opps! I see now it is a loaded round!
Nevermind!



In that case, I would squeeze around the case mouth with pliers until I could remove the bullet & powder, then turn the turrent to the de-priming die and knock it out.

rcmodel

 

[RustyFN]

If it's a loaded round then I would take out one die. Run the bullet up past the top of the turret and grab it with pliers. Lower the case and the bullet is out. Blow out the powder like was suggested and then run it through the sizing die to deprime it.
Rusty

 

[jfh]

Rusty's solution sounds like it might be the best--to which I would only add that

1) to grasp the bullet securely, you may need to remove the entire turret.

I would probably use Vice-grips, or whatever, to get enough bite on the bullet. Then pull back on the arm to lower the ram, and use the press frame to restrain / hold the pliers.

2. once you've gotten most of the powder blown out, there should be no issue in simply using the sizer-deprimer to punch it out.

Work steadily and firmly with the depriming; you'll be fine.

Jim H.

 

[Sport45]

As the others have said, try to get the bullet out by grabbing it with pliers (large wire cutters grab a bullet very well) and lowering the ram.

 

[Shoney]

Like RustyFN says. Now this may suck, but VACUUM it out instead. Lot less mess.

 

[dubious]

Thanks for the great advice so far, guys. Yes... it is a fully loaded cartridge. I'm not sure the primer hole is not blocked by the sideways primer. There's not any powder coming out. I'll definitely try soaking it... then maybe it will drip water out. I will also weigh it to see if liquid is inside. That will tell me if the liquid got in through the hole. Regardless of that precaution, I will remove the bullet and empty the powder.

I may have proven myself stupid on this forum before, but at least I'm not dumb enough to just try pulling out the stuck primer. I'm even considering just tossing the shell holder.... nahhhhh.

It'll be another few days before I take action, so please keep posting advice... I'll be wearing my paintball mask and a leather jacket just in case the primer blows! Hopefully some other reloading newb will read this thread and be careful too.

 

[Claude Clay]

what rusty said and with a helper or tape keep popscile sticks between the steel plyers and the aluminum turret head....sounds almost as annoying an event as a A-Merc can create

 

[Shoney]

dubious:
You are to be praised and admired for asking!!!!!!

The only stupid question is the one unasked.

Good Shooting!!!!!!!! Oh, and by the way, I think all of us have been in your perdicament at one time. Mine was many many years ago, before the telephone and before the internet, back when we used smoke signals.

 

[snuffy]

Do you have a kinetic bullet puller? If so, then put the loaded shell and shell holder in the kinetic puller. Oh, first take the split aluminum jaws that normally hold the shell, out. In fact you can always use a shell holder instead of the supplied jaws for pulling bullets.

Once the bullet is out, so will the powder be out. Then just take the case/shell holder out of the puller, put back in the press and slowly push the bad primer out. If you don't strike it hard and fast, it won't go off.

 

[DEDON45]

Install a collet bullet puller in the turret, pull the bullet. Get the powder out (somehow... while it's not advisable, normally, to just vacuum it out, you can, just use a vacuum that does not pass the debris past the motor before it hits the bag... no sparks). Make sure there's no loose powder or primers laying about, then wrestle the empty case out of the shellholder. Wear some gloves and eye protection, if the primer pops, it won't be a big deal.

You could also try just pulling the bullet out of the case with pliers.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Just resize the dang thing by rotating the turret...Resizing the case will remove the sideways primer...If you have already seated the bullet. Remove the shell holder and install it in your enertia hammer and remove it. It is doubtful that you will set the primer off...Wear hearing protection and safety glasses just incase...