how to prime a round, without a reloading set?

[agdude]

I'm trying to figure out how I can remove a primer from a spent round and add a new primer... without a reloading set? It may sound like I know nothing about the subject, but that's just because I don't . Seriously though, someone had directions to make wax bullets the other day, I decided to try it and it works wonderfully, but now I've gone though all my brass and the primers have been used... I now have to figure out how to reload them. Thanks for any help.

 

[SASS#23149]

Look on ebay

for an original Lee loader kit for your caliber.They had a depriming and a priming tool as part of the kit.Priming was done by placing the brass over a primer,inserting a tool into the case,and tapping with a plastic or wood hammer.I used plastic mallet.waaaaay back then.
Or,if you have or get a press,they make generic depriming dies for doing what you want,then just prime the normal way for that press.

this link will take you to one on Ebay.It is just an example and not connected to me in any way.
http://cgi.ebay.com/lee-loader_W0QQitemZ7236736640QQcategoryZ71120QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[ReloaderFred]

You can use a piece of hardwood, like oak or maple, and it's best to use the end grain. Drill a hole just a little larger than the primer all the way through the wood. Place a case with an expended primer over the hole and tap the old primer out with a pin punch of the proper diameter and a small hammer.

To reprime the case, place the new primer on a flat metal surface and place the deprimed case over it and align the empty primer pocket and the new primer, with the open end of the primer up. Use a short piece of wooden dowel that will snugly fit inside the case and gently tap the case down onto the primer, via the dowel. You'll be tapping on the dowel, not the case. You have to get the primer at least even with the base of the case, but it should be about .003" below the base of the case. You won't be able to do this with this method, but you'll get it close. Of course, you're going to be wearing safety glasses while doing this, right?

You'll also probably find that the primers will back out when fired if the flash holes haven't been drilled larger to relieve the pressure. When you have the cases deprimed, you might want to make those flash holes about twice the size they are now. If these are being fired in a revolver, backed out primers will lock up the cylinder. In a pistol, they will just back out a little and not cause a problem, since they won't cycle the action anyway.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[griz]

If you only need to load wax, it's easy to reprime cases. Make a small punch from a nail. The end has to be small enough to easily fit inside the flash hole. Make the tip blunt. To deprime, put the case on a nut or over a hole in the bench, and use the punch to tap the old primer out.

To prime, you can use the tap it in method, but I have never felt comfortable pounding a case on to a primer. You can get a hand priming tool and that will make the job fast and easy. Lee sells a good affordable one, and everybody else sells their own versions which are more robust and expensive.

 

[Art Eatman]

Steady pressure in that repriming is a heckuva lot safer. A shop vise would work just fine.

Heck, for a pistol cartridge, a pair of slip-joint pliers would do.

Art

 

[agdude]

Awesome responses so far, thanks a lot! I'm gonna try some of this stuff tomorrow.

 

[1911user]

what caliber are you using for the wax loads?

 

[agdude]

I've only tried it with .38 spl so far. It was awesome.

 

[caz223]

hand priming tool, it's about $20. Waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy faster than trying to do it without tools.
http://cgi.ebay.com/LEE-HAND-PRIMIN...ryZ71120QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[mattcat]

if you get one on ebay make sure it has the right priming rod (small primer)

 

[Johnny Guest]

Very true - -

caz223 - - easier, slicker, quicker to do it with a Lee hand priming tool, or an old 310 tong tool, or the priming arm on a bench loading press for that matter. I have the impression that the goal is to do it with the least possible expenditure, though.

I've done the job with all the tips already given, and they all work. One final point: Once you get started, reloading ammo sort of takes on a life of its own, and sooner or later, you may, just MAY, decide to go on to loading powder and lead. Therefore, as soon as you drill out the flash holes, it is a good idea to mark the case heads so that someone won't inadvertently load the cases with normal charges and bullets.

It is easy to clean the case heads with alcohol, let them dry, and then paint them RED. Plastic model enamel works well, as does nail polish. Even if it wears off the flat areas, the headstamp will be filled with the color.

agdude, I dunno if the instructions you read mentioned this but - - - Best to push the case mouth through the paraffin block first, and only then insert the primer, if you have a way other than the dowel-inside-the-case method. Otherwise the air compressed within the case will slowly ease the wax bullet out of the case.

Please - - Don't be careless with wax bullet loads. No matter how weak, this IS live ammunition. There's sufficient bullet mass and plenty of velocity to cause a bloody and painful, though shallow, wound on unprotected skin. And hitting an eyeball at close range? Doesn't bear thinking about.

Hope you enjoy your wax loads as much as I did mine.
Johnny

 

[agdude]

Johnny,

You're absolutely right, I'm really trying to do this with minimal cost. I am really interested in getting into reloading... REALLY interested!!! But I don't have the cash to acquire a reloader yet.

These should be sufficient to hold me over until I get more funding.

 

[Schleprok62]

agdude:

The Lee Anniversary pack is a good place to start. For $30 you get a simple, but practical single stage press, and the Lee Modern Reloading manual... pretty much, buy the book, you get the press free...

then of course you need to acquire numerous other goodies... scales, dies, reloading trays, tumbler, calipers, brass, primers, case lube, hand priming tool, powder dispenser, deburring tool, resizing tools.... etc... oh yeah, powder, bullets, and lest we not forget a nice comfortable place to build a bench....

 

[RonJon]

Try these:

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=807875
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=636747