Sideways primer.

[jackdanson]

Ooops got a primer stuck in a case sideways using the rcbs hand primer. Now I can't get the case free from the shell holder.. the only way I can think of to get it free is to slowly deprime it, pushing the sideways one out... is that safe? Any other ideas?

Sorry for all the noob questions lately.

 

[Walkalong]

That will work fine. No problem.

 

[ants]

That's what I do.
With teeth gritted. And safety glasses and ear plugs. And the dog outside.
Only set off a primer once in 41 years tapping it out like that.

 

[Walkalong]

And the dog outside

with earmuffs on.

Pays to be careful.....

 

[bensdad]

That'll work. I know you didn't ask, but here I go spoutin' off. I squeeze the handle about 2/3 of the way to the surface before I put the shell in the holder. I keep my eye in the hole. If a primer is coming up wrong, I catch it before it becomes a problem.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Oh...FGS!!! Press that sideways primer in the rest of the way until you can remove the case from the shell holder. I've had to do that a number of times. DO wear safety glasses and hearing protection. I doubt that you will set it off. It takes a hard blow (not a crushing manouver) to set it off...Then run the affending case back through the resizing/decapping die and start over...

 

[Sport45]

Oh...FGS!!! Press that sideways primer in the rest of the way until you can remove the case from the shell holder. I've had to do that a number of times. DO wear safety glasses and hearing protection. I doubt that you will set it off. It takes a hard blow (not a crushing manouver) to set it off...Then run the affending case back through the resizing/decapping die and start over...

That's what I do too. Except I don't bother with the hearing protection and I always wear glasses. I just turn my head and squeeze the bejezus out of the priming tool.

 

[Walkalong]

Oh...FGS!!! Press that sideways primer in the rest of the way

Yep, it's pretty tough to set off a primer by just slowly mashing it. I smushed these priming "fully prepped" cases I bought from Midway 20 years ago. I had to "re-prep" the primer pockets.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Yer a "brutal man Walkalong.........Just look at those poor beat up primers...

 

[jfh]

Walkalong's new camera

and his newfound (?) photographic skills are producing good visual support for these educational posts. Thank you.

I do have to question the ear protection, kind of. The last time I popped one off in a (thoughtless) primer removal, I barely heard it. I suspect the tinnitis (from a box of 125-gr. 357s w/o muffs, in my 're'-initial outing twenty-two years ago, or from the 35000 .22LR rounds with one ear off at summer camp) may have something to do with that. The second reason is that I picked my parents poorly. A third reason might be that Chicago indoor concert I attended in 1970.

Of course, my daughter tells me to consider a hearing aid--but the audiologist says it won't help.

But, I digress. As has been pointed out, it takes a sharp blow to set off primers; go slow and you'll be fine. And, to be perfectly clear, it certainly doesn't hurt to wear ears--and in fact may prevent hearing damage.

Jim H.

 

[loadedround]

So far you have gotten very good advice from a number of knowledgeable reloaders and I would like to add my two cents. To be 100% safe in removing that sideways primer, spray or soak it with a little WD40 or similar solvent and wait a 1/2 hour before depriming it. The WD40 will make the primer compound inert. Still wear your safety glasses!

 

[rcmodel]

Yea!
You might as well contaminate the whole priming tool with WD-40 while you're at it!

Just follow the advice given and you will be fine!
Smash it in and get the case out.

Or, take the plastic guide out and take the shell holder out, along with the stuck case.
Then put the shell holder in your press and de-prime it with the die.

BTW: Put a strong rubber band on the priming tool tray lid to hold it down tight and you will cure the sideways primer problem once and for all.
They can't get flipped if the lid is on tight.

rc

 

[buck460XVR]

I know you didn't ask, but here I go spoutin' off. I squeeze the handle about 2/3 of the way to the surface before I put the shell in the holder. I keep my eye in the hole. If a primer is coming up wrong, I catch it before it becomes a problem.

yep same here. It's kinda like looking in all your cases and comparing powder volume before puttin' a bullet on top. Some don't feel the need, but I still do.

 

[loadedround]

RCModel: How soon you forget that I use 32 oz ball peen hammer and a ground down cold chisel for my depriming operations. WD40 just makes the operation go so much more smoother! Seriously I have enough sense not to contaminate my reloading tools with WD40. I have an old Bair D press with an Universal Depriming Die permamently installed for individual depriming activities. No Decon at all!

 

[The Bushmaster]

A perfectly good waste of WD-40, loadedround. WD-40 is for rusty bolts, nuts and screws and should be no where near a loading bench and it doesn't work on primers anyway...

 

[rcmodel]

I'm just wondering how you would go about putting WD-40 as suggested, on a sideways primer stuck inside a RCBS priming tool.
Without contaminating the whole priming tool with WD-40??

rc

 

[ants]

I'm unconvinced that the WD40 will actually deactivate the primer. It has a sealer over the top of the compound to protect it. I learned this from an rc model post earlier this year.

 

[Walkalong]

BTW: Put a strong rubber band on the priming tool tray lid to hold it down tight

or steal one of your wifes hair thingys

I'm unconvinced that the WD40 will actually deactivate the primer

I am totally convinced it is not dependable.

 

[loadedround]

Gentlemen: I do not want to get into a controversy with anyone of you, but WD40 will chemically make a primer inert within a few minutes exposure to this product. Primer compound is basically Lead Styphate and as such is a complex organic compound and will react with the chemicals in this solvent. Why not take a primed case, spray some WD40 into it, wait 10 minutes and attempt to fire it. I have and it is a dud each time. Again this is my way, and it's been effective for me for 45 years. To each his own.

 

[ants]

There, you see. I just learned something new.

 

[The Bushmaster]

I requote post #15...

 

[ultralightbackpacker]

loadedround:

I will take 2 primers (CCI #500), first spray one with WD40 all by its lonesome up side down, then I will take another primer, and prime a case, then spray some wd40 in the case, hoping it will work its way in.

I will then take a roofing hammer and splat the lonesome primer, then I will place the other case in my revolver and see if I can snap a primer.

No worries, I will take precautions and wear my armor and head gear.

Be back in 45 minutes.

 

[Walkalong]

I'll be on the way to the range in 45 minutes, but I will check back.

 

[ultralightbackpacker]

OK. So I added one more test.

Firstly let me say, I used a CCI#500 for all tests. 30 min time frame of soaking in wd.

Wheel gun: 642. Seated a primer, in a 38 spc case, put in enough WD40 in the case to fill to top of case. Result, ( I can't believe it), the primer fired, albeit, it was slightly less decibels than would be the norm, but it did fire, but know it was not quite 100%.

Stand alone primer sprayed, and soaked on ground. Placed it shiny side up after soaking. Roofing hammer used, splatted the hell out of it. It did NOT go off. That confused me so:

I got a brand new primer, put in on the ground shiny side up, splatted the primer with roofing hammer, and a nice fire cracker went off.

Your results may vary.

Take care,

EDIT: Can't spell for.....

 

[rcmodel]

Thanks for taking the time to test it!
But it only confirms my position.

It works sometimes, but not always.

It may give you a false sense of security if you think the primer is dead and it turns out it isn't.

And again, I don't want WD-40 anywhere near my priming tools or empty cases.
Because as you proved, it does work part of the time.

rc