How to KILL Disable a Primer

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I need to disable some primers to put into Dummy Cartridges that We are going to make from some Brass 12ga Shotgun Shells from WWII. We want to Clean the Cases up put a disabled primer in, A Lead Slug and Laser Engrave the Case to make a display 12 ga Cartridge.
Thanks
Len & Jill

 

[Critter Picker]

Len: soak them in oil.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Prime the empty case and go shoot it off? Or do you want it without a firing pin strike?

I don't think I would trust the soaking in oil without trying the above to see if it works. I had a couple sleeves of primers from my Dad that had sat in an ammo can with a bunch of cleaning solvents, and the sleeves were dripping soaked in gun oil. I loaded 10 up in empty brass. They all went "pop". But I threw them away because I didn't have any faith in them.

 

[Weaver93]

Why not just turn brass stock to press fit?

 

[Troutslayer2]

Maybe chuck an aluminum rod in a drill and make a fake primer with sandpaper?

 

[del2les]

Oil soaking and other liquids rarely make primers inert in a way to reuse the cup safely, and while some have soaked in solvents for many hours and then removed the anvil and scraped out the compound, personally, I don't recommend it. If tried, use eye protection and maybe keep the primers submerged in water while attempting. A bucket or similar to allow plenty of water and space for your hands to work.

One potential solution is to place a few primers anvil up in a pan or iron skillet with a heavy metal lid and place the pan over a heat source and let the primers pop. Sometimes, the cup will be deformed or split, but other times, the cups are still usable.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Oil soaking and other liquids rarely make primers inert in a way to reuse the cup safely, and while some have soaked in solvents for many hours and then removed the anvil and scraped out the compound, personally, I don't recommend it. If tried, used eye protection and maybe keep the primers submerged in water while attempting. A bucket or similar to allow plenty of water and space for your hands to work.

One potential solution is to place a few primers anvil up in a pan or iron skillet with a heavy metal lid and place the pan over a heat source and let the primers pop. Sometimes, the cup will be deformed or split, but other times, the cups are still usable.

Give new meaning to the term "Jiffy Pop".

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

HAAAA!!!
All helping to find a solution to this. I know in the past you can contact a Primer Manufacture and they would send you some "Blank" Primers.
We received some 12 ga full brass cases from WWII from a LRH member as a gift. We want to leave two original with the patina on the empty cases, then the other four we are going to clean to a high polished Brass Case with a Primer in it and a 500gr Lead Slug in the end. We have a Fiber Laser Machine and want to put some nice engraving on the Cases and they can be conversation pieces. Want to send one completed one back to the LRH member that gifted these to us.

It is amazing how you can't kill a Primer. And how a lot of people think that if you get water on a cartridge it won't fire.

 

[Critter Picker]

And to think,for the last 55 years or so,I've avoided touching primers because I was told it would cause misfires.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

And to think,for the last 55 years or so,I've avoided touching primers because I was told it would cause misfires.

HAAAAAAAAAAAAA
You were Fooled and so was I.
I was taught 60 years ago by a Record Shooting Holder in the State of PA to use a pair of Tweezers to pick up a primer. Was told the oil on my fingers would make the primer ignite differently and the shot would be different.
Unfortunately, I still use tweezers due to my brain being wired (brainwashed) that way.

I have soaked in WD-40, water, acetone and the primers still fired.

 

[Critter Picker]

HAAAAAAAAAAAAA
You were Fooled and so was I.
I was taught 60 years ago by a Record Shooting Holder in the State of PA to use a pair of Tweezers to pick up a primer. Was told the oil on my fingers would make the primer ignite differently and the shot would be different.
Unfortunately, I still use tweezers due to my brain being wired (brainwashed) that way.

You and me also!

 

[biednick]

The only way to make them inert is to set them off. If you can come up with a way to do it safely you could cook them off with a torch so they don't have an indent from the firing pin.

 

[victor3ranger]

How about taking a used primer and take a punch to flatten out the the dimple then reinstall

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

If I am going through all the work to make a "Display" Cartridge i want it to be close to perfect.
There was a member a while ago when we were discussing Laser Engravers that made some really nice engraved cases and got inert Primers from the manufacture. I'll try to do a deep dive into old Posts.
Thanks
Len & Jill