Removing Live Primers

[340ORHNTR]

I was given a rifle and some reloads from a friend of my grandfathers and i don't trust the loads. There is no real marking of what powder bullet primer etc. I want to pull the bullets, dump the powder, and remove the live primers so i can tumble the brass and start fresh. What is the best way to remove the live primer?

 

[jimbires]

I just gently push them out with the die . just as I do with fired primers , only gently . I've never had a problem . Jim

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I just gently push them out with the die . just as I do with fired primers , only gently . I've never had a problem . Jim

If there is any other way I would like to hear it. I have always done the same thing with no trouble, knock on wood. The only other thing that I could think of was to pull and empty the case then fire the primers. I did not want to do that so I have always just decapped them.

I would like to hear from others on this.

Steve

 

[freebird63]

That what I have always done is just carefully decap them. Good luck

 

[J E Custom]

If there is any other way I would like to hear it. I have always done the same thing with no trouble, knock on wood. The only other thing that I could think of was to pull and empty the case then fire the primers. I did not want to do that so I have always just decapped them.

I would like to hear from others on this.

Steve

+1

That's the way I would do it to be safe.

Some of the old primers had soft cups and could even go off during seating them and that's
why a lot of old shooters/re loaders won't use the primer magazines that will hold 1 or more
boxes of primers.(If one goes off the hole lot will)so you only have to deal with one primer at
a time.

You can push them out very slowly but why take the chance.

PS; Some of the old primers are corrosive so be sure and clean the firearm after you disarm
the primers.

J E CUSTOM

 

[winmag]

If your nervous about decapping live primers, shoot em' first, but make sure to clean your rifle when your done.

 

[GNERGY]

You could soak them in some water. If I have to deprime live primers I wrap a towel around the press so if it does go off it doesn't go flying all around, it will take a little longer but you won't have to wear an eye patch.
Tarey

 

[Kevin Thomas]

I'll agree here. I've decapped quite a few by just doing it very gently, and the idea to wrap a towel around the press isn't a bad thought, either. I'd say forget about filling the cases with water, though. I've followed the age old advice to apply a little penetrating oil and let them sit a while to deactivate the compound, and I'm here to tell you, modern primers are pretty damned hard to kill! Always gotten a bit of a laugh about the notion that handling primers with your fingers may impart enough oil to kill the compound, since I've found several that were still perfectly "live" after a penetrating oil soaking. Being that I've never (and wouldn't advise, anyway) reused the primers that were knocked out, the thought of just popping them is perfectly good, too. If nothing else, it gives one an appreciation of the power that's contained in that little cup, and you'll treat them a lot more respectfully afterwards, I guarantee.

Kevin Thomas
Lapua USA

 

[Pdvdh]

I put on ear plugs and safety glasses and decap them gently, as others have done. Still have my eyelids. Never had one go off. But I do try to protect my eyes and hearing should one go off. I don't go so far as to cover my face to protect my good looks.

 

[dozernomore]

If there is any other way I would like to hear it. I have always done the same thing with no trouble, knock on wood. The only other thing that I could think of was to pull and empty the case then fire the primers. I did not want to do that so I have always just decapped them.

I would like to hear from others on this.

Steve

you can shoot the primers off if you want,,,but I just deprime the live one gently,,but after I deprime live primers,,I save them and re-use them again,,,and never have had any issues with miss-fires

 

[Chas1]

I like the bang and clean your rifle afterwards method.

 

[dirtball]

You just got to ask your self, Do I Feel Lucky Today, well do ya punk?
Cause if that primer goes off just as it is coming out of the case, it is going some where, very fast, depending on the make and design of your press it could leave you very uncomfortable.
Why take the chance just fire them or put your new load on top of them.
Dave

 

[Pdvdh]

Every article on reloading procedures I've ever read that addressed this issue has always been emphatic - that one should never decap live primers. I've already admitted that I do it. When I deprime on my RCBS Rockchucker, there's an opening for the primer to depart the primer pocket/casing directly down the center of the Ram. I've considered the odds of injury should I light a primer up, and with my press I decided they are acceptably low - provided I'm wearing eye and ear protection.

But the prescribed 'safe' method is always written the same way. Fire them off in the firearm, and then decap the dead primer. This method is the rule of the road.