depriming live primers

If you do a search, I'm the guy who used a case checker for range-pickup 223 brass and if it passed, trimmed and neck sized only and reloaded like 500 rounds. Of course, a good number would not chamber (learned my lesson - a case gauge checker is a waste of money!).

A couple people told me to buy a Redding body die. Bought one and ***YOU SHOULD NOT DO THIS*** resized many hundreds of live 223 rounds. So far, no issue and well worth it (to me) to have bought the body die instead of pulling ~500 or so rounds. Also bought the Redding body die for 308 Winchester as again, bought a case check gauge for range pickups.

Learned my lessons, and THANK YOU to those on this forum who taught me about the Redding body die and live ammo (that no one should ever use cough cough).

But to answer the question, I personally have decapped hundreds of live primers, and then reused those primers in target ammo. Lee Universal Decapping Die. Other than Ginex primers, I have never had an issue (with the Ginex SR or SP, the anvil sometimes falls out, so I toss the primer pieces).

YMMV
 
I haven’t had to deprime much. When I did I first filled them with water and let it sit. None when off when depriming. It would have been a bit exciting if it did.
 
safehunter said:
Time to laugh at my expense.
Some years ago I thought I'd give it a go with neck sizing. Worked great for the 220 swift. Accurate AF and brass has zero stretch.
So I bought another neck die for a different cartridge. Thought it be the same as the swift so I arrogantly just threw myself into it. Cleaned and neck sized 50 rounds, then primed.
When I tried to chamber one to my surprise the bolt wouldn't close. Tried a handful of rounds, none chambered. No powder, no projectiles, just brass and primers.
I put the box of 50 primed & neck sized brass aside and forgot about it for a couple years. I'm just recently starting to purge the gun room, so I just pulled the box out and I'm staring at it thinking "now what?"
Do I scrap the whole 50 rounds? Probably safest, but I'm wondering how dangerous is it to deprime live primers. I'd like the brass back. I had no issue running a full length resizing die. Could I "deactivate" the primers, perhaps by soaking them in oil or some solvent? I also wondering about disposal of brass with live primers, and disposal of live primers in general. I'd hate for one to go off when the garbage truck compacts.
Lesson learned I guess, try chambering before priming on a new die. Googlefu says no issue depriming live primers (safety glasses of course), however I wouldn't mind the guru's opinion on this one.
Thanks in advance.
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Just deprime, save the primers, they can be reused.
 
Don’t waste your time soaking them.

Again, just deprime them in the press, I would not use one of those FA handheld depriming tools.
What make/model press do you use?
Even if one would pop it would just come out of the bottom of the shell holder.

put eye and ear protection on if that makes you feel more comfortable :)
 
I also use the LEE universal de-priming die for any that I've ever done. Have to agree with all the rest as far as de-priming the live ones...do it...albeit, carefully !!!


dan belisle said:
Take the depriming pin out of your sizing die and set the shoulders back a touch. Should solve your problem and save your components. - dan
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^^^^ Dan has mentioned the better and correct solution for your case ! ^^^^
 
safehunter said:
I thought this was the best idea, but I'm loath to mess with my dies once I have them set up perfect. Wouldn't removing the decapping pin mess with neck tension?
Primers are cheap, I'm thinking oil soaking as suggested by Wendell.
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You can just adjust the decapping rod so that the pin doesn't contact the primer, it works well, and is quicker and easier.
 
While making some dummies (drilling cross hole through case, emptying powder) I tried soaking the primer from the inside with acetone to dissolve sealer, then soaking with water to deactivate the priming compound. I even reached in with a dental pick to scratch stuff out. I still had a couple poofs and a couple pops... especially from the 50 BMG, nothing like a fresh primer though which will often unseat a bullet even with holes through the case.
Just be careful.
 
safehunter said:
I thought this was the best idea, but I'm loath to mess with my dies once I have them set up perfect. Wouldn't removing the decapping pin mess with neck tension?
Primers are cheap, I'm thinking oil soaking as suggested by Wendell.
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the pin and expander have two different functions, Dogleg nailed it.
 
To me, it's not just about the type of oil, it's also about the mechanical action, and shaking helps. If a guy had a vibratory cleaner (for example), the oil would remove the priming compound more quickly. But just soaking can work as well - and you'll know if it does, because the oil will turn an obvious shade of green. If the priming compound is there, you can see it, and it the priming compound has been completely removed you'll notice an obvious lack of it (and the shine of bright brass).
 
Potashminer said:
Consider that it is possible that you are fooling yourself or us - is obvious that your die is not set up "perfectly" if the product does not chamber in your rifle. You have about nothing to lose, until you discover the issue.

A young fellow was here to learn to reload - I use an RCBS RockChucker press - on the shelf are dies by Lyman, Redding, Hornady, RCBS, Bonanza and Lee - many are set up similar, but not all the same. I showed him how to set up his dies when re-loading - you have to do the set-up for case resizing die separately from setting up the bullet seating function. With practice, that takes part of a minute to do - is not "mysterious" - simply read the instructions and follow them - you will get "good" at it with practice. It is my view that a hand loader ought to be able to efficiently and quickly set up the dies, each time that he reloads.
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THIS....... In my better part of 50 years reloading I have pressed out quite a number primers. I still have all my fingers and both eyes. People tend to over think things nowadays.
 
I've deprimed live, like others said, go slow and it's not a big deal.

I once deprimed one that went in upside down, and then re-used it. Ended up with a weird dimple in it because the depriming pin pushing into the primer, similar to how a firing pin would and then the anvil pushed the middle of the indent back out when I seated the primer correctly. Still fired no problem, I was surprised actually, I figured I would have basically bent the hell of of the anvil in the process but it worked.
 
Brassman66 said:
Why dont you do a full lenght resizing without the Decaping Stem, no need to remove the Primers !

Cheers
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I think he was concerned with having the perfect setup and not wanting to risk the setup🤔
Here is a ewe toob of a guy doing one primer and there are lots more to surf through to gain an insight or courage to try it.
Myself, I would just write the expelled primers off once de-primed...thats just me though.
 
WOW :oops:

THREE whole pages of guys WILDLY overthinking the problem mixed in with dozens of guys saying they've done it lots without issue (they are correct BTW).

HOLY CARP boys & girls, they are just primers, not friggen sticks of dynamite. Run the cases through a decap die and be done with it. Primers require a sharp hit on the cup to ignite. A slow push on the anvil won't do anything. Even if the primer did ignite, they just make a bang. Not exactly dangerous.

I LOL at the people who think a bit of oil or water will deactivate a primer. I've had a primed case go through the clothes washer in a pocket and that primer worked just fine. You are fooling yourself if you think primers can be deactivated.
 
safehunter said:
Could I "deactivate" the primers, perhaps by soaking them in oil or some solvent?
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Doesn't

work.
safehunter said:
I also wondering about disposal of brass with live primers, and disposal of live primers in general. I'd hate for one to go off when the garbage truck compacts.
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How much explosive do you think is inside a primer? It's not a stick of dynamite FFS. :rolleyes: Also there is absolutely no possibility that a garbage compactor would set off a primer.


Dogleg said:
It’s one of those things thats probably safe but still not a great idea. Sort of like jacking up a car is safe; but crawling under it raises the stakes. Too much downside, not enough upside. Unlikely is not the same as safe.
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What's the downside? The thing goes BANG? Aww pumpkin will you be OK?

I'd bet millions of live primers have been removed from cases and the incidence of injuries as a result is so low as to approach zero. You'd be 10x more likely to get struck by lightning and yet you still find the courage to go outside every day.


1oldfart said:
and soak the cases in WD40 before depriming.
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Doesn't work.


fingers284 said:
I did an experiment a # of years ago, soaked some primers in water & some in WD40 for a week...every primer I tried fired so I wouldnt trust any attempt at killing them.
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Exactly. The people who think they are all safe cause they sprayed some WD40 into the case are fools who are fooling themselves. IT DOESN'T WORK!
 
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