Rifle Primer experiment

[fat tony]

Good test. Three Myths busted at once!

1. You can't remove live primers in a press, you must deactivate first
2. Soaking in water deactivates primers
3. Soaking in oil really deactivates primers

All False.

I've done the same thing in the past:

Soaking in water or oil does not deactivate primers - at least not in my (our) experience. I immersed primed cases in water and others in light machine oil for a week. I removed them and tried to fire them:

- immediately - dead
- after 24 hrs - all fired

Here's the thing: it is safe to remove live primers with a decapper. I've done a few hundred, 65 just the other night. Zero went bang. Just remove the darn things in your press using the same precautions you always use (eye protection, clean loading desk, etc.). I know, I know, it could happen. If so then what? I've had two primers go off priming with a Lee Loader - "pop then YAWN".

Berdan - do not use the RCBS tool (obviously, but DUH). Fire them off first then use the RCBS tool, or use the hydraulic method.

I had some empty South African .303 berdan primed a while back, I also happened to have a plastic mallet and an aluminum rod 5/16" diameter, so I filled it up with water (case was not in the die), all I got was water squirting out the neck and a pronounced bulge just below the neck of the case. I guess I could have tried putting in in a die before hammering away. All I succeeded in doing was loosening the primer very slighty, they have quite a crimp on them I guess.