Bone head move

[Red hunter]

I had some time today to work on some 300 win mag brass. Got everything ready to the priming step. Cleanened off the bench of everything but priming tool and loading tray with 50 rounds of shiny brass. I reached into the cabinet and identified my Federal GM215 match primers and dumped half the box onto my hand primer. I shook them around and snapped the cover over them. I chucked the first round and squeezed twice and thought...HMMM that was a fairly loose pocket. After a a second shell was primed I decided that this would no doubt be the last loading of this batch of brass and continued on. After about 25 were primed I remembered that this is only the second loading of this brass. Now I was sure something was not quite right. My next thought was....Gee I wonder when they changed the color of these primers? they are not purple. One look at the box on the bench and I relised I just primed a bunch of 300 WM brass with GM155 Match pistol primers. Time to break out the decapper die. DOOH what a time for bad hand eye coordination. I am gonna have to put pistol primers on the other side of the cabinet.

 

[J E Custom]

I had some time today to work on some 300 win mag brass. Got everything ready to the priming step. Cleanened off the bench of everything but priming tool and loading tray with 50 rounds of shiny brass. I reached into the cabinet and identified my Federal GM215 match primers and dumped half the box onto my hand primer. I shook them around and snapped the cover over them. I chucked the first round and squeezed twice and thought...HMMM that was a fairly loose pocket. After a a second shell was primed I decided that this would no doubt be the last loading of this batch of brass and continued on. After about 25 were primed I remembered that this is only the second loading of this brass. Now I was sure something was not quite right. My next thought was....Gee I wonder when they changed the color of these primers? they are not purple. One look at the box on the bench and I relised I just primed a bunch of 300 WM brass with GM155 Match pistol primers. Time to break out the decapper die. DOOH what a time for bad hand eye coordination. I am gonna have to put pistol primers on the other side of the cabinet.

This can happen to anyone if they are not carefull and I use a method that will minimize the chance
of this. (It has saved me more than once.

First clean everything off the loading bench surface.

Then using the load data- select one thing at a time and place it in front of you.

Proceed to the next component and do the same.

When everything has been selected organize everything in the order to be used and re-check
every component.

I never have more than one powder, primer, bullet. and brass on the working surface at a time.

This process saved me from using the wrong powder.

It works for me.

J E CUSTOM

 

[blacknzr1]

is it safe to de-cap live primers?

 

[Varmint Hunter]

is it safe to de-cap live primers?

IMO Yes, I've done it many times over the years and never experienced any problems. While you could probably reuse the decapped primers, I play it on the conservative side and just discard them.

For what it's worth, I keep several open boxes of primers together (in a drawer) for use as I load. Most of them are Federal and look similar. Using a magic marker, I always put a large star on the box with the 215M primers. It's just a visible reminder but seems to help avoid grabbing the wrong box. I've never mistakenly used a 215M when that wasn't the intended choice.

Just a thought

 

[gunpower]

IMO Yes, I've done it many times over the years and never experienced any problems. While you could probably reuse the decapped primers, I play it on the conservative side and just discard them.

For what it's worth, I keep several open boxes of primers together (in a drawer) for use as I load. Most of them are Federal and look similar. Using a magic marker, I always put a large star on the box with the 215M primers. It's just a visible reminder but seems to help avoid grabbing the wrong box. I've never mistakenly used a 215M when that wasn't the intended choice.

Just a thought

I have never had any problems with using decapped primers, at $ 4.00 to $5.00 a 100, who can afford to throw them out!!

 

[J E Custom]

I have never had any problems with using decapped primers, at $ 4.00 to $5.00 a 100, who can afford to throw them out!!

You have been lucky.

When you de-cap a primer the de-capping pin pushes against the Anvil of the primer and may
deform it just enough to cause a poor ignition affecting the Standard deviation.

I am glad you have not had a problem,but with the cost of all the other componants it seems to
be counter productive to save the potentially damaged primers.

Be aware of this if you save them after de capping them. and I would warn against open "Anything"
in the same location. one mistake could be catastrophic.

Just a little advice (You can't be to carefull).

J E CUSTOM

 

[submoa]

Plus 1 . At $4. to $5 a hundred there the cheapest thing in you reloading inventory.

 

[Sully2]

$2.85 a hundred here. I decap live primers but they go in the trash....Id never trust one to actually use

 

[J E Custom]

is it safe to de-cap live primers?

I should also add that when decapping live primers that safety glasses should be used, and slow
steady pressure used instead of snapping the primer out (It could ignite).

Also if it worries you just drop the primed brass in a bucket of water and let stand over night. this should (Defuse) the primer making it safe to de cap.

I have de primed 50bmg and 20mm rounds and the primers are very powerful and you must
kill them with water or they may kill you.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Varmint Hunter]

JE C

I assume that you have partial boxes of various primers in your loading area at any given time. Do you keep each box in a different location?

VH

 

[J E Custom]

JE C

I assume that you have partial boxes of various primers in your loading area at any given time. Do you keep each box in a different location?

VH

No,I have a special storage for each component. (Bullets, cases, powder and primers that is best/
safest for them,And when I start reloading I remove the proper primers, powder and bullets to
my loading bench and never have two different primers, bullets or powder on the bench at once.

I try not to touch primers if I can, and recomend leaving them in there original packaging
until used. I once new a pistol shooter that dumped all of his pistol primers into a quart jar
(I hope they were all the same brand and number) I warned him of the danger and he said
they were ok.

Primers are very explosive and 2 or 3000 can definitely make a bomb.

We are all human and can make a mistake and pick up the wrong bullet or primer.

I once caught such a mistake and had to remove several heaver bullets after they had been
loaded. (They would have been over loads).so now I remove the chance.

J E CUSTOM

 

[blacknzr1]

I should also add that when decapping live primers that safety glasses should be used, and slow
steady pressure used instead of snapping the primer out (It could ignite).

Also if it worries you just drop the primed brass in a bucket of water and let stand over night. this should (Defuse) the primer making it safe to de cap.

I have de primed 50bmg and 20mm rounds and the primers are very powerful and you must
kill them with water or they may kill you.

J E CUSTOM

the bucket of water sounds like a good idea.
iv got most of what i need to start loading. but havnt yet. my rifle is away getting re-barreled

 

[caltrap]

I have put live primers in water for a day and they still were live.
primers are hard to kill,becareful wear safety glasses.

 

[barnesuser28]

Kroil works really well to kill primers.