How to deprime live primers?

[Greenvette01]

back in 1986 I had a wooden ammo box given to me with 1200 .30-06 rounds from 1943. I removed all the bullets, powder and then i used my Dillon 550 to remove all the primers and some of them were really stuff to remove but not a one of the primers ever detonated.

 

[maximini14 223]

what is the best commercial deprimer tool to use after bullet and powder removed. Most I've seen state use for deadprimers. Is there a tool for safe live primer removal?

I have sprayed wd40 into case to kill primer and then deprime per usual.
Why would you want to deprime live primers??? Are you thinking to reuse them?? I wouldn't...may have damaged anvil when conventionally depriming!

 

[johnhhernan]

I did have one go off, it'll startle you for sure. I was just pumping through the decapping phase of about 30-40 of them, so I was cruising pretty good at that point. That's when BOOM, I scared the poo-poo outta myself. No safety glasses no hearing protection=rookie mistake. I think it was my 3rd or 4th attempt at reloading ammo. Im lucky my boob lookers and my hearing are still intact, so yeah! for me. Now I go slow and double check my primers before I insert them to be decapped. Never have had an issue since, maybe we do learn from our mistakes. At this point in my life I have probably reloaded about 10K rounds so it's been a few years since my rookie mistake. I will try to defuse them with water or WD40 thanks for the advice.

 

[emp1953]

I have sprayed wd40 into case to kill primer and then deprime per usual.
Why would you want to deprime live primers??? Are you thinking to reuse them?? I wouldn't...may have damaged anvil when conventionally depriming!

I'd be willing to bet that a primer soaked in wd40 this way will still go bang. I've had ammo laying in oil and rain and snow in the back of a jeep for several years, the powder wouldn't ignite but the primer went off.

 

[emp1953]

what is the best commercial deprimer tool to use after bullet and powder removed. Most I've seen state use for deadprimers. Is there a tool for safe live primer removal?

One tool that I know is not safe is a Lee depriming tool that you use a mallet or hammer with. I started with a batch of .223 military crimped primer rounds. One whack with the mallet embedded the deprimer tool into the mallet face when it detonated. Scared me and drove the mallet up with a lot of force. Never used that tool again with a live primer.

 

[misterc01]

Well, carefully that's for sure! I go slow, with eyes and ears on and a small towel over the top of the press in case it goes boom. S-l-o-w is key.

 

[Rich Coyle]

emp1953,

The crimp didn't allow the primer to escape when it detonated. I have occasionally had primers fire out of a case when I was pulling a bullet with an inertia puller.

 

[antelopedundee]

My experience is limited to primers that have been in a case a year or less. Simply push them out with a decapping die [I use a Lee] using just enough pressure to pop the primer out. I've re-used them without issue. Old stuff I sell or give away.

 

[jlee91w]

I have deprimed a lot of live primers, I used to put a towel over it but have never had one go off. I have had 1 primer go off during reloading when my Hornady lock-n-load primer slider went forward with the spring and popped. I assume that was more like a firing pin hitting it than slowly punching it out. I would have no problem depriming a live primer as long as you slowly pushed it out vs slamming it out. Jared

 

[Hugnot]

I use a Lee decap die in press and go slow & easy & wear safety glasses. No powder containers on bench & prevent accumulations of more than 5 primers to prevent bad chain reaction like after 5 put them in compartment tray. Cover works on press with small flexible rubber mat. If one did go off it would probably blow down thru shell holder but I am concerned that Lee collet held decap rod might blow up into something. Never had a primer explode.

On the inertial bullet pullers - replacing light weight aluminum shell holder with heavier steel shell holder can increase impact force causing primer to go off.

 

[Wachsmann]

I just used my press (single stage RCBS) and a 22 to 25 cal. depriming die. Never has one go off and I have reused a few in a pinch. But only reused for steal banging. Animals always get the new CCI's or gold metal match.

 

[Starlite]

Yeah I take the sam

I just used my press (single stage RCBS) and a 22 to 25 cal. depriming die. Never has one go off and I have reused a few in a pinch. But only reused for steal banging. Animals always get the new CCI's or gold metal match.

e approach. Once I had to reprise some 308 brass. Thought my friend didn't care. Apparently he did. Lol. I ended up using the Rem 9-1/2 LRP on some new creedmoor brass for fire forming. Never had one misfire. Every anvil was flatter then when new too.

 

[2ndson]

Whenever I find the need to deprime a live primer I just use my universal depriming die. Plenty of room around the case to release the pressure and the primer will be ejected safely down the ram of my LCT press if it goes off. Haven't had one go off yet.

I do empty the collection tube of spent primers first and save the live primers. I check to make sure the anvil is still in place and use them in range fodder. I have never had one fail to go off, but I still wouldn't use a recycled primer for hunting, competition, or self defense.