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Who has utilized used primers.

emp1953

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2013
Messages
819
Location
NJ
Years ago I purchased 5000 de-milled Federal cases, all were primed. I full-length sized each case depriming in the process. I saved all the primers in a jar that came with my vacuum sealer. When the jar was nearly full I sealed it up using the vacuum sealer. When I could not and still can not find CCI200 primers I decided to give those saved primers a try. I took 100 primers out of the jar and inspected them. Only one looked hokie so I discarded it. All of these primers seated normally. I put a few in the rifle and snapped off the primers and they fired just fine and upon inspection showed nothing abnormal, I loaded the remaining cases with my proven hand load and all 90+ fired perfectly and produced the same consistently tiny groups that I am used to. Has anyone ever tried this? I had my doubts, but as they say, necessity is the father of invention. They seem to work just fine. And I have around 4800 primers that appear to be okay to use.
 
I have used a lot of recycled primers to punch paper. Never had a misfire or any other issue, but I still prefer my hunting primers to be brand new out of the box. When you remove the primer the pin is contacting the anvil, as long as you are gentle it doesn't seem to be a problem, but not willing to take a chance on them in a hunting round.
 
Over the decades, I have purchased and used a lot of various demilled primed cases of various calibers, and usually, I leave them primed as purchased, size and load without any issues.

If I may, saving primers in a bulk container without separation as you state is a dangerous practice and can lead to detonation if dropped or other. While somewhat rare, there are recorded instances of this happening with various personal injuries and other damages.
Years ago I purchased 5000 de-milled Federal cases, all were primed. I full-sized each case depriming in the process. I saved all the primers in a jar that came with my vacuum sealer. When the jar was nearly full I sealed it up using the vacuum sealer. When I could not and still can not find CCI200 primers I decided to give those saved primers a try. I took 100 primers out of the jar and inspected them. Only one looked hokie so I discarded it. All of these primers seated normally. I put a few in the rifle and snapped off the primers and they fired just fine and upon inspection showed nothing abnormal, I loaded the remaining cases with my proven hand load and all 90+ fired perfectly and produced the same consistently tiny groups that I am used to. Has anyone ever tried this? I had my doubts, but as they say, necessity is the father of invention. They seem to work just fine. And I have around 4800 primers that appear to be okay to u
 
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I have de-primed brass but do with extreme caution.
Don't set off primer - slow easy push.
Watch out for lead styphnate dust - yellow color, fine, heavy, collects on surfaces under brass. The lead styphnate dust can be set off by static, impact or heat. Not much of an event with a tiny amount, but should it go off in a pile of primers, a chain reaction would be likely - the lead styphnate dust & punched out primers being collected in tray under de-cap pin.
My thinking being - the lacquer applied on wafer under anvil dries out with time releasing lead styphnate dust. Lead styphnate is classified as an explosive having a detonation velocity of about 15,860 fps, moderate compared to really frisky explosives. Lead styphnate dust is toxic.
Pushed out primers work just fine, provided no lead styphnate dust observed.
 
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I had kept 4 empty bricks of primer trays and sleeves in my trash can of junk brass. I don't know why I kept them, now I have a use for them. I understand the safety issues. I've since pulled them out of the vacuum-sealed jar and started to get them into the empty primer trays and packed them up. While doing this I am scrutinizing each one. No traces of the yellow powder.
 
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