I have live military ammo of various cal that I would like to unarm. My problem (one anyway) is the primers. I don't know how to remove them. I'm removing the lead and powder with a vise and pipe wrench. I am not a reloader and have no equipment and am unable to obtain any (living abroad), but do have a desent work shop and tools (and can fashion or buy more, but not reloading eqpt). Can anyone help me with this? Hate to let this stuff go, but need to disarm before bringing it home. By the way, I don't even know how to (or which direction it comes out) to take the primer out, regardless of tools. Also, is there something better than a pipe wrench, given I have no reloading tools. Shame to screw this stuff up. Veterans of a war in 1991.
Primer Removal
- Thread starter bowlidd
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scythefwd
Member
Fire the primer, then punch it out from the inside of the case if it is boxer primed (1 flash hole) If it is berdan primed... I'd just remove the bullet and transport it that way, because you aren't getting that primer out without special tools.
As to pulling the bullets...wrap them in something soft but grippy to keep from messing up the finish too badly. I have pulled bullets using pliers and a rubber band wrapped around the projectile, but they weren't crimped in. What caliber and what is the headstamp on the bullet. That way someone here might be able to tell you if you'll even be able to get the primer out.
As to pulling the bullets...wrap them in something soft but grippy to keep from messing up the finish too badly. I have pulled bullets using pliers and a rubber band wrapped around the projectile, but they weren't crimped in. What caliber and what is the headstamp on the bullet. That way someone here might be able to tell you if you'll even be able to get the primer out.
scythefwd
Member
Walkalong, if they are live primers, wouldn't there be a risk of setting one off? I thought they went boom when the ignition media was crushed. Isn't there cases of someone seating a primer too hard and having it pop (heard of it, but it could be urban legend and I haven't seated a primer yet so my experience is nil on this).
Slow is the key word here. As long as they are being pushed out slowly they will be fine. Many of us here have decapped many live primers using a sizer or universal decapper with no issues. I have decapped a few live ones by means I won't share, and they still did not go off.
ReloaderFred
Member
I've decapped hundreds of military .30-06 from WW II after pulling the bullets and salvaging the powder. I put a few drops of penetrating oil in each one in a loading block and let them stand for a couple of days. Then I gently pushed them out and never had one go off. I even had a couple that wouldn't come out and the decapping pin went all the way through the primer.
The key is going slowly, and basically killing the primer with something that will really "kill" it. Some oils will and some won't. The stuff I had at the time would kill cockroaches it was so strong, and it worked on the primers.
Without a press, it will be hard to deprime the cases slowly, unless something is rigged up like a drill press. If it wasn't running, and had a pin chucked in it, there may be enough leverage to work, but I haven't tried it, since I've got plenty of presses to work with.
Hope this helps.
Fred
The key is going slowly, and basically killing the primer with something that will really "kill" it. Some oils will and some won't. The stuff I had at the time would kill cockroaches it was so strong, and it worked on the primers.
Without a press, it will be hard to deprime the cases slowly, unless something is rigged up like a drill press. If it wasn't running, and had a pin chucked in it, there may be enough leverage to work, but I haven't tried it, since I've got plenty of presses to work with.
Hope this helps.
Fred
It will work. All you need is a hollow base under the brass (a nut will do in a pinch) and a proper size flat tipped punch. Chuck the punch in the press and have at it. Wear eye protection just in case.
If you are not trying to reuse the primers, kill them first like Fred suggested.
You folks are great and thanks very much. I will not try to address all coments, but I have learned a lot. First of all I will be aquiring most of this stuff in the next couple of weeks, so I don't have much data on the rounds. Some are very large machine gun cal (50 cal?) and some probably the chosen weapon of our enemy (AK47) or our own (M-16). I think from what I read (below) that I will try to use some cut up bike tires for grip and cushion regarding the removal of lead and will adapt my small drill press for pushing out the primers. Good to know to push from the inside (I am very ignorant, even growing up with guns and ammo, but never reloading). I will drill holes in my wooden base or use nuts as described. Sorry I can't answer the stamp question, but only have two example rounds at present and one (big, 50 cal or so) just has what looks like Arabic (I was expecting Russian) and the small (AK47?) has just two numbers I don't recognize; maybe a 28 and a 19?? This is 1991 stuff, so do the historical math. I may aquire a bit of this stuff, so really need to disarm if any hope of getting it home without difficulty. I appologize for the slow reply and appreciate your kind help. If you have or had little kids I hope you will understand...story time on this side of the world.
I do have another question of concern. In the lead I see some substance built into the back side that is not lead or copper. On the first one I worked I removed this slowly with a pocket knife until I hit lead. On the big 50 cal (?) there is a bit of this and I am concerned as the rounds are marked with a black tip with a red painted line below. Are these perhaps incenderary or tracer rounds? Is there phospherous or something worse I need to know about? What about just drilling this stuff out? My end result is collectables that are legal to ship home some day. By the way, you guys deserve one. Thanks
ReloaderFred
Member
Not knowing the country of origin is going to make it a little difficult to identify, but in .50 caliber and 12.5mm there are a lot of combinations of bullets, some of which you don't want to mess with. Regular Ball rounds, or Armor Piercing wouldn't be a problem, but tracer (not really dangerous, per se), incendiary or armor piercing-incendiary could be seriously problematic, both from the de-mil aspect and from the import aspect. My advice is to proceed with caution and seek local advice on what they actually are.
Hope this helps.
Fred
Hope this helps.
Fred
ReloaderFred
Member
The two dots indicate that it's Berdan primed, which means you won't be able to push the primers out from the inside. The anvil is part of the case and the primer consists of the primer cup and explosive compound. The portion of the case a decapping pin would contact is the anvil area, and hence is thicker, so the punch won't work. It's also likely the WD-40 won't kill the priming compound, so be careful with these.
You best best would be to fire the live primers in a firearm of the proper caliber.
Hope this helps.
Fred
You best best would be to fire the live primers in a firearm of the proper caliber.
Hope this helps.
Fred
I'll never have a proper cal weapon here, but perhaps I could fashion something from local pipe? Kind of far fetched as "local" doesn't mean a lot here in this sand pile. Hate to leave this stuff to the goons. Thanks for the info on the Berdan. Is there any hope to just punch these buggers out with some precautions? I can't imagine leaving them. Maybe I could bring back some stuff from the 1st world to use?
Mr. Fred, can I drill out the explosive compound real slow and careful? I understand there may be a little heat involved, but the primer is all that is left. Any special tool I could bring in from the US in a suitcase (other than a full press) that I could jerry rig into a way to pull these Berdan primers?
dagger dog
Member
You may be able to remove the berdans with hydraulic pressue, you have to have a "piston" a rod that fits the inside of the case neck very tightly, fill the primed case with water or oil, the insert the tight fitting piston into the neck, place the primer over the hole in a threaded nut and smack the piston with a hammer. The thicker the liquid the better this will work.
ReloaderFred
Member
As noted, you can't drill out the primer or it will go off from the heat. Primers are actual explosives, and even the small amount in a primer can be dangerous.
You can try the hydraulic method dagger dog suggested. I've tried it, but it was messy and doesn't always get the primer out, but it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.
Hope this helps.
Fred
You can try the hydraulic method dagger dog suggested. I've tried it, but it was messy and doesn't always get the primer out, but it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.
Hope this helps.
Fred
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