Remove a live primer?

[Uncle Richard]

I was sorting tumbled 40sw brass today and somehow there were several cases with un-fired primers, which were thrown away. Would a case with a live primer explode while de-capping in a sizing die?

Im asking because a 40sw case with a live primer may get over-looked when reloading on my Hornady LnL. Im Leary of it going off while re-sizing. What is the probability of this happening?

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have removed plenty of live primers and I have never had one go off. Primers are designed to ignite by striking the front of the cup, not by pushing on the inside of the primer.

 

[cavman]

I can't address probability but with my dillon 650 with 45 acp and really cranking , I mean really cranking , without knowing there was a live primer, i had one go off. It blew the little cap catcher to smithereens.

However, knowing that I was de-capping a live primer and just going slow but steady, I have done many with nary a problem.

 

[Josh45]

Nope.
Won't go off.
As long as your cautious. Do it slow and you won't have an issue.
I even done this with Federal Primers. No issue.

 

[Lost Sheep]

Yes you can

While it is true that primers are designed to go off by denting the back of the cup and pinching the priming compound between the anvil and the cup, you can perform that same pinch by punching the anvil from the front.

Seating the primer actually stresses the priming compound, too, by squeezing the anvil into the cup. Look at a primer from the side. Measure its height and measure the depth of the primer cup.

Yes you can safely deprime a cartridge with a live primer. Wear gloves, eye protection (full face shield is best) and long sleeves and maybe ear protection as well. Armored like that, you are pretty darned safe.

I have done several and never had one pop, but have testimony of those who have (and sometimes they do pop, so the protection is a good idea). The most important thing is to go slowly. Primers are intended to go off when struck hard and fast.

I have also crushed primers into the primer cup sideways and folded them in half. I have never had one go off (outside the chamber of my guns).

I suggest you take a primed empty case, chamber it and fire it off so you know how load it is and how much energy the release. Don't point it at anything within a foot or two. It will leave a mark (scorch or powder, I am not sure, but it won't wash out.)

Lost Sheep

 

[greyling22]

never had an issue. I go slow, catch the primer and reuse it. They still work.

 

[jcwit]

Primers ignite from impact not from pressure. Simple as that.

 

[Otto]

Primers can explode if subjected to friction, percussion, heat, flame, spark or static electricity.

 

[medalguy]

True but slow pressure will deprime a case every time. I've done thousands. Yes thousands.

 

[jcwit]

Primers can explode if subjected to friction, percussion, heat, flame, spark or static electricity.

This is true. But very few firearms or reloading tools utilize friction, heat, flame which is also heat, spark which is an electrical flame, or static electricty which is also a form of spark which again is electrical flame as a means of ignition or for that matter a form of removing spent or live primers.

In the land of firearms and reloading tools again primers are "usually" ignited by impact not pressure.

 

[1SOW]

I've deprimed 'm a n y' Fed SPPs.
As said above One form or another of heat or percussion WILL ignite it.
I tested one using heat. It will get your attention much more than percussion using a hammer.

 

[Lost Sheep]

Primers can explode if subjected to friction, percussion, heat, flame, spark or static electricity.

I'm not sure where this falls in your list, but my MRI tech told me that their machine can set off ammunition. At least that's what they learned in training and I know of one instance in Brighton, NY, September 13, 2000.

But that one instance is not really on point of the OP. I just find this story so fascinating.

Lost Sheep

 

[Uncle Richard]

the small pistol primers appear to be winchester. I will check the cases before loading into the case feeder. They say "an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure." I don't want any to go off, the powder drop (with 1/2lb wsf powder) is right beside the sizing die.

thanks for the advice.

 

[Walkalong]

It is highly unlikely, but do them separately without other live primers or powder nearby just in case you win the lottery.

 

[Lonely Raven]

Reloading manuals and die directions say to never deprime a live primer.

I'm too cheap for that. I gear up for war and deprime the live primers in my Rockchucker with a clear table (nothing to ignite). I've never had one go off, but I'm sure it will happen eventually.

 

[dickttx]

Where do these live primers, in empty cases you are reloading, come from?

 

[joecil]

I've decapped a number of live primers using the Lee Universal Decapping tool in a single stage press without one going off however I have sure heard it happening. If worried simply drop the cases in solvent for a while unless you can fire them in a gun. Once done you will need to clean out all the solvent and re tumble or sonic clean which ever method. In a pinch I soak the brass in Dawn and water followed by a straight vinegar bath for about 10 minutes following both the steps by a complete rinse in water. At that point you can let air dry or put on a towel in the oven for a few minutes at 180 to 200 F to speed up drying.

 

[Uncle Richard]

Where do these live primers, in empty cases you are reloading, come from?

don't know, somehow mixed in my bucket of empty brass.

 

[Uncle Richard]

I've decapped a number of live primers using the Lee Universal Decapping tool in a single stage press without one going off however I have sure heard it happening. If worried simply drop the cases in solvent for a while unless you can fire them in a gun. Once done you will need to clean out all the solvent and re tumble or sonic clean which ever method. In a pinch I soak the brass in Dawn and water followed by a straight vinegar bath for about 10 minutes following both the steps by a complete rinse in water. At that point you can let air dry or put on a towel in the oven for a few minutes at 180 to 200 F to speed up drying.

Thats a good idea..... I could soak them in water for a day or so and let dry out.

Thanks.

 

[Gabes220]

No need to soak, just de cap em. Wear safety glasses... As always with reloading...

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[EMC45]

Decap and re-use them. Safety glasses and a slow steady hand will yield you some primers for reuse. Nothing unsafe about it.

 

[454PB]

I throw a heavy bath towel over the press when removing live primers. I've never had one go off in 40 years of handloading.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

Take your time and there will not be a problem.

 

[kingmt]

It is safe. Even if one pops it won't hurt you. I have had them go off seating them & it is no big deal. If in a decaping die everything is contained.

The powder is safe also. That stuff is hard to burn if it isn't sealed in a cartridge.

 

[mizer67]

I was taught to NEVER, under any circumstance, decap a live primer, but when I did to go slowly and carefully with eyepro and earpro in place.