Removing 30-06 Military Primers?

[PWC]

I'm going to make a block for removing crimped primers and use a punch and a hammer. I need to buy a punch. Anyone know what diameter the flash hole is? Thanks.

Lee makes a tool for that, probably better'n you can make. I bought one 40 yrs ago, broke the pin on a berdan primed case, it had free replacement if you broke the pin, I called and got a new one and I still use it as needed. Of course, after removal you will have to remove the crimp. Fourty years ago we used a pocket knife, now there are tools for that

 

[alsaqr]

Few months back i de-primed and full length re-sized 500 .30 caliber military cases using an RCBS die. Never broke a pin.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Anyone know what diameter the flash hole is? Thanks.

I use a 1/16" punch to knock out primers by hand.

My decapping pin is .750".

I doubt that. Did you mean .075"

 

[hoardingthemanual]

I use a 1/16" punch to knock out primers by hand.

I doubt that. Did you mean .075"

Sure

 

[41 Mag]

After pop passed I found several 50cal and smaller ammo cans, coffee cans and paper sacks stacked full of LC, WRA and WCC brass. Some were pristine some a bit junky but after a couple weekends of tumbling, I managed close to 4k pieces of good brass.

I started out just full length sizing, but quickly decided to just go with depriming what I needed and sizing later. I used 2 Lee Universal decapping dies on them and they worked so well I did the whole mess in short order. The biggest thing was just making sure the primer punched out and not just through.

 

[DMW1116]

I haven’t done any reloading of milsurp 30-06, but I have a batch of 7.62 NATO I found. I use a Lee universal decapping die and Squirrel Daddy pins. I broke the original on a Berdan primed 9mm that snuck into the pile.

Are the old military crimps from the 30-06 era strong enough to require upgraded equipment from what I normally use? I typically decap all the cases I want to use, then wet tumble them, rinse, dry, and swage the crimps to remove them.

 

[GooseGestapo]

My decapping pin is .750".

Wow! 3/4”

I believe you mean 0.075”

 

[hoardingthemanual]

Wow! 3/4”

I believe you mean 0.075”

We already went over this….

I say, “sure”

I use a 1/16" punch to knock out primers by hand.

I doubt that. Did you mean .075"

Sure

 

[Mk-211]

I know this is a few days late, if you haven't bought a punch yet...

I reload 50 BMG and use a punch for staked primers. Be sure to buy a good punch, harbor freight didn't cut it, even Craftsman failed!

Went to Home Depot, bought the upper end in price punch set. Haven't looked back and haven't snapped a punch.

Make sure the punch is long enough to go through the brass and allow you to have enough to hit it.

Drill a hole in a piece of 2x4 or metal plate a little smaller than your brass. Line it up and whack away!

 

[alsaqr]

Are the old military crimps from the 30-06 era strong enough to require upgraded equipment from what I normally use?

IME: No. I use the RCBS Rock Chucker press.

 

[GooseGestapo]

FWIW,
Lee makes what they call a “Universal decapping set”
It consists of a machined and hardened decapping punch and a metal cup type shell holder. You supply the hammer…
They work well, and up until a decade or so ago, were guaranteed “unbreakable” so if you broke it, they’d replace it….

Lee Decapper Base 30 Cal

The Lee Decapper and Base is a great tool for easily removing crimped in primers from military cases. This system works by driving the primer out with a...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[Ironicaintit]

Are the old military crimps from the 30-06 era strong enough to require upgraded equipment from what I normally use? I typically decap all the cases I want to use, then wet tumble them, rinse, dry, and swage the crimps to remove them.

Nah, they aren't especially tough.

 

[41 Mag]

Most punch right out. On rare occasion you get one that's a pain in the rear and just the center part punches leaving the rim intact. Those usually go in the scrap can.

Bare in mind I'm speaking of 54-60'ish era LC, WCC, and WRA cases. Newer might be easier, but those older ones were sometimes a bear. They still work just fine after the rework though.

 

[Walkalong]

Agreed, I have removed live primers from non crimped primer pockets, they are easy. I would NEVER remove a live primer from a crimped primer pocket.

Yep, missed that they were live. You can use a resizing die to do it, just go easy, but since they are crimped, you still might set one off.

Shooting them in a rifle is safe enough. Loud.