Removing 30-06 Military Primers?

N

NY Yankee

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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.
 
longdayjake said:
Are you having a really hard time removing them? Back when I did it, I just used the RCBS .30-06 small base dies and bought a bunch of replaceable pins. I did thousands of them that way. The did break from time to time, but I got sized cases and all the primers popped pretty easy.
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No, but I cringe when the POP. I'd rather not mess with that anyway. I dont mind doing them by hand.
 
AJC1 said:
Removing live crimped primers seems silly. Why not pop them first pointed away from your face
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1KPerDay said:
Wait you’re removing LIVE crimped primers?? Why?? If you want the primers, load and shoot the cases. If you don’t want the primers, pop them in a rifle and decap.
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dh1633pm said:
You must have your reasoning. I would just load them up using the military primers. A decapping die works wonders for removing live primers. Although a few here and there get damaged.
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I'm not removing live primers. It's the pop when the crimp lets go.
 
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I guess our bad presumption was that they were live. Removing live primers isn't necessarily a bad thing. We all have had need to do just that. Just something where safety considerations are made. Don't think anyone thought you weren't smart. I certainly didn't. You know what they say about those who presume. Sorry for my ID10T moment.

I think I may have an extra decapping die if you have need of one let me know. Again, you may or may not be a reloader. In case your aren't then my offer is kinda mute.
 
I've always used my RCBS sizing die, both .223 and 30-06 and never have had an issue. .223 LC and IMI, 30-06 LC and HXP. I remember being cautious when I did my first 30-06 LC many moons ago and finding out that it's not a big deal. I've never broken anything doing so.
 
1KPerDay said:
Wait you’re removing LIVE crimped primers?? Why?? If you want the primers, load and shoot the cases. If you don’t want the primers, pop them in a rifle and decap.
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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.
 
stchman said:
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.
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No, Im not doing that. Thanks though.

Seems like I have a few good ideas to check out.
 
dh1633pm said:
I guess our bad presumption was that they were live. Removing live primers isn't necessarily a bad thing. We all have had need to do just that. Just something where safety considerations are made. Don't think anyone thought you weren't smart. I certainly didn't. You know what they say about those who presume. Sorry for my ID10T moment.

I think I may have an extra decapping die if you have need of one let me know. Again, you may or may not be a reloader. In case your aren't then my offer is kinda mute.
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The pop was very misleading
 
Soonerpesek said:
Go to the Mighty Armory website and check out their decapping dies…
They are pretty stout pins…
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Yup, Ive done 30k+ on 2 pins, one of which getting bent was my fault. That includes some crimped 7.62x51, plenty of 223, and lots and lots of pistol.

I used to use Lee. Got tired of cheese grade steel, and the Squirrel Daddies fared barely any better for me. Also annoyed me when the decapper kept popping up trying to find that fine line between tight enough not tight enough.

FW Arms makes a good decapper as well. Just as tough as the Mighty Armory one.
 
Meh, buy once, cry once, and never buy another....the FW Arms spring loaded decapper is the best decapper hands down on the market. I used to religiously buy Mighty Armory, and still think they are good quality....but man, once you go FW Arms, you never go back. Will make short work of anything. Heck, I've had cases with other cases stuck in them...decaps both, lol. Even had a case with a setback bullet make it through....torque sense on the autodrive shut it down. Once I got the FW decapper out of it, the bullet had a hole drilled through it by the pin. Was a jacketed FMJ even. I've decapped another 20 or 30 thousand cases on that same pin since. Still straight, still works. And you never get primers sucked back in, the spring load flings them straight into the output tube with impressive velocity.
 
I have a box with a Lee Loader decapping chamber glued over a hole in the box. Use a Lee Loader decapper stem. Slow and there are many faster ways, but I was bored and put it together. Box catches spent priners...

Never had a problem decapping military brass using Lee F/L sizing dies; 30-06, 762x54, 303 British, 5.56x45...
 
I removed about 1K Large and Small pistol primers using an RCBS Large decapper die. Haven't broke one yet.
 
I've got a universal decapper that I use a lot, and particularly for crimped in military primers. I'm not sure what the aversion to the 'pop' is... I actually like it, it's quite satisfying. Reaming those military crimps, however, is not so fun and satisfying... just saying.

I don't know if this is a thing with military .30-06... I'm assuming it's US military brass... but if it's foreign, it may be Berdan primed. I'm thinking Greek, or something similar. The only time I've broken a decap pin was with some Indian Berdan-primed 7.62mm brass. I didn't even know what Berdan priming was... but now I do!
 
I just recently decommissioned some 30-06. All military issue, never fired. All of them from '36-'53. (DEN, SL, FA and LC).
I used my trusty RCBS and pushed every one of those crimped primers out with no issue.
Just dont slam the decapping pin into the primer and it's fine. Gently bring it to zero clearance and push. No big deal.

As an aside, only the powder from the '36 was starting to turn. '42 and newer still looked fresh and smelled nice.
 
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