Rifle and Pistol Primer OOPS!

[jonnyc]

1. Yes, I'm an idiot.
2. Help.
I was priming some .45ACP cases with my Lee hand-primer. Although I keep them in different locations, somewhere along the line I refilled the priming tool with Large Rifle primers. I use CCI Large Rifle and Large Pistol primers. I pulled the whole lot, but want to save what I can.
-Once loaded, is there a way to tell which is in the case?
-If removed, is there a way to tell them apart for reuse?
-Is it a problem to use Rifle primers with fairly mild .45ACP loads?
-Is it a problem to use Pistol primers in rifle loads?
Thanks.

 

[Jim Watson]

-Once loaded, is there a way to tell which is in the case?
*I don't know. Can you tell which is which looking at them in the box? Some primers have different color foils over the compound. If so, you MIGHT be able to tell the difference looking through the flashhole with a bright light. Maybe.

-If removed, is there a way to tell them apart for reuse?
*See above.

-Is it a problem to use Rifle primers with fairly mild .45ACP loads?
*Large Rifle primers are a bit taller than Large Pistol and will be likely to give high primers when loaded in pistol cases. High primers is a Bad Thing. Even if you rammed them flush, the thicker cups would be subject to misfires.

-Is it a problem to use Pistol primers in rifle loads?
*The thinner cups are subject to piercing at the higher pressures of rifle loads. Don't do it.

*Better you should trash the whole lot for safety and as a disciplinary lesson to yourself be more careful in the future.

 

[Mal H]

Exactly what Jim said. I was thinking you might be able to see the color through the flash hole.

If you remove the primers, don't reuse them. It's not worth it.

Re-evaluate your process so this won't happen again.

How many would you guess you loaded with the wrong primer?

 

[GaryL]

Should be able to save everything but the primers. Live primers can be deprimed (never had an issue doing it on my 550), but you should have hearing protection when you do it. Your other option (after removing bullets and powder) is to chamber the empty cases and discharge the primer. Keep in mind, they will be loud.

 

[jonnyc]

Thanks all, pretty much what I was thinking. There are about 120 in the lot, just primed empty cases. not much of a loss...but a good lesson.

 

[Jim Watson]

GENTLY deprime, trash the primers a few at a time so as to not blow up the garbage truck, and start over with the brass.

 

[Crimp]

...trash the primers a few at a time so as to not blow up the garbage truck...

LOL! Great one, Jim. My best chuckle of the day.

 

[evan price]

Umm, if you are gentle and use a soft touch you can deprime the cases and the primers will be usable, depending on how tight the case is. I have often deprimed brass gently and been able to not even tell it was ever installed.
One caveat: I would use "recycled" primers as target/plinking loads ONLY and mark the back of the ammo with a Sharpie so you know these are them.

Only reason I did this was because a shooter had a couple boxes of .40 S&W he'd gotten reloaded from somebody else and they were too soft to reliably cycle his BHP so he gave them to me to get rid of them. I don't own a .40 so I broke them down for components, recycled the powder and primers in 9mm ammo and sold the bullets and brass.

 

[LotI]

CCI uses different colors for rifle and pistol.

From the horse's mouth...CCI

• Mixed-up your rifle and pistol primers? CCI pistol primers have a light red paper disk under the anvil. Next time, keep them in the original box until you load them.

You can successfully deprime brass. I've done thousands. Use your resizing die or get the Lee decapping die. Hearing and eye protection is prudent. Just use them for plinking rounds.

From the same site

Yes, substituting Rifle primers for Pistol primers is a bad idea, even though they may fit in the primer pocket. There are several differences that affect safety and reliability.

Q: I have CCI Large Pistol primers. Can I use them instead of Large Rifle primers that I need to load for my rifle loading?
A: This is not advisable. Large pistol primers have less priming compound, and are shorter than Large Rifle primers. Misfires and under-ignition are very likely.

 

[RyanM]

I've never had any problem removing live primers and then reusing them. Heck, I even did it once with the Lee tools that use a hammer instead of a press. I did use ear and eye protection plus heavy gloves when I did that, though.

 

[buttrap]

If you look really really close you will notice the rifle primers are a hair longer in depth and will protrude a bit from a pistol case. As for recycle I would use them for plinker loads after they are punched out, they will still go bang.

 

[Oohrah]

Here's an idea??? pull the loads down and get these little blocks
of wax used in canning. Press down on the wax with the case
mouth and it fills the case neck. Use a box filled with magazines
or a couple of phone books as a back stop and do a little primer
fired indoor practice. I think that Speer sells pistol calibers made
out of rubber to do the same thing.