When Priming goes Bad...

[RussellC]

Just wondering...I once was stuffing as few 9mm, and while sizing, noticed removed primers on the floor. Yes, I "resized" (and decapped) 3 or 4 cases that I had already sized AND PRIMED! I was surprised that the primers didnt go off,
but have read of others doing this without incident. Question, I have a few brass that have a primer mis-installed, a few got stuffed in sideways, and one that seated upside down. OK, I can see how a primer in a primed case (installed correctly) can be removed by the decapper, but what about these sideways ones, and most bothersome, the backwards one...wont it go off if the decapper presses on the live side? What are the limits on removing live primers?

Thanks,

Russellc

 

[rcmodel]

Primers fire due too high speed impact.

Not from pushing them out slowly with the depriming die.

Gofer it!
They didn't go off when you pushed them in sideways & upside down.
They won't go off when you push them back out slowly.

Just don't slam the press handle down and you will be fine.

rc

 

[homatok]

^ what RC said and if you are a big chicken (like me) wrap the press in a few layers of old towel! You know---just in case.

 

[Havok7416]

I've live deprimed literally hundreds of rounds including ones with the primer seated backwards. To date, only one went off and it was a .30-06 made in 1945 with a crimped and corroded in primer.

 

[Jim Watson]

As said, press gradually and decap. Trash the sideways ones.
I keep the backwards ones and use them on practice loads.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

They didn't go off when you pushed them in sideways & upside down.
They won't go off when you push them back out slowly.

That pretty much says it all.

Wear your safety glasses, but you should be doing that anyway.
I admit, I usually turn my back to the press and lower the handle VERY slowly when I do it. I'm a weenie though.

 

[RussellC]

Thanks guys, big weenie here, I'LL DO THE TOWEL AND TURN YOUR BACK APPROACH! That upside down one really made me wonder.

Russellc

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I always push the upside down primers out and use them over. No problems, just don't use a universal de-capping die with a spring loaded de-priming pin.

My universal de-priming die with a spring loaded pin shoots spent primers all over my reloading room. Don't have the nerve to try it on a live primer.

Use one with a fixed pin (like your resizing die has) so you can control it and you won't have any problems. It won't even mark the primer.

 

[gamestalker]

About the only limitations for me, is if I have some proud primers in cases that have already been completed with powder and bullets. I wouldn't even consider touching up primers in completed cartridges, although I've heard of others who do, I'm not one of them, which is easy to identify cause I'm not missing any digits or wearing an eye patch.

GS