Primer question

jimo

Well-Known Member
This may be a daft question but I thought I ought to ask for my own peace of mind. Is there any reason why I shouldn't fire empty cases with only the primer in when I've made a cock up? I'm using a Lee Classic loader so removing a live primer by hammering it out is not an option.
 
Run them through the press carefully with your fl die in until they drop out ;), so far in the neck will do it, or get yourself a decapping die
 
answer to your question is you will not harm anything, But why do you need to take them out ?

and Swarovski's answer is the best method.
 
No, I wouldn't hammer them out on your Lee Loader kit - the thought of that fairly heavy decap rod being propelled out of the case in the event of a detonation isn't a happy one. (Years back, I wanted to fire the Berdan primer in an old Kynoch 7.65X53mm case where I'd pulled the bullet and dumped the powder - wanted to make an inert round for my collection. In the absence of a 7.65 chambered rifle, I adapted a 308 Win Lee Loader body as a chamber and used the decapper + hammer as a firing pin with the assembly on the garage floor mouth down. I totally underestimated the power of a primer and the noise it makes in this set-up - nearly deafened me as I hadn't thought to put hearing protection on. But, more importantly forgot that it's only the bolt-face that keeps an unstaked primer in the case-pocket. So, on firing, there was an almighty blast back onto my hand that blew the rod back and out of my fingers and the fired primer exited at high speed off into the blue yonder - only by luck not into my face or worse an eye!)

So, yes the right place to fire them is in a rifle. The barrel quietens the noise a lot, but it's still pretty scary indoors and might frighten the natives if done outside in a suburban garden. Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and well clear of anything likely to be damaged, even more so people! You do get a hard to shift primer residue build-up in the barrel, so if you have a lot to fire off, clean it regularly every 20 primers or so with a bore solvent and a quick scrub with a good quality bore-brush. Otherwise, beg a mate with a benchpress to help out using a dedicated decap die such as the cheap Lee model plus a lot of care (very gently / slowly does it) and eye protection. The recovered primers are usually usable if it's done very gently and they're not a really tight fit in the pocket.

(Don't anybody ever try to use a press / die for this task with cases from unfired military spec ammo - the primers are staked or ring-crimped into the pocket so would need excess pressure to eject them increasing the chances of detonation.)
 
I remember doing something very similar many many years ago.
My school pal and I dissected one of his Father's shotgun cartridges to harvest the BB shot from within to use as fishing sinkers.

Inevitably we were left with the empty primed case.
The primed case was duly secured in his Father's vice in the garage and was belted with mallet and nail.

The resounding memory was one of shock as my eardrums reverberated with the explosion which was way and beyond what either of us considered possible.

Shortly afterwards both our arses further resonated as my chums Father exited the house like a greyhound on acid thinking we had blown up his garage. . . A thorough belting ensued !!!

That was almost 25 years ago and I still remember the look on his face as he bolted towards us like it was yesterday :D
 
I remember doing something very similar many many years ago.
My school pal and I dissected one of his Father's shotgun cartridges to harvest the BB shot from within to use as fishing sinkers.

Inevitably we were left with the empty primed case.
The primed case was duly secured in his Father's vice in the garage and was belted with mallet and nail.

The resounding memory was one of shock as my eardrums reverberated with the explosion which was way and beyond what either of us considered possible.

Shortly afterwards both our arses further resonated as my chums Father exited the house like a greyhound on acid thinking we had blown up his garage. . . A thorough belting ensued !!!

That was almost 25 years ago and I still remember the look on his face as he bolted towards us like it was yesterday :D
Sorry but what a great post. Cannot stop laughing thinking about it. Thank you.
 
Jim. If you want to use my press give me a shout. I have in the past taken the de-priming pin out of the FL die and resized after priming some cases that I'd cocked up on. I think I'd only neck sized a batch only to find they had spread at the base so needed FL sizing.
Don't know what problem you have but I'll help if I can. ATB John.
 
No I wouldn't hammer them out. If you flood the bottom of the case with WD40 and leave it 24 hours then you will kill the primer and could probably (your risk) do so. It would be much better to remove with a press.

You will need to remove all trace of WD40 from the case afterwards or it will ruin the next primer too.
 
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What type of cock up have you done? if you fire your case with just the primer, you may find that the primer will sit out from the head slightly making it awkward to put into the holder on your press.
Whenever I needed to pull cases I took the De-capping pin out and sized again if needed.

Leon
 
This may be a daft question but I thought I ought to ask for my own peace of mind. Is there any reason why I shouldn't fire empty cases with only the primer in when I've made a cock up? I'm using a Lee Classic loader so removing a live primer by hammering it out is not an option.

The OP doesn't have a press, or dies so can't use most of the suggestions.

The reason why Lee Loaders work & produce accurate results is because they neck size only using cases originally fired in the rifle. OK - whacking something with a mallet is odd behaviour to me, but you can get going for 10% of a conventional press & die kit. It's a survival setup.

I'm guessing that the cock-up perpetrated by the OP is loading up cases which have been fired in another rifle & won't chamber easily .... or he's overloaded them/loaded them wrongly in some other way. If they don't chamber then the cases are useless to an LL user. If they do chamber then just reload them after pulling the contents, as there's no need to remove or fire the primer first.

Lee Loader Rifle


For over 50 years, more shooters have chosen the famous Lee Loader for their first reloading tool than any other. They realize it is all they need for good, accurate ammunition. In fact, at one time ammunition loaded with a Lee Loader held a world record listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for more than seven years. Millions upon millions of rounds have been reloaded with the famous Lee Loader, and we expect it will continue to be a popular reloader for many years to come. It's the perfect tool for those who wish to simply try reloading, because it will pay for itself in just an hour or so.

The Lee Loader neck sizes only, use only with brass fired through your gun. You can reload a round in 30 seconds. Recommended if you’re loading for a bolt action rifle in small quantities.

Find out for yourself how much fun it is to reload with the Lee Loader. Everything you need to begin loading one caliber and you'll save enough to pay for it in the first hour!
 
Just to add to Sinistral's explanation, the decap task is carried out before and separately from sizing on the Lee Loader. It sees the case placed base-down on a small circular steel base with a central hole, a five or six inch long steel decapper inserted into its mouth and the top end given a tap with a soft-head hammer to knock the spent primer out. That's why I said that it would be a thoroughly bad idea to use it on a live primer. The decapper is quite a substantial steel rod and with its integral pin a fairly close fit in the flash-hole would likely be driven out of the case with some force in the event of primer detonation. With the case simply resting on a small diameter base and having to be held in place with one hand while using the hammer with the other, the operator cannot position him or herself at a safe distance.
 
Just to add to Sinistral's explanation, the decap task is carried out before and separately from sizing on the Lee Loader. It sees the case placed base-down on a small circular steel base with a central hole, a five or six inch long steel decapper inserted into its mouth and the top end given a tap with a soft-head hammer to knock the spent primer out. That's why I said that it would be a thoroughly bad idea to use it on a live primer. The decapper is quite a substantial steel rod and with its integral pin a fairly close fit in the flash-hole would likely be driven out of the case with some force in the event of primer detonation. With the case simply resting on a small diameter base and having to be held in place with one hand while using the hammer with the other, the operator cannot position him or herself at a safe distance.


having set the odd primer off with a lee loader I can confirm that shed destruction and finger decapitation does not ensue
Yes it is loud
yes it may sting the fingers if not wearing gloves
No the decapping pin/seating pin does not fly out of the case (it is not a tight fit on the neck so pressure is close to nil)

Am sure you could use the decapping pin and "press" them out rather than "knock" them out as you would if you were doing it in a press
I have decapped hundreds this way and never had a detonation. see no reason why with care you can do the same with a simple lever (2x4" wedged under something ahead of the die/loader)

use gloves, goggles and ear defenders just in case
you could even decap with the case inside the lee loader for extra protection
 
I have two members of my club with noticeably pock marked faces from primer ignition on the Lee 1000. The primer anvils turn into shrapnel.

Don't do it. Do wear glasses.
 
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I have knocked out a few live primers with the lee loader pin, and also have set a couple off (large rifles, small rifle and pistol over the years when seating them with the loader - never when knocking them out I might add) these were when using the seating pin on the seating base so still a rod and the rod will not come hurtling out. although we are talking 4 or 5 out of all the rounds loader. It really isn't that bad and in fact I once fired a primed case in my 9mm pistol and it was WAY louder - I can only assume due to the short barrel of the pistol and the echo in the garage but when they have gone off during loading with the lee loader they have been a lot quieter and in the same garage. Always wear safety glasses but the primer usually does not go off when struck from the inside, the three pronged part (anvil) may fall out though.Regards,Gixer
 
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Thanks for all the replies chaps. I too have set off a primer whilst seating it with the rod which made me jump but no more. When loading the next batch I was a little too gentle when seating one of the primers and didn't check it properly. I then measured the length with the primer slightly proud and altered seating depth accordingly. I now have a few rounds seated too deeply which need pulling and then re-neck sizing. Now I know it's ok I'll just fire the primer off in the rifle into the lawn and knock the old primer out. I've done a couple already and the noise is similar to an hmr with quite a bit of flame but it just made me think it was perhaps not a good idea. For the sake of saving a 5p primer I'm not taking any chances.

Laurie, thanks for the tip on primer residue. That was what was concerning me. I'll make a point of cleaning it afterwards,

Thanks for the offer of help John. I'm due to go over to Nick's soon as I have several books to return and he said he will pull them for me. (although he doesn't know how many yet!)

Thanks

Jim
 
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Just pull, seat properly, reseat bullet
you could resize the neck if you want to with primers in situ

you will be surprised how easily they will fit the die if they are already sized
 
Just pull, seat properly, reseat bullet
you could resize the neck if you want to with primers in situ

you will be surprised how easily they will fit the die if they are already sized

Thanks, that does look the best option. If I resize the neck with the primer in situ I think I'll have a block of wood over it and tap that!:scared:
 
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