Removing live primers

[AlexN]

Hi folks,

As you'll be able to tell from this thread, I'm new to reloading.

I've cleaned, trimmed and taken the spent primer out of 100 cases before noticing a problem.... I didn't put the press handle far enough to neck size the cases, so now the bullet heads drop straight into the case.

So as I've now got to size every single one of these cases, can I de-prime live primers or will they go off in the press?

Alex

 

[waterford103]

If you remove the decapping pin you can just resize them , if you're using Lee dies this may not be possible in which case remove the primers --- CAREFULLY-- WEARING SAFETY GLASSES OF COURSE.

 

[Muir]

A better plan is to raise the decapping rod just enough to keep the pin from pushing the primer out. Then the expander ball will do it's job. ~Muir

 

[deeangeo]

A better plan is to raise the decapping rod just enough to keep the pin from pushing the primer out. Then the expander ball will do it's job. ~Muir

This

 

[AlexN]

Cheers guys, I'll give it a go with a pair of glasses and ear defenders on

 

[Psyxologos]

Cheers guys, I'll give it a go with a pair of glasses and ear defenders on

Just go REALLY slowly and you should be fine. I had to do it today and I was apprehensive, but following the above advice I was OK.

 

[Mr. Gain]

I suspect we've all experienced your predicament, but it's easy enough to solve.
You can:

1. Leave your dies as they are and slowly/gently de-prime. Unless you have very tight primer pockets the light pressure required is highly unlikely to set off a primer.
2. Keep the expander stem in the same place but remove the decapping pin. (Waterford's solution)
3. Adjust the expander stem so that the decapping pin doesn't reach the primer. (Muir's solution)

Aside from carrying no risk, solutions 1 & 2 save you having to re-prime your cases.

 

[Mr. Gain]

I suspect we've all experienced your predicament, but it's easy enough to solve.
You can:

1. Leave your dies as they are and slowly/gently de-prime. Unless you have very tight primer pockets the pressure required is highly unlikely to set off a primer.
2. Adjust the expander stem so that the decapping pin doesn't reach the primer. (Muir's solution)
3. Keep the expander stem in the same place but remove the decapping pin. (Waterford's solution)

Aside from carrying no risk, solutions 2 & 3 save you having to re-prime your cases.
Wearing eye protection throughout the reloading process is advisable.

 

[8x57]

A better plan is to raise the decapping rod just enough to keep the pin from pushing the primer out. Then the expander ball will do it's job. ~Muir

I had to do exactly this just last week.
Don't ask me how but somehow I managed to mix partially prepped once fired cases from someone else's rifle in with cases that I had previously fully prepared. Consequently on checking I found that 20 cases would not chamber in my rifle. So I pulled the bullets and saved the powder, then withdrew the de-capping pin sufficiently on my full length resizing die that it didn't de-cap the live primer and simply resized leaving the live primer in place.

In the past I have on numerous occasions de-capped live primers without incident. I always wear safety glasses when doing this. I then usually re-prime with a fresh primer just in case I have dislodged the anvil, which can happen. That is unless I will simply be using the ammo on the range in which case I reuse the de-capped primer being the skinflint that I am and not wishing to waste the penny.

 

[maninblack]

All of the above are good systems to work to I will add that if you are using RCBS dies you can also remove the decaping pin from them. If you have to decap a live primer, safety first wear eye protection and take it gently. If you do have one go off you will find that Adrenalin is brown and it can run down your legs. Be Safe

 

[Sinistral]

Hi folks,
I've cleaned, trimmed and taken the spent primer out of 100 cases before noticing a problem.... I didn't put the press handle far enough to neck size the cases, so now the bullet heads drop straight into the case.

So as I've now got to size every single one of these cases, can I de-prime live primers or will they go off in the press? Alex

It’s very easy to remove live primers, but I’d be more interested in how anyone can resize a case without altering the neck. There is no ordinary way of managing this … how did you do it?

 

[deeangeo]

It’s very easy to remove live primers, but I’d be more interested in how anyone can resize a case without altering the neck. There is no ordinary way of managing this … how did you do it?

The point is he didn't resize the case necks, which is why he's having to do so with primers in the cases.
The cases weren't driven into his die correctly/far enough.

 

[Apthorpe]

If you're nervous about it, you could just fire off the primed cases, noise nuisance permitting.
It's not worth doing something you feel uncomfortable with for the sake of £5.
The other advice given sounds excellent. But if you're scared of heights, while not looking down is great advice, not going anywhere high is even better.

 

[Sinistral]

The point is he didn't resize the case necks, which is why he's having to do so with primers in the cases.
The cases weren't driven into his die correctly/far enough.

We already know that.

With a standard FLR die the only way that a case can be de-capped (without the die contacting the case at all) is if the decapping stem/pin assembly is extended way beyond the base of the die. If the FLR die made any sort of contact then the outside neck diameter would have been reduced enough to grip the bullet.

[FONT=&amp]If however it was a Lee collet-neck-size die then it wasn’t set up right, or any check made afterwards that the neck had been reset[/FONT]

 

[AlexN]

Thanks for all your replies, they were really helpful, especially to a novice reloaded like me!!

I've managed to remove all the live primers but on some of them the tiny "wind mill blade thing" in the middle of them has fallen out. So because of this I think it's worth just spending another £5 to get another pack of primers.

 

[schaafman]

I've had the need to decap live primers loads of times. I put a drop of 3 in 1 oil into the case and make sure it goes through the flash hole, makes them completely inert.

J