DEPRIMING LIVE PRIMERS

[SETH RINGER]

OKAY I'LL GIVE YOU THE BACK STORY FIRST. SON BUYS 7O GAL. TOTES FROM HOME DEPOT AND I ORDER EVERYTHING I CAN'T FIND HERE FROM AMAZON, EBAY ETC. FOR HIM TO LOAD IN AND SHIP TO ME HERE IN COSTA RICA. WHILE BACK I BOUGHT 100 ROUNDS OF 9.3X74R AMMO ON GUNBROKER FOR HIS DOUBLE, THE SELLER USED AN OLD EBAY BOX TO PACK THEM IN AND MY SON DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION AND IN THE TOTE THEY WENT SO I GOT THEM HERE IN COSTA RICA. DON'T NEED EM HERE, DOUBT THERE IS A RIFLE IN COSTA RICA TO USE THEM IN AND THEY ARE PROBABLY ILLEGAL FOR ME TO HAVE NOT BEING A CITIZEN YET. HATE TO JUST THROW AWAY $600+ SO HERE IS MY PLAN AND QUESTION:
EASY ENOUGH TO GET A BULLET PULLING "HAMMER", PULL THE BULLETS AND DUMP THE POWDER. MY QUESTION IS WHAT IS GOING TO BEST WAY FOR ME TO REMOVE THE LIVE PRIMERS? GET THEM OUT AND THEN I AM NOT WORRIED ABOUT THROWING BULLETS OR BRASS IN MY SUITCASE ON A TRIP BACK AND WE CAN HAVE SOMEBODY RELOAD THEM.
THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS.
PURA VIDA, SETH

 

[Dirtdart]

If you do not have a universal decapping die I would recommend getting one for your reloading press.
I have removed many live primers from cases and never had a problem. I have been told that you can fill the case with water for a day and it will render the priming compound inert but never saw the need as I keep all body parts away from the mouth of the case being deprimed.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Decap them slowly with a press. I do it with shotgun shells all the time. Rifle is the same.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have done it too as above. And reused the primers without issue ... so far anyway.

 

[shootist~]

Universal decapping die in a reloading press - slow and careful. Preferably by someone there who already reloads and is familiar with the process.

Eye protection mandatory regardless who does it. It is dangerous, btw.

I just had to kick out a few that did not fully seat in brand new Norma 338WM brass. (Despite uniforming the tight-ass primer pockets at least twice.)

 

[Luvthunt]

I have done it too as above. And reused the primers without issue ... so far anyway.

Yes, the same carefuuuuly!

 

[SaintPanzer]

I've heard the water method works, but I've successfully used WD40.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Yes, the same carefuuuuly!

Yes, carefully. I just want the primer to barely drop so it lands and sits on top of the press. Otherwise it can roll into the slot for decapper spring. Not a good place for live primer! Then I have to stop everything and drive out the decapper pivot pin to carefully remove the decapper arm and spring while keeping the live primer from getting lose and rolling off to parts unknown.

 

[BC Tal]

I’ve used a couple drops of gun oil to deactivate the primer then de-prime. Goes without saying the eyepro is on.

 

[AimSmall]

Safely removing primers with a press is fairly straightforward as the potential blast is relatively contained. Without a press, extreme caution is advised.

 

[WAB]

I’m guessing that you don’t have a reloading press in Costa Rica? If not, I would drill a hole in a board somewhat larger than the primer. I would get a long punch that will fit down through the casing and flash hole. I would then place the primed case over the hole and slowly apply pressure to the punch down through the casing until the primer pushes out. Perhaps setting up a simple lever would be the easiest.

 

[ay2626]

My dad used to do the hydraulic method with quite a bit of success. Fill the case almost to the top with water. Find a rod or dowel that just fits inside the case mouth and give it a tap.

 

[BryceM]

I just use a press, slow and careful, with hearing protection and eye protection. I also clean the loose kernels of gunpowder off the bench beforehand. Never had one go off..... yet.

 

[30.06king]

I have heard most of those methods above. Sounds like they all work fine. I have deprimed hundreds of live primers using my press and, usually, a FL die. Yes it unecessarily reworks the brass again but I am using the only gear I have. I let the live primers drop down the waste tube and catch them in a smaller container inside my waste primer bucket. No problem reusing these primers but ensure storage in something like original pacaging that separates each live primer.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

OKAY I'LL GIVE YOU THE BACK STORY FIRST. SON BUYS 7O GAL. TOTES FROM HOME DEPOT AND I ORDER EVERYTHING I CAN'T FIND HERE FROM AMAZON, EBAY ETC. FOR HIM TO LOAD IN AND SHIP TO ME HERE IN COSTA RICA. WHILE BACK I BOUGHT 100 ROUNDS OF 9.3X74R AMMO ON GUNBROKER FOR HIS DOUBLE, THE SELLER USED AN OLD EBAY BOX TO PACK THEM IN AND MY SON DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION AND IN THE TOTE THEY WENT SO I GOT THEM HERE IN COSTA RICA. DON'T NEED EM HERE, DOUBT THERE IS A RIFLE IN COSTA RICA TO USE THEM IN AND THEY ARE PROBABLY ILLEGAL FOR ME TO HAVE NOT BEING A CITIZEN YET. HATE TO JUST THROW AWAY $600+ SO HERE IS MY PLAN AND QUESTION:
EASY ENOUGH TO GET A BULLET PULLING "HAMMER", PULL THE BULLETS AND DUMP THE POWDER. MY QUESTION IS WHAT IS GOING TO BEST WAY FOR ME TO REMOVE THE LIVE PRIMERS? GET THEM OUT AND THEN I AM NOT WORRIED ABOUT THROWING BULLETS OR BRASS IN MY SUITCASE ON A TRIP BACK AND WE CAN HAVE SOMEBODY RELOAD THEM.
THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS.
PURA VIDA, SETH

I had read that you can spray WD-40 in the case and then deprime as when reloading and removing a spent primer. I used this method when I had some cases that needed to be deprimed and it worked fine, but it made me nervous.

 

[Woodcarver]

WD40 will render the primer inert, permanently. Water has the potential to do the same; I wouldn't trust one removed via the hydraulic method except for a plinking round. And that would be after a long drying time. Either of these methods would be the safest way to decap a live primer however.
A universal decapping die run very slowly and carefully allows a primer to be reused; I've never had a FtF with one removed this way, and I've reused hundreds in a variety of calibers. As others have mentioned, eye protection is mandatory using any method.

 

[86thecat]

Be very aware of where the primer will go if it pops. Old Lee press drops primers straight down thru the ram and have heard of guys burying a primer in their leg if underneath it. Velocity of a popped primer is surprising under right circumstances.
If you don't have a reloading press handy, a drill press with wood block drilled as a shell holder (with a thru hole to let primers fall thru) clamped to table and a rod chucked to push out primer should work.

 

[WAB]

I just use a press, slow and careful, with hearing protection and eye protection. I also clean the loose kernels of gunpowder off the bench beforehand. Never had one go off..... yet.

Pretty sure he doesn’t have a press in Costa Rica!

 

[WAB]

Be very aware of where the primer will go if it pops. Old Lee press drops primers straight down thru the ram and have heard of guys burying a primer in their leg if underneath it. Velocity of a popped primer is surprising under right circumstances.
If you don't have a reloading press handy, a drill press with wood block drilled as a shell holder (with a thru hole to let primers fall thru) clamped to table and a rod chucked to push out primer should work.

That’s a great idea!

 

[SETH RINGER]

I’m guessing that you don’t have a reloading press in Costa Rica? If not, I would drill a hole in a board somewhat larger than the primer. I would get a long punch that will fit down through the casing and flash hole. I would then place the primed case over the hole and slowly apply pressure to the punch down through the casing until the primer pushes out. Perhaps setting up a simple lever would be the easiest.

YOU ARE CORRECT @WAB, I DO NOT HAVE A PRESS. I LIKE YOUR IDEA, REALIZE THE DANGER AND WILL US GLASSES AND GLOVES.