Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles How do you decap live primers?

I sold my 257 Roberts and found 50 cartridges that I loaded with 100G TSXs. I'm going to pull the Bullets to use in my .25-06, and plan to dump the powder, how do I deprime the "live" primers? Seems it would be dangerous to decap live primers. TIA.

It's never been a problem for me to de-prime as per usual.

A few drops of liquid in the case will disable them I was told. I've done that, and I've also just done it slowly with my face away from the top of the press. Never had one go off that way, but I have had one go off when seating them and that will get your attention.

Never had a problem removing live primers.

Just decap as usual no problem here maybe just wear safety glasses.

Yep, have decapped probably hundreds. Some even say they can be used again. I wouldn't trust it for hunting loads, and never have tried it for target loads.

you're concerned and you're talking 50 primers...

did you consider just writing off the $2 worth of primers and/or just sell the brass or give it away.. and leave the primers in there?

If your worried about your face over $2 worth of primers.. just skip depriming the brass period...its not worth the scare...

on the other hand, I've never had a primer go off while depriming it...wear safety glasses and stand back, but never was an issue...

Just deprime as usual. I've done hundreds and never had one go off. Safety glasses are not a bad idea any time you're handling primers.

Or, chamber them in the 25-06 and pop the primers off with that. Won't hurt the brass at all, and then there is no question about safely depriming them.

I just deprimed a piece of brass yesterday that got the primer in upside down. It went bang!

did you change shorts?

I put a heavy glove on and safety glasses, but I've never had a primer go off and I've taken hundreds of other people's handloads apart.

Thats one I would have disarmed/soaked in water........

although I have deprimed many many live primers in normal fashion...

safety glasses for sure...no open powder bottles on bench.......

I've deprimed thousands with no problem--along wit a few that were in upside-down. Just took those REAL slow....

Have also tried using some of the primers in handloads, and all worked fine at the range. But I still wouldn't trust them for something important.

JB, times have never been bad enuff for me, to consider recycling punched primers. Seems I've always been able to afford a sleeve of primers, if'n I needed 'em..

The anvil is pretty tough so it would be hard to deform it with just a decapper. And as long as the priming compound is between the anvil and the cup, it's going to go bang when struck. I guess the main concern is contamination from handling the primer a few extra times. But, that's not much of a risk either, if done correctly.

I have deprimed cases which I thought I had deactivated the primers by soaking with oil only to have experienced a detonation. That said I would never consider trying to deprime live primers, just not worth the risk of injury.

continue to live in your padded little room then......

As an aside, I've heard many people suggest deactivating primers beforehand, usually soaking in oil or water is suggested. I read an article about this very thing recently. The author had tested a number of different methods that supposedly would render the primer inert and for all intents and purposes, none of them did.

Good thing there are alternatives to the 215s listed in the classifieds, or we'd all be recycling.

I'd wear some plugs too, just in case. I had one go off when using an inertia puller and seem to remember it not being all that quiet.