Removing live primers?

[Jtgraham01]

I purchased some brass from another member of Savage shooters. It had been shot once and neck sized, and then the individual had primed it and bagged it. I loaded a few with powder and seated bullets, but it wouldn't chamber in my barrel because of an apparent significant difference in chamber size.

I'm going to pull the bullets and dump the powder. Can I resize the brass without removing the live primer? If I need to remove, can it be done without setting the primer off?

[BillPa]

Sure, remove the decapping pin and resize away.

Bill

[m12lrs]

Well it depends on what kind of person you are. I am not being critical or funny.

Truth is there is some risk popping out live primers but I have been reloading for over 40 years and I don't even give it a thought when I do it. Probably would be a good idea to wear safety glasses. Now by no means am I recommending the practice but it works for me.

It is possible to resize the cases without depriming but it would require you to remove the decapping pin from your sizing die.

[adammiddagh]

Well it depends on what kind of person you are. I am not being critical or funny.

Truth is there is some risk popping out live primers but I have been reloading for over 40 years and I don't even give it a thought when I do it. Probably would be a good idea to wear safety glasses. Now by no means am I recommending the practice but it works for me.

It is possible to resize the cases without depriming but it would require you to remove the decapping pin from your sizing die.

It is definitely not a recommended practice, but.....

I am cautious about doing it, but I also decap live primers. It would be worth looking at your press and seeing where the blast will go if it did set one off. That being said, I have never had a primer go off from decapping.

I do make a point to run the press very slow when doing this.

[Mozella]

......... snip...........
I do make a point to run the press very slow when doing this.

Me too and I turn away on the very rare occasions I need to remove a live primer.

[earl39]

YES and YES

Do what Bill said and you will be fine. Just don't forget to lube your brass.
If you need to deprime just go slow. Pressure doesn't set off the primer, impact sets it off. You could very slowly put 200lbs on a primer and nothing will happen but hit it suddenly with 200lbs of impact force and it goes bang.

[Rob01]

Get a Redding Body Die and you can bump the shoulder back easily even on live rounds as it doesn't touch the neck at all. Or just take the decapping pin as mentioned.

[bearcatrp]

If your skidish on doing this, remove the bullet and powder and shoot it. But its not hard to do. Just take your time.

[Jtgraham01]

Thanks for all the input, guys. I'm going to go ahead and pop the live ones out of a few and see if they will come easily enough and with slow downward motion.

[LoneWolf]

And where ear pro! Had a Primer seat sideways one time and it popped when I tried to remove it. I reload in my garage, so with no ear pro on it was as loud as a 223 AR with no ear pro. My head was ringing for a good bit from that.

[Bolthead]

Would a little water render them safe?

[LoneWolf]

I've tested this and still had 2-3 out of 5 pop using a hammer. Maybe if they were soaked over night?

[Jtgraham01]

That's a great idea. I may just use a universal decapping die after soaking, then double check brass length and trim if necessary. Then clean up with stainless pins and resize as my final step.

[adammiddagh]

I think it is best to clean, size, then trim.

Also if I have mashed a primmer in sideways, I usually discard that case. Would save it if i caught it before fully mashed in.

[Rob01]

If you are just going to waste the primer then pull he bullet and powder and just fire it. You can do it at home. Put the muzzle into a folded up rag or something or next range trip bring them and fire them off. Easier and safer then decapping them live.

[PaddyD]

I purchased some brass from another member of Savage shooters. It had been shot once and neck sized, and then the individual had primed it and bagged it. I loaded a few with powder and seated bullets, but it wouldn't chamber in my barrel because of an apparent significant difference in chamber size.

I'm going to pull the bullets and dump the powder. Can I resize the brass without removing the live primer? If I need to remove, can it be done without setting the primer off?

Yes you can. All you need to do is pull the bullets, dump powder. Then unscrew the de capping stem from the die far enough so it won't touch the primer when you run the case up into the die. Or better yet, just unscrew the stem completely. There's no need for any special dies. Just take out the de capping stem from your sizer die, lube the cases and have at it. There's no need to waste perfectly good primers. Leave them be.

[bigedp51]

You are better off using a universal decapping die, they are just a shell of a die and wide open inside and you would not build up and contain any pressure if the primer let go. On top of this you can reuse these primers without any effects when done properly.

[GaCop]

Get a Redding Body Die and you can bump the shoulder back easily even on live rounds as it doesn't touch the neck at all. Or just take the decapping pin as mentioned. +1, I was going to recommend the same thing.

[Iowa Fox]

For the last several years I've been getting reloaded ammo with the weapons I buy. In fact it really sweetens the deal when you get several hundred loaded with new never fired brass. Some of the brass is hard to come by and over a dollar each now a days when you can find it. I have a rule, I never fire a round someone else has loaded. If its over 10 rounds I use a collet press mounted puller, under 10 I use a hammer inertia puller. I always de-prime just to see whats under there. I use a de-capping die in the press wearing gloves, a face shield, and muffs. Have not had one go off yet using a slow steady push. Over the years you can't imagine what I have found in some of the reloads and most have a pretty good cold weld.

[Iowa Fox]

For the last several years I've been getting reloaded ammo with the weapons I buy. In fact it really sweetens the deal when you get several hundred loaded with new never fired brass. Some of the brass is hard to come by and over a dollar each now a days when you can find it. I have a rule, I never fire a round someone else has loaded. If its over 10 rounds I use a collet press mounted puller, under 10 I use a hammer inertia puller. I always de-prime just to see whats under there. I use a de-capping die in the press wearing gloves, a face shield, and muffs. Have not had one go off yet using a slow steady push. Over the years you can't imagine what I have found in some of the reloads and most have a pretty good cold weld.