Unfired Primer Question

Mykey · 03-11-2003, 12:06 PM

I just aquired a bunch of old 30.06 brass and most of them still has unfired primers in them. I know i can' t use the sizing die so is there a safe way to get them out other than putting them in my rifle and firing them off? Thanks!

LARRY338 · 03-11-2003, 04:12 PM

If you just dont want to fire them you could soak them in a bucket of water and then decap. I think that would kill them.

Mykey · 03-11-2003, 05:30 PM

Thanks Larry!, i never thought of that it' s a good ideal and i' ll give it a try. There' s a bunch of them and i didn' t really want to sit there and fire them all in my rifle.

Russ otten · 03-11-2003, 07:00 PM

I seem to remember an article I read where this fellow filled the case with water and with straight rod that was a friction fit in the case mouth, he gave the rod a sharp blow with a hammer. The hydraulic pressure of the water popped the primer out. Best to do it over a bucket. Has anyone else heard of this?

AJ300MAG · 03-11-2003, 08:34 PM

Russ, heard of it being done with a dowel rod, never tried it. WD40 will also kill a primer.

handloader1 · 03-11-2003, 09:42 PM

Soak the primers in oil and this will desensitize them to impact, but oil soaked primers may still detonate if subject to high heat such as fire. Good luck.

eldeguello · 03-12-2003, 08:23 AM

Russ, that' s how I decap Berdan primers, but AFTER they' ve been fired!!