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Old 10-25-2010, 04:13 PM   #1
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how do I deactivate live primed cases?

I have some rounds that will not chamber in my rifle. I've pulled the bullets and dumped the powder. I'd like to deactivate the primers, deprime, and then full length size the cases. How best should I proceed?

I received the cases already primed. after loading only a small percentage will not chamber.
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Old 10-25-2010, 04:35 PM   #2
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you can punch out the primers on your press go slow wear safety glasses and be careful i have had to deprime a few round and had no problems
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Old 10-25-2010, 04:37 PM   #3
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If you want to save the primers just run them through the sizer with the decapping pin pulled out. Idk what brand you have but the whole pin pops out then unscrew the expander ball take out the pin and reassemble. Then use like normal...
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Old 10-25-2010, 04:40 PM   #4
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soak the cases in water...you can then deprime safely and toss the old primers...
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Old 10-25-2010, 04:41 PM   #5
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Quote:       Originally Posted by 338RUM View Post
If you want to save the primers just run them through the sizer with the decapping pin pulled out. Idk what brand you have but the whole pin pops out then unscrew the expander ball take out the pin and reassemble. Then use like normal...

This is what I would do. Do you know why they won't chamber? Was it COAL? Or some other dimensional problem?

After putting them though the sizer you will probably want to reseat the primer.
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Old 10-25-2010, 04:58 PM   #6
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If you don't want to save the primers, I just put a drop of 3in1 Oil in the case and then decap with the press or just wrap a rag around the open area of the press and run it up. I've actually never had one ignite anyway.

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Old 10-25-2010, 05:01 PM   #7
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Quote:       Originally Posted by 1911sr View Post
If you don't want to save the primers, I just put a drop of 3in1 Oil in the case and then decap with the press or just wrap a rag around the open area of the press and run it up. I've actually never had one ignite anyway.

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How do you get the OIL out of the case which will affect the next primer and Powder ???
Water is best then dry the cases....
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Old 10-25-2010, 05:01 PM   #8
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Just go slow and you shouldn't have a problem. I've done a lot like that and haven't popped one yet. WEAR EYE PROTECTION just in case!
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Old 10-25-2010, 05:06 PM   #9
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OK, thanks for the advice. I'll probably soak in water for a few days, then deprime and resize. I have no intention of saving the old primers.

Last edited by bobvonb; 10-25-2010 at 05:15 PM.
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Old 10-25-2010, 05:29 PM   #10
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Oops! That was sorta dumb, Moosey. I should have explained why I do that. One of my jobs is to sort all the brass that comes in. We buy a lot of it and more than you'd imagine comes in dirty with primers still in.
I use the oil cuz all of it goes right into a large sonic vibrator with Trichlor and oil dissipates but water contaminates it.
It wouldn't work for him anyways.

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Old 10-25-2010, 05:35 PM   #11
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If you pulled the bullets and they still won't chamber, you did not size them down enough.
I have deprimed thousands of live primers. They won't go off if you use standard dies and press.
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Old 10-25-2010, 06:27 PM   #12
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I too have de primed thousands of cases and never had one go off. until one day I was showing KW Gary how safe it was to do and one went off! nothing happened, all it did was make a pop. no shrapnel flew around, I think the press contained it.
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Old 10-25-2010, 06:32 PM   #13
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Quote:       Originally Posted by M14man View Post
If you pulled the bullets and they still won't chamber, you did not size them down enough.
I have deprimed thousands of live primers. They won't go off if you use standard dies and press.
I agree with this but if you pull the pin in RCBS and others and raise ones like Lee so the pin cant hit the primer you can FLR them,check to make sure they chamber,(they should) and reload.
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Old 10-25-2010, 06:34 PM   #14
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all my cartridges are of the same OAL, those that chambered and those that didn't. it's a headspace issue. i suspect some of the cases were not resized before priming, maybe neck sized only.

I had no problem with any brass I personally resized and primed, only those already primed, and only some of those.

I use Lee dies and cannot pull the rod to avoid decapping without losing the neck sizing too. Besides, after decapping I'll need to use my Lee case length gauge/trimmer too and that depends on an empty primer hole.

whooops. Sam's post came in under my reply. Maybe I'll raise the pin as he suggests. TY Sam.

Last edited by bobvonb; 10-25-2010 at 06:43 PM.
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Old 10-26-2010, 08:41 AM   #15
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Me too, me too. I reformed 30-06 brass into 8mm I ran it through the 8mm resizing die two times in a row and then loaded. I loaded about 40 rounds, only to find that they wouldn't chamber. I then found out that although the shell holder was touching the die, there was some play and when a case was inserted in the shell holder and the ram moved all the way up, turns out there was about 1/8 inch of space between the shell holder and the die. So, it wasn't quite being fully resized, which is essential when reforming brass for the first time. Anyway, that's my story. Deprimed and reloaded--not a problem. Like others have said, go slowly.
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Old 10-26-2010, 10:45 AM   #16
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update. using Sam's suggestion I raised the Lee sizing ball and resized, twice. Still wouldn't chamber, although the bolt would go further before locking up, so I just junked the brass. It was less than 10 rounds.
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Old 10-26-2010, 10:51 AM   #17
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I would be thinking very seriously about a new FLR die,and it wouldn't be that brand.
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Old 10-26-2010, 12:21 PM   #18
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Quote:       Originally Posted by bobvonb View Post
update. using Sam's suggestion I raised the Lee sizing ball and resized, twice. Still wouldn't chamber, although the bolt would go further before locking up, so I just junked the brass. It was less than 10 rounds.

Did you ever trim them to length? Bottleneck cases will get longer the more they are shot.
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Old 10-26-2010, 12:27 PM   #19
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You didn't mention caliber. I broke a pin off of a Lee hand re-sizer one time and it worked good for taking them down far enough AFTER I had primed them before I sized them. I didn't have to de-prime them, just make sure they are cleaned out before resuming.
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Old 10-26-2010, 01:57 PM   #20
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Quote:       Originally Posted by gandog56 View Post
Did you ever trim them to length? Bottleneck cases will get longer the more they are shot.
nope (with the pre-primed brass), and that could be the problem. It's just not worth getting a new trimmer, non-Lee style, that can be used with primed cases for the few pieces of brass. I made the assumption (bad mistake) that the cases would have been trimmed and resized before priming.

Likewise the new die, Sam. Probably a good idea, but funds are tight and all brass that I've resized unprimed with the Lee die chamber nicely. In fact the new barrel was headspaced based on rounds I supplied to the gunsmith done this way.

My lesson learned (one of many) is just not used primed brass! I got a batch of mixed headstamp primed brass on another brass trading sight. I'll just deprime, now that I know I can do that safely, and start fresh next time, or more likely will just buy new unprimed brass. I have enough now to last me a while anyway.

caliber is 7x57.

my normal process with unprimed brass is:
1) lube, deprime (if it has a spent primer) and full length resize
2) lock the brass in the Lee 3-jaw chuck shell holder in an electric drill mounted in a vice, spin and
2a) use the Lee case length gauge and trimmer to trim to length
2b) chamfer and debur the neck, as lightly as possible
2c) clean inside of neck with a brush and a Q-tip to get any lube out
2d) use fine steel wool to polish and make sure neck mouth is burr free
3) inspect the brass, clean primer pocket
4) hand prime
5) load with powder
6) seat bullet
7) inspect
8) try to cycle thru rifle
9) put in box of 20 marked with caliber, load, bullet, and date.

I got some color code labels at Staples and use a different color label for each caliber. I also use the same color label on the reloading die box to keep everything straight.

and, yes, I do a batch at each step, not one at a time.

but wait, still another problem. I tried using a factory crimp die and seem to be doing it wrong because it split the neck of a few cases. At least I think that's the culpret. I think I need to find someone locally who knows how to adjust those dies and have them show me how. Reading the instructions apparently is insufficient, at least for me.
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