Removing live prime...
 
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Removing live primers?

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 Ds J
(@ds-j)
Posts: 330
Reputable Member
Topic starter
 
[#943]

Hi Folks, hope you are all doing well!

What is the wisest way to remove loaded, live primers? Is there a more sensible and less dangerous way than to pop them out with the decapping pin of the FL die?


 
Posted : 27/12/2025 2:03 am
(@tripodmvr)
Posts: 744
Member Moderator
 

I have removed many with the decapper pin. Just do it slowly and do wear safety glasses. I have re-used those primers without any issues.


 
Posted : 27/12/2025 2:11 am
414gates
(@414gates)
Posts: 571
Prominent Member
 

I've had no issues depriming live primers with a decapping die.

I have experienced misfires after re-seating them, so I don't try re-use them any more.


 
Posted : 27/12/2025 4:53 am
 BBCT
(@bbct)
Posts: 66
Trusted Member
 

I use a Lee Universal decapping die slowly and gently. I re-use the primers for non-critical tasks like barrel fouling and plinking rounds. Have done it with rifle and pistol primers. I have had a small number of misfires but they were with primers that had been lying around exposed for several years before being re-used.

I'm not recommending this, just sharing what I do.


 
Posted : 27/12/2025 6:11 am
 zguy
(@zguy)
Posts: 44
Trusted Member
 

Do you want to reuse the primers again or do you plan to toss them away?


 
Posted : 30/12/2025 1:06 am
 Ds J
(@ds-j)
Posts: 330
Reputable Member
Topic starter
 

Do you want to reuse the primers again or do you plan to toss them away?

Preferably use them again.

I loaded 100+ practice rounds and then learnt that some of the cases are dangerous to use. Now I have to remove the primers to check all the flash holes.


 
Posted : 30/12/2025 4:02 am
414gates
(@414gates)
Posts: 571
Prominent Member
 

The primers will come out without incident. Some anvils will separate, most will be fine. You may or may not have a few misfires on those reseated. Not a problem for general range ammo.


 
Posted : 31/12/2025 2:45 am
 Ds J
(@ds-j)
Posts: 330
Reputable Member
Topic starter
 

Just out of interest: how much force, and where, is necessary to detonate a primer?


 
Posted : 31/12/2025 3:45 am
414gates
(@414gates)
Posts: 571
Prominent Member
 

You need to deform the primer cup so that the priming compound breaks. This causes the ignition. Pressing on the anvil without undue force doesn't disturb the priming compound.

I've detonated primers on seating, usually when they flip on their side,  never on un-seating.


 
Posted : 31/12/2025 4:11 am
(@treeman)
Posts: 1766
Member Moderator
 

You need to deform the primer cup so that the priming compound breaks. This causes the ignition. Pressing on the anvil without undue force doesn't disturb the priming compound.
I've detonated primers on seating, usually when they flip on their side,  never on un-seating.

****************************
I have also only ever had a bang with seating primers.


I am who I am - I am not who you want me to be.
Therefore I am me.

 
Posted : 06/01/2026 5:29 am
(@janfred)
Posts: 417
Reputable Member
 

Maybe I've been very lucky, but I've never had a primer detonate except when hit with a firing pin or airrifle pellet.


 
Posted : 06/01/2026 9:12 am
(@oafpatroll)
Posts: 1106
Noble Member
 

Maybe I've been very lucky, but I've never had a primer detonate except when hit with a firing pin or airrifle pellet.

I've never set one off either. I susoect that they are impact more than pressure sensitive with a hit being more likely to set them off than a press.

A mate of mine has had multiple primer detonations when loading in his progressive and when trying to help him figure out why his rapid and forceful manipulation seemed the most likely explanation.

Don't leave us hanging on the airrifle pelet thing, what were you up to to get that right?


 
Posted : 06/01/2026 9:12 pm
 223
(@223)
Posts: 178
Estimable Member
 

Maybe I've been very lucky, but I've never had a primer detonate except when hit with a firing pin or airrifle pellet.

A small rifle or pistol primer makes a nice .177 pellet.  If it hits something hard, it goes bang on impact.


 
Posted : 08/02/2026 6:48 am
(@treeman)
Posts: 1766
Member Moderator
 

it also comes back in almost the exact trajectory as it was fired at twice the speed it was fired at. Cody and I shot our front wall and had two come straight back and hit within a few inchs of shooting position and ping pong around inside the garage. We wore goggles "just" in case, and ya, I is one of those things that can go really wrong. We shot the wall at 25 m and it came back like a .22 - honestly, a hard surface and straight shot sends it back A LOT faster than it was sent down  - a lot


I am who I am - I am not who you want me to be.
Therefore I am me.

 
Posted : 08/02/2026 12:45 pm
(@janfred)
Posts: 417
Reputable Member
 


It is like they were made for each other...

Little glue on the pellet head and you have lively pellets. Like Treeman said, don't shoot at concrete. Wood target is quite exiting.


 
Posted : 08/02/2026 4:35 pm
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