backwards primers: remove to not?

[rhodesengr]

I have three rounds of commercial, 38spl with backwards primers.

They say Ammo Inc on them and came from Sportsman Warehouse.

I just want to safe them out. I already pulled the bullets so powder is out.

The questions whether to press out the primers. I have a press and the right dies but I'd be pressing on the surface the firing pin normally hits. I read all the threads here and elsewhere about deactivating primers (without firing) and how you basically can't. But still seems like a good idea to get them out of the brass.

Press out? Yes or no?

And, if you actually know a good way to deactivate primers (not water, or oil) I am interested in that also. I have some other stray primers, I would like to deactivate.

[Bumslie]

Press out

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[baih777]

You can press them out. Steady pressure. Slowly. WEAR a faceshield or at least goggles.

If you get another box like that. Take pictures and contact the mfg with lot number. They might send you a free box of ammo.

[bigbossman]

Out. Easy peasy.

[rhodesengr]

OK. Out they go. I will report back with the outcome.

[Mayor McRifle]

Not worth the effort. I would toss them.

[Pablo5959]

Hitting them with a sledgehammer will deactivate them.

[whutsup40]

Originally Posted by Pablo5959

Hitting them with a sledgehammer will deactivate them.

LOL that's funny!!

[mikeyr]

take them out, but wear hearing protection also. You likely will not set them off but if you do, they are freaking loud.

[Cowboy T]

You can press 'em out. Just go slowly and carefully.

[TomReloaded]

I've completely smashed primers sideways into brass. They've never gone off. You need force and velocity, and the press shouldn't be running anywhere that fast.

I would and have just pressed them out without worry. You're not even going to dent the primer much, much less smash it so hard it detonates.

[hambam105]

Oh, do you mean taking a 30-40 Krag full length resized case with backwards primed pocket...inserting a.22
caliber knock-out pin down the case mouth and imparting a swift strike to the opposite end of the pin?

It took longer to write this than it did to do it. Well, not really me. It was my friend.

[hambam105]

Alright. All joking aside for a minute:

Take the empty full length resized backwards primed (empty) case to the range. Load and shoot.
You might hear the primer pop and let out a little smoke.

Congratulations. The primer is now inert.

You will be the first Reloader in history to have deactivated a backwards primed case. Amazing.

['ol shooter]

I have pressed a few of them out and reused them with no failures.

[Spyder]

Either press them out or just throw those three in the trash. I'd press and reuse, same as any other mistake on the load bench.

[JackEllis]

Originally Posted by baih777

You can press them out. Steady pressure. Slowly. WEAR a faceshield or at least goggles.

If you get another box like that. Take pictures and contact the mfg with lot number. They might send you a free box of ammo.

^^^^This, and maybe wear gloves and a shirt with long sleeves in addition to a face shield or goggles. Make sure there's no powder nearby.

[divingin]

Originally Posted by hambam105

Alright. All joking aside for a minute:

Take the empty full length resized backwards primed (empty) case to the range. Load and shoot.
You might hear the primer pop and let out a little smoke.

Congratulations. The primer is now inert.

You will be the first Reloader in history to have deactivated a backwards primed case. Amazing.

firing pin won't reach the recess in the anvil (which should be the arch that ignites the primer, if it was in correctly.)

[Adam925]

Originally Posted by bigbossman

Out. Easy peasy.

Removing live primers kinda freaked me out the first time I did it. A little less the second time, and so on. I try not to create reasons to have to do it, but when I must, it’s really no big deal. Good advise above to at least don safety glasses - slow and steady will get the job done.

[divingin]

Originally Posted by TomReloaded

I've completely smashed primers sideways into brass. They've never gone off. You need force and velocity, and the press shouldn't be running anywhere that fast.

I would and have just pressed them out without worry. You're not even going to dent the primer much, much less smash it so hard it detonates.

Sideways is a different case. You are not applying pressure on the point of the anvil, as you are when decapping a backwards primer.

That said, I've removed quite a few backwards primers using a standard sizing die; never had a problem. Use slow pressure; don't slam the press handle down. Eye and ear pro is probably a wise choice.

[hambam105]

Originally Posted by divingin

firing pin won't reach the recess in the anvil (which should be the arch that ignites the primer, if it was in correctly.)

Are you sure the firing pin won't reach...Are you sure?

I don't know how a person seats a backwards primer correctly.

I've only personally seen about 30 or 40 of these mishaps on the range from other reloaders back when USPSA was called IPSC. I'd never do such a thing because I'm special.

[bohoki]

Originally Posted by hambam105

Are you sure the firing pin won't reach...Are you sure?

I don't know how a person seats a backwards primer correctly.

I've only personally seen about 30 or 40 of these mishaps on the range from other reloaders back when USPSA was called IPSC. I'd never do such a thing because I'm special.

they go in really easy backwards ive had it happen on a dillon like twice in thousands of rounds i guess somehow it was sitting on the ram sideways and flopped over the wrong way when it snapped forward

[Gryff]

Once you get them out, you can put them up in the CGN Marketplace for $10

[divingin]

Originally Posted by hambam105

Are you sure the firing pin won't reach...Are you sure?

Yup.

Unless your firing pin extension from the breech is more than about .150" (or more), you don't stand a chance of hitting it. Take a look at the backside of a primer and you'll see what I mean. In any case, I'm not sure I'd want the explosive gases from the primer against the breech/bolt face. Leaking (correctly) primed cases will etch the face of a bolt (don't ask me how I know.)

I don't know how a person seats a backwards primer correctly.

It happens. As do non-primed cases, and Tom's sideways primers. A primer flips within the handling system. You miss one loading the tubes (though, granted, that *should* be caught.) I had a friend who was hand single-priming some 45 Colt cases for black powder and managed to get a primer backwards (he's still wondering how.)

[hambam105]

Engineers report that it's impossible that bumble bees can fly.

Inadvertently seating primers upside down, especially on a progressive reloading Press, I wouldn't say is common. But it
happens. And I don't know anyone yet who hasn't solved the issue successfully without being injured, maimed or killed.

[bigbossman]

Originally Posted by hambam105

Engineers report that it's impossible that bumble bees can fly.

Inadvertently seating primers upside down, especially on a progressive reloading Press, I wouldn't say is common. But it
happens. And I don't know anyone yet who hasn't solved the issue successfully without being injured, maimed or killed.

Pretty much.

It just isn't that big a deal folks. Punch 'em out and re-use them.

[tabascoz28]

To save 30 cents? I would.

[rhodesengr]

I wanted to press them out outside so I had to wait for it to stop raining. I pressed them out slowly with my Dillon SDB. No explosions.

I have pressed out live 209 primers but never a backwards one. Better to be safe than sorry so I asked here. Thanks for all the replies.

[CSACANNONEER]

Originally Posted by rhodesengr

I wanted to press them out outside so I had to wait for it to stop raining. I pressed them out slowly with my Dillon SDB. No explosions.

I have pressed out live 209 primers but never a backwards one. Better to be safe than sorry so I asked here. Thanks for all the replies.

how could a 209 go in backwards?

[rhodesengr]

Originally Posted by CSACANNONEER

how could a 209 go in backwards?

Sorry, maybe I didn't word it clearly. I mentioned above, the backwards primers were SP primers in 38spl ammo.

I was just saying that I have pressed out live primers before, specifically 209 primers (mounted the correct way). I have also pressed out SP primers mounted the correct way.

I had not previously pressed out a backwards primer of any type. My concern was that the de-priming pin would be pressing on the same surface the firing pins hits.

[CSACANNONEER]

Originally Posted by rhodesengr

Sorry, maybe I didn't word it clearly. I mentioned above, the backwards primers were SP primers in 38spl ammo.

I was just saying that I have pressed out live primers before, specifically 209 primers (mounted the correct way). I have also pressed out SP primers mounted the correct way.

I had not previously pressed out a backwards primer of any type. My concern was that the de-priming pin would be pressing on the same surface the firing pins hits.

When it comes to pressing out SPs or LPs, the decapping pin will either press on the anvil if it is correctly oriented or the cup if it is bass ackwards. It's really the same pressure on the same spots either way.

[sirgrumps]

Originally Posted by mikeyr

take them out, but wear hearing protection also. You likely will not set them off but if you do, they are freaking loud.

I used a face shield and gloves, never thought to wear muffs.

Will make sure I wear muffs next time.

[Toolbox X]

I've pressed out many dozens of backward primers over the years, and reused them all. I'm all for safety and being careful, but jeez, there's no need to put on body armor and a hazmat suit for stuff like this. It's a primer. Just press them out into an empty primer cup or whatever so you can find them easily, then load them back in the right way.

[RandyD]

Prior to pressing them out, you could apply some WD-40 to the primers to deactivate them. It is a little added insurance to the process.

[bergmen]

Originally Posted by hambam105

And I don't know anyone yet who hasn't solved the issue successfully without being injured, maimed or killed.

Oops...

[Toolbox X]

Ha! Press these out and you get 500 primers.

https://americanreloading.com/223-55...***-500ct.html

556-nato-aac-reversed-primer-brass-500ct.jpg

[DaveInOroValley]

[rhodesengr]

Originally Posted by RandyD

Prior to pressing them out, you could apply some WD-40 to the primers to deactivate them. It is a little added insurance to the process.

I did a bunch of research on the primer deactivating issue. As far as I could tell, WD40 does not deactivate primers. There are a number of Youtube videos where guys have tried all manner of liquids to kill primers. Basically none of them works.

I started this thread because it was a new situation for me. Better to be safe than sorry and it doesn't hurt to ask. I think it is exactly what forums are for. Now that I have pressed out backwards primers and mangled primers without incident, I have some experience and understand it's not a big deal.

I appreciate everyone's discussion.

[divingin]

Originally Posted by bergmen

Oops...

I guess OP no longer has a problem.

And there's a new lake coming to the area.

[rhodesengr]

Originally Posted by divingin

I guess OP no longer has a problem.

I have plenty of problems. Just not with backwards primers anymore