Live Primers

[JackEllis]

Long story short, I have 10 or so primers recovered from Aguila .223 rounds that would not chamber in my rifle. Apparently these primers are a bit on the soft side because when I use them with LC brass, the primers go in very easily which means they're too loose. In fact, one of them will literally fall out of the case. CCI SRPs are appropriately tight so I know it's the primers and not the pockets.

I'm inclined to run the primed but otherwise empty cases through my rifle to "deactivate" the primers but I'm wondering if the fact that the primers are loose in the pocket might result in damage to the rifle.

[Kwikvette]

At less than .05 per primer, just spray WD40 into the primers and discard them.

[wbunning]

At less than .05 per primer, just spray WD40 into the primers and discard them.

[TKM]

You'd be done already if you'd done it instead of posting.

[JackEllis]

Which primers were they?

I wish I knew. They're primers from Aguila .223 rounds. My rifle (Tikka T3 Lite) wouldn't chamber them. The brass shows signs of annealing so it's been fired at least once. Primer cup is either brass or brass colored.

You'd be done already if you'd done it instead of posting.

Not quite. I live up in the mountains but it's urbanized enough that the neighbors would not be pleased.

[superdave50]

Annealing doesn't mean they're reloads btw

[maxx03]

10 primers is not worth damaging your rifle or injuring yourself. I would soak in WD40 and discard them.

[Mayor McRifle]

You'd be done already if you'd done it instead of posting.

Not quite. I live up in the mountains but it's urbanized enough that the neighbors would not be pleased.

How long would it take you to gather them all up and drop them in the garbage can, brass and all?

[pacrat]

Not quite. I live up in the mountains but it's urbanized enough that the neighbors would not be pleased.

A non issue. Primer only ignition in a rifle sounds about like a child's cap gun.

[divingin]

The brass shows signs of annealing so it's been fired at least once.

That does not necessarily follow. Many manufacturers anneal before loading, without recleaning (which removes a lot of the oxidation from annealing.)

Does the Aguila brass have the three heavy stake marks around the primer pocket? Most Aguila brass I've seen has the primers staked in this manner (though I recall 308 being this way; don't remember seeing much Aguila 223 at all.) If so, was the crimp removed? That would be an indication it had been reloaded. If it was crimped, forcing them back out through that may be why they were loose in your brass.

Personally, I'd ditch the primers rather than try an reuse them.

[JackEllis]

Personally, I'd ditch the primers rather than try an reuse them.

That's the plan.

FWIW, I've looked around a bit and apparently WD-40 and other similar remedies are temporary. If I had an anvil, I'd just crush 'em (after it gets a bit wetter around here).

Thanks for all the responses.

[smoothy8500]

Long story short, I have 10 or so primers recovered from Aguila .223 rounds

Kind of an unusual experiment, testing if you can re-use unfired primers.

[divingin]

Kind of an unusual experiment, testing if you can re-use unfired primers.

Not unusual. I've done it fairly often. I have yet to have one punched out of a case then reseated in a new case that fails to fire. I've had more problem with cases that were primed and left to sit for several years.

Note that I don't do this a matter of practice, but have done it more times than I can remember.

[bazineta]

For the WD-40 advocates; soak 'em in WD-40; give it a few days. Take 'em out and let them dry. Put eyes and ears on and hit them with a hammer. Marvel at the resilience of modern primers.

OP, for the price, not worth bothering with. Crush or burn.

[maxfam]

Try vinegar, its death to primers.