Deactivating primers

[God Bless America]

Thanks for the experiment! I should have mentioned I've seen them go off when cooked off like this before.

I'm currently processing about 1,000 lbs of range scrap from an indoor range. When I first started smelting it all down into bars, (after a quick pick-through to get rid of the plastic wad bits, brass bits, and so far a couple of live rounds that got all swept up together), I did manage to find a live primer that had fallen out of something somehow the hard way. It blasted bits of hot lead everywhere. Thankfully, I was in full protective gear. I look through it very carefully now before doing a batch.

I know if I just throw these primers in a cruicble, there will be ones that pop off and cause a mess or broken crucible. Dang things aren't cheap, so I'd like to keep that from happening.

I guess rather than trying to "de-activate" the explosive compound, I'm hoping to try and wash it all away with the wet tumble... just getting it wet, then having it dry out and detonate in the crucible isn't an option.

I'll do some experiments as well... I'll soak/agitate/rinse a few dozen in a bottle, then try cook them to see if the compound all goes away. The data point of "safe when wet" tells me it is water soluble... which is good news.

Not water soluble.

[justMike]

Surprising that scrap metal places won't take it, the berdan brass cases anyway. In SoCal, there are enough places to choose from that someone will buy it, especially if there is a sizable quantity.

[wilit]

OK RESULTS ARE IN

4 CCI LRP in stainless steel pan with lid, on stove.

After a few minutes, high flame on stove. I will add that lid is thin. To thin as it turns out.

4 loud bangs, [comparable to 22 short in pistol] first of which blew lid off when the anvil hit it. Quickly put lid back on before other three ignited. And held it in place. After the fourth bang. Removed from heat and observed results. NOT GOOD for thin lid. It will survive but has 4 distinctive anvil dings approx .010" deep.

Would have worked fine IF I hadn't got lazy, and used original idea of Cast Iron pot/lid. I'm certain the heavy cast lid would have stayed put, and not been dinged either.

A "COOKED OFF" in a pan primer is a lot louder, than a primer fired in a rifle/pistol while seated in a case.

Hands down one of the best Calguns responses I've read in a long time.

[hermosabeach]

new project

https://www.harborfreight.com/2-lb-hickory-handle-brass-hammer-61873.html

wd40 and other oils generally kill the primer... I don't know how the compound will burn when heated to the level to melt brass.

I saw some australian reloaders using water to hydraulically remove the primer

Fill the case with water
hold a rod the diameter of the case in the case mouth, whack with a hammer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FskNx4UBZvc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYGeamJI4jQ

this is a way to do it in your press

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQNDgjcgofY

[God Bless America]

Lead styphnate is soluble in ammonia, but I don't know what concentration.

Cheapest way I can think of is a bed of coals in a good wood fire, add primers a handful at a time, waiting for the pops. Let sit overnight, sift with window screen.

[csshih]

OK RESULTS ARE IN

4 CCI LRP in stainless steel pan with lid, on stove.

After a few minutes, high flame on stove. I will add that lid is thin. To thin as it turns out.

4 loud bangs, [comparable to 22 short in pistol] first of which blew lid off when the anvil hit it. Quickly put lid back on before other three ignited. And held it in place. After the fourth bang. Removed from heat and observed results. NOT GOOD for thin lid. It will survive but has 4 distinctive anvil dings approx .010" deep.

Would have worked fine IF I hadn't got lazy, and used original idea of Cast Iron pot/lid. I'm certain the heavy cast lid would have stayed put, and not been dinged either.

A "COOKED OFF" in a pan primer is a lot louder, than a primer fired in a rifle/pistol while seated in a case.

you're my hero!

[sl0re10]

I soak in cold water with a couple water changes.

I also pour out the water one by one before doing anything with it.

So far it has worked for me.

re: your not just making the primer wet; your trying to rinse away the compound.

[Fizz]

OK RESULTS ARE IN

4 CCI LRP in stainless steel pan with lid, on stove.

After a few minutes, high flame on stove. I will add that lid is thin. To thin as it turns out.

4 loud bangs, [comparable to 22 short in pistol] first of which blew lid off when the anvil hit it. Quickly put lid back on before other three ignited. And held it in place. After the fourth bang. Removed from heat and observed results. NOT GOOD for thin lid. It will survive but has 4 distinctive anvil dings approx .010" deep.

Would have worked fine IF I hadn't got lazy, and used original idea of Cast Iron pot/lid. I'm certain the heavy cast lid would have stayed put, and not been dinged either.

A "COOKED OFF" in a pan primer is a lot louder, than a primer fired in a rifle/pistol while seated in a case.

Do not use this pan for cooking again without a proper cleaning if this isn't a garage/industrial pan you expect to be contaminated.

Those primers are likely leaded. Primers are the primary cause of lead exposure in the shooting sports (not the projectiles). It's more atomized, easy to make airborne, and otherwise ingest.

Use the commercial product Hygenall Lead Off, or a mix of water and citric acid (higher the ratio the better/faster it works, but no need to go crazy).


I haven't tried it personally, but I expect that an ultrasonic cleaner can effectively deactivate primers, especially if you mix a bit of citric acid in the bath (works wonders for helping clean the brass too - same idea behind lemi-shine in the bath). The acid should cause chelation with the lead, inactivating it and the ultrasonic will cause the solution to work into the flash hole/primer pocket, and may mechanically deactivate the primer as well. You get clean brass and deactivated primers all in one.

[JagerDog]

I don't think primer cups/anvils are even uniquely brass.

[pacrat]

I don't think primer cups/anvils are even uniquely brass.

Some are now white brass others are "brassy" brass, early primer cups were copper. No biggy to smelt with brass, since brass is an alloy of copper. To the best of my knowledge all anvils are brass.

Shotshell primers are encased in a steel housing that is brass, or copper plated.