Re-using Decapped Live Primers

[drkphibr]

Never had an issue with de-capping or reusing primers. Done it hundreds of times, especially when receiving reloads that can't be verified/trusted (based on either source or acquisition method). Can only speak to it from my own experience on a non-progressive press (i.e., not sure what the issues on your specific press may be regarding de-capping).

[Fishslayer]

Never had an issue with de-capping or reusing primers. Done it hundreds of times, especially when receiving reloads that can't be verified/trusted (based on either source or acquisition method).

Yup. I bought 300 rounds of .357 reloads of dubious origin during the Great Ammo Drought when I was just getting started. Decapped & reprimered because... heck, I don't know. It seemed a good idea at the time.

[CEDaytonaRydr]

Well, ya learn something new every day. I woulda never thunk to reuse decapped live primers, but now I know ya can if ya need to.

Yeah, I didn't know either. I knew you could decap live primers but I wasn't sure if you could reuse them afterwards.

As long as ya don't store 'em in a glass jar...

Yeah, that's basically a "grenade". You've got your explosive compound, a pressure chamber that fragments under enough pressure... That'll mess up your garage.

[grant22]

Those explosions usually happen during priming. Not during decapping...

If you try to force a primer in when it's off-kilter, the anvil can be forced down into the cup, thus igniting the mixture and detonating primers directly next to it (then, the domino effect happens up the tube). But yeah, that's usually on the priming stage...

...and yes, I am using a Dillon.

When you go to reuse them, that will then be the priming phase. I hate to sound like a grandma, but I would highly advise not doing it. There's not a single good reason for it.

[Sheldon]

Were these Wolf small rifle or their .223 specific primers? I have heard people using the regular small rifle primers with no issue, but that they were not made for the pressures of the .223/556 loads and that the Wolf .223 small primers were specifically made for them. I got 10K of the regular Wolf small rifle primers but have yet to try them.

[CEDaytonaRydr]

Were these Wolf small rifle or their .223 specific primers? I have heard people using the regular small rifle primers with no issue, but that they were not made for the pressures of the .223/556 loads and that the Wolf .223 small primers were specifically made for them. I got 10K of the regular Wolf small rifle primers but have yet to try them.

They were just the Wolf Small Rifle Primers, 62gr FMJBT, various different brands of brass (mostly Lake City but I tried PMC and others to be sure). It looks like the primers were either copper, or copper washed? (not sure which)

They didn't fare well at all, though; I was very disappointed. I was using 26.0g Varget, so I throttled down to 25.5 and it still blew them out. Throttled down to 25.0, same deal. Throttled back to 24.5 ("Suggested starting grains" for 63gr Sierra SP per Hodgdon website) and also tried CCI 41s with same load data. The Wolf Primers still blew out and the CCI 41s had no signs of pressure. Test weapon was Norinco BWK-92 and there was no signs of damage to the bolt face, or other parts of the weapon.

Currently, I'm loading 25.7gr of Varget under 62gr FMJBT with CCI 41s and I just did my first 50 using Federal Match primers, so we'll see how those do.

When you go to reuse them, that will then be the priming phase. I hate to sound like a grandma, but I would highly advise not doing it. There's not a single good reason for it.

The dangers you mention are no more, or less likely with decapped primers than they are with new primers.

[Sheldon]

Hmmmm. Not good for me then with 10K of them sitting here!! LOL. I got them during the panic buying months and just figured any rifle primers were better than wating for the .223 version on backorder. I will be trying them with 55 grain bullets eventually and will see if they fair any better.

[CEDaytonaRydr]

Hmmmm. Not good for me then with 10K of them sitting here!! LOL. I got them during the panic buying months and just figured any rifle primers were better than wating for the .223 version on backorder. I will be trying them with 55 grain bullets eventually and will see if they fair any better.

It could be a lot of different things. Maybe the BWK firing pin is hitting it too hard. I don't know...

Just start at the lower end of the load data and see how it does. They might be okay for you.

[NotEnufGarage]

Never had a problem with that with the Wolf KVM556M primers.

Which 223 primers are you using? The KVM223 or KVM223M? As far as I know, only the KVM556M primers have the harder cups to prevent slamfires on AR type rifles. Sounds to me like either your firing pin is piercing the cup or your loads are too hot.

[kurac]

I don't even use primers I find on the garage floor, but then again I have never been faced with hundreds of salvaged primers

[Justintoxicated]

only if it still looks perfect after decapping.

[j.primo]

I re use primers all the time. Haven't had an issue yet. Primers are cheap, but I don't like throwing live primers away in the trash. I re-use if I can, if I'm un-sure about one, I'll mark it and fire it down range with my head turned.