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Posted: 6/1/2008 9:16:10 PM EDT
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I need to nutralize some primers with out setting them off and keeping them in the case head. Is there a way to do this? |
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Not reliably. Numerous ways have been put forth, most commonly soaking them with WD40. I haven't seen one that works. Firing them in a gun is the only sure fire way (NPI). They can be decapped with relative safety by using a Universal Decapping Die and good eye protection (just in case). |
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I agree with thebeekeeper. I have tried numerous solvents, soaking test primers in them for days at a time (one test went on for two weeks) and all of the test primers went off. This brings up a question though. Why do you want to neutralize these primers? It's simpler just to use them or sell them to someone who will. There was a thread a few weeks ago where the guy wanted to neutralize primers to make convincing dummy rounds because his aged grandfather (?) had a thing about waving his pistol at people. I would suggest going through my deprimed primers for some decent looking cups and hammering them smooth with a good punch if that's what you're after. |
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I don't have that many to dispose of primers, but I just punch them out with a decapping die only, and put them in a fire that is away from anything flammable outdoors. Primers won't explode unless stuck with a sharp sudden blow, like with a hammer. Detonating primers indoors without adequate ventilation is a "Bozo no, no," because primers contain lead, and getting lead compounds into the air around your home is a not a recommended practice. BTW: the gray elemental lead is not a problem, it is the lead compunds that are dangerous. |
I have 4 7.62x54r rounds that I want to cut down and use as screw caps. I thought it would like cleaner with intact caps. |
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Washing soda. Regular non-corrosive priming is lead styphnate. Sodium Carbonate, a moderate base, will dissolve priming, leaving behind lead carbonate and sodium styphnate which will be dissolved in the solution. Time is your friend here. Sonication will also help. Dispose of the solutions carefully due to lead and styphnate. Let evaporate in a can, throw it into a fire 
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Wait a second here - I thought you were a dilution guy! Fire fixes many things, however. My buddy here accuses me of using that first. |
Yeah, the solution to pollution is dilution! JUST KIDDING!!!! I will assume we are talking about a few primers here and there, no problem. You can get sodium carbonate in most stores in the laundry aisle or you can make it from sodium bicarbonate by heating it in a stainless steel skillet over high heat. It will bubble and evolve CO2 + H2O vapor. Let cool as done properly, it should be over 400 F. It isn't too toxic as it is used in most automatic dishwashing detergents. But don't use that as it contains other stuff. |
Plain water for those. A bit of detergent will help. Again, the water will have some bad stuff in it, usually KCl03 which kills plants good. Be careful. |
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The laquer and foil are cracked when the primer is seated. It isn't perfectly sealed. The laquer and foil are just there to keep dust down. |
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I guess you could try the old 'hydraulic' depriming method, filling the case with water, setting it on something to support the base (but with a hole to allow the primer to get pushed out and onto something soft), and then use a tight fitting plastic or rubber plug to fit in the case mouth. Using a small mallet, give the plug a little whack and the water should deprime the case (of course, if the primer is sealed tight and its old Bulgarian brass, you might get the sides blown out instead  ). If that worked to get the primer out, then you could take the primer, neutralize it, clean it up and reseat it.  PS: Officially, I'm not recommending that you do this (I don't like the thought of playing with the live primers myself  ) but it is an option if you just have to have those particular cases.
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Put primer upsidedown on piece of wood take a punch same size as inside of primer and tap lightly with hammer it will pop and leave no marks on primer i know this from a lee classic loader i forgot to put brass in die went to set primer pop! works everytime lol hope that helps |
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