Pulled primers?

[Darrell]

I saw something new today while perusing Armslist. A TN seller is offering up 1000 308 BLANKS for their primers.  It sure wouldn't be worth the effort to me, but it made me wonder if live primers can actually be pushed out of a case and reloaded. Whenever I've wanted to remove an unfired primer I've always put a squirt of oil in the case and let it sit overnight for fear of having it go off during extraction. Anyone here ever actually push out unfired primers and reuse them? I don't have any desire to actually do that, I just wonder how practical it might be.

[Ronald_55]

Never seen this before, but a look around on the web says that reloaders suggest a slow steady push with a universal decapping die. Not sure I am that brave. My biggest deal would be that most blanks are crimped at the end, so not just as easy as pulling the bullet on normal ammo. Also have to worry if the primer was crimped. If so, the primer cup might be too distorted to use again. 

 

I would also suspect that with all the pull down bullets, reclaimed powder, and brass you can buy from disassembly companies, not seeing them selling reclaimed primers might tell the entire story. Doable, but not safe or efficient. 

 

So I think I would just be patient or look for the best price I could find if I needed primers. 

[RED333]

I have done this before, till one went off, NOT FUN!!! We all now how a primer works, it will go off if pushed in the wrong direction.

[Darrell]

I've had primers go off when using a Lee Loader, and while it made it jump, it didn't do any harm. I'm going to have to check back in a day or so and see if anyone bought the guy's stock of blanks. I'd have to be pretty desperate to go to so much trouble.

[Alleycat72]

It's no problem unless the case has a crimp. Best bet is to turn them into 300 blackout.

 

[Grunt67]

I have pushed them out slowly with the decapper. Never had a problem,  but never reuse them. The anvil may be damaged &  why take a chance.

[Raoul]

I have pushed A few out that got loaded backwards. And reused them. For the amount of trouble you'd really have to be desperate.

[Clutch80]

I've pushed some out on occasion and they worked fine when I fired them.  A slooow steady stroke with the universal decapper works for me.  That said, I don't do this for more than 1 or 2 now and then, couldn't imagine doing it for any volume of primers.

[jpx2rk]

I've removed live primers from brass that had NO crimps on the pocket (22-250), just go slow and steady, wear PPE.  I saved those primers as I didn't know whether they were 200 or 250, and the seller could not remember either.  I needed to re-size the brass anyways as it had been neck sized for sellers rifle, not mine so.   I did not set any off but was glad when I had 'em all done.  

I've used these primers for fouler rounds, everyone has gone bang , seat with normal pressure, etc.    Just go slow and carefully.  

[tmauto769]

I have seen the ad you speak of, I have run into brass before that had the 3 point crimp really similar to what he is picturing and it was berdan primers. Not saying that these are as I don't remember the headstamp but I do remember the crimp. 

[tmauto769]

300 BO is a no go, these are 308

[Alleycat72]

30 minutes ago, tmauto769 said:

300 BO is a no go, these are 308

Well I should have read the post better.  LOL

[Jamie Jackson]

I too, have very gently and slowly deprimed a few cases over time. I was able to use and fire the primers in other loads. But I wouldn't envy trying this to any extent.

Berdan primers crossed my mind as well, but I assume the listing the OP is referring to is for boxer primers.

I read (on a couple of blank manufacturers sites) that they use boxer primers fwiw, but I have no experience at all with blanks personally.

[Ronald_55]

1 hour ago, alleycat72 said:

Well I should have read the post better.  LOL

My understanding is that you could make .308 into 6.5 CM, but seems harder. Not sure if the blanks were brass or steel and that would probably matter. No 6.5 in my house right now, so no go for me. 

 

Though I saw some brass that might make me buy one....

             

[Grayfox54]

On 2/18/2021 at 7:57 AM, Ronald_55 said:

Also have to worry if the primer was crimped.

About the only .308 blanks I've ever seen were military. You can bet they'll be crimped. Also a good chance that they are foreign made and berdan primed. Does the seller have pictures or mention the headstamp? 

Like others here, I have removed primers before and reused them. As long as you're careful it can be done. But you need to examine them carefully. If the anvil is damaged, its junk. 

Just out of curiosity, how much is he asking?  Can you post a link to the ad? Regardless, I sure wouldn't waste money on them. 

Edited February 19, 2021 by Grayfox54

[Grayfox54]

I found the ad. Click Here

Definately foreign made. Can't really see the headstamp very well, but I think its DAG. which would be Dynamit Nobel Germany.  Definitely has the three point crimp. Oddly enough, it appears to be a hybrid  case with a steel head and a polymer body.  He's only asking $100, but I still wouldn't buy this stuff. 

[tmauto769]

10 hours ago, Ronald_55 said:

My understanding is that you could make .308 into 6.5 CM, but seems harder. Not sure if the blanks were brass or steel and that would probably matter. No 6.5 in my house right now, so no go for me. 

 

Though I saw some brass that might make me buy one....

             

I have tried that (308->6.5) and got some bulges at the shoulder. But a friend of mine swears he was able to do it by heating up the brass with a torch and then run it through the sizing die. I am not in dire need of 6.5cm to waste anymore 308 cases.

[myg30]

I’ve had good luck in the past pushing out Primers from another guys reloads just used universal decap die and went slow.  Loaded those in different brass and kept them seperate from my normal reloaded Ammo and they all worked fine.

 I agree with others here not to try on crimped mil brass and not worth the effort unless you have air equipment to push them out in timely manor like guys that De-mil ammo for living.

 Maybe pull the tracers, re charge and seat your favorite  bullet ?

 

 Mike