Next question. What is the recomended method of de-capping cases with live primers in them.

I just ordered a ChargeMaster 1500 Powder Scale and Dispenser + other stuff from Midway.

You could soak them in some oil to kill them.

I'd just punch them out myself. Would not be a bad idea to wear your safety glasses. We all wear safety glasses all the time when reloading, right?

I'd just punch them out myself. Would not be a bad idea to wear your safety glasses.
Ken's right, you can just press them out. The trick is not to impact them, use a slow steady pressure and they will pop out. Put a thick handtowel over your press while doing this to deflect anything that may go off as a safety precaution and wear safety glasses. I don't use the soak in oil method as later all that oil has to be cleaned off.

Have even occasionally reused the old primers with no FTFs. Would not recommend this with anything other than plinking ammo.

Ditto the above - I've never had a primer ignite when pressing them out of the case slowly. As stated, you can usually reuse the primer if you're careful. Never had one fail to fire when reusing, either. Pay attention to the safety precautions. Glasses should be worn at all times when reloading.

I've decapped hundreds of GI .30-06 without a detonation. Even if one should go off the gas jet will be contained inside the die and little or nothing can get out of that closed space.

the only extra precaution (besides going slow) is to pay attention to where the primers eject from some presses. Some presses kind of dump the fired primers out pointed at you....if your press is one of those, then sit side-saddle when you decap live ones. Safety glasses are a must...leather glove a good idea, but not a must have (simply becasue hands heal a lot better than eyes).

the only extra precaution (besides going slow) is to pay attention to where the primers eject from some presses. . .

Good point. My Co-ax press drops spent primers into a small glass jar. Good for containing lead contaminated primer dust. A large collection of unfired primers in glass, however, would be unwise under any circumstance. Probably better to remove the jar and let live primers fall onto a rag in the bottom of a carboard box set under the spent primer drop tube.

And besides, if you do a search on this forum you may come across my post that described my experiment that demonstrated that oil doesn't instantly kill primers, anyway. Other solvents are better at it...

http://www.shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=32185

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I had a primer go off on me the other day when I was loading 30-30 with my Lee Classic Loader. I think the case moved or was not properly seated when I was seating the primer. It went off with my hand holding priming rod.

No violent explosion or priming rod being shot across the room, luckily and I was not injured.

But like the other posters said slow pressure works fine just make sure you have the some type of eye wear on.

The Lee Classic Loaders are prone to accidental ignitions when seating the primer with the rod and hammer method. In another thread several of us discussed this with the Lee loader. Don't think I'd attempt to deprime a case with this loader. The press type reloader works fine.

I don't decap live primers.I fire them thru my rifle then decap.I figure cheaper that way incase they go off on that off chance.I'm not one take chances on ruining a die or hurt my self needlessly.It only takes a few minutes feed them thru your rig and not worry about what could happen.Clean your rig after fireing off primers

I don't decap live primers.I fire them thru my rifle then decap.I figure cheaper that way incase they go off on that off chance.I'm not one take chances on ruining a die or hurt my self needlessly.It only takes a few minutes feed them thru your rig and not worry about what could happen.Clean your rig after fireing off primers

Dido I would rather fire 100 primers in a rifle than one at my bench. Primers re funny things, I seen crushed primers from automatic presses that never went off but I would chance it.

Good point. My Co-ax press drops spent primers into a small glass jar. Good for containing lead contaminated primer dust. A large collection of unfired primers in glass, however, would be unwise under any circumstance. Probably better to remove the jar and let live primers fall onto a rag in the bottom of a carboard box set under the spent primer drop tube.

I'll second Nick's motion. Fifty-some years ago a well-known gunsmith died when a bottle full of primers on his bench exploded. There's a whole lot more power in those little pills than you might expect from their size.

And eye protection -- always!

The Old Guy