Reuse primers after sizing?

SLOMountaineer · May 22, 2007, 05:37 PM

I mixed up a group of unsized brass with sized brass. I primed about 100 rounds of unsized brass before I realized my error. I then deprimed and resized the brass. Can I reuse the primers or would they have been damaged?

Sorry if this is a dumb question.

**Mal H** · May 22, 2007, 05:49 PM

Too late now, but you could have simply sized the primed brass after removing the depriming pin, of course.

Some folks have reused deprimed primers with good success. If you are creating target ammo only, go ahead and give them a try as long as you don't mind pulling apart the ones that don't go bang. You might want to load up 5 or so and see what kind of results you get before going for the full hundred.

If the rounds are for hunting or competition, then not a chance I would use them. Missing a shot in either case is not worth the $2 you lost on the primers.

SLOMountaineer · May 22, 2007, 05:56 PM

Thanks Mal. Yes, they are just for plinking/target. I have had a lot on my mind lately and didn't even think about removing the pin from my sizing die. Duh!

Maybe I should lay off reloading until I have less on my mind?

jrfoxx · May 22, 2007, 06:45 PM

as long as you deprime SLOWLY, GENTLY, and CAREFULLY (I recommed some safety glasses, just to be safe), you shouldn't have any troubles. I've done the same thing as you did a few times

and the primers worked fine.That said, primers are prtty cheap and plentiful, so there really is little reason to bother with it (yet I do/havedone it...I have inherited my dad's inability to throw ANYHING away, ever...especially if there's even the SLIGHTEST chance it may have some use

bob k · May 22, 2007, 06:50 PM

I'd throw on ear protection too, them little things are really loud, especially when you don't really plan on them going off.

gandog56 · May 22, 2007, 08:12 PM

Yeah, I've done the take out the decapping pin trick before. Too bad I needed to.

Zippy06 · May 22, 2007, 08:24 PM

I have done it.
Even reused a primer, that was sideways.
Primers still good. The decapper pin, rides on the anvil, of the primer.
It's really surprising, how easy, the primer falls out. Just touch it. Re prime and you are good to go.

Smokey Joe · May 23, 2007, 10:58 AM

SLOMountaineer--If you reload long enough, you'll see everything, I guess.

I've pulled the same trick as you did. Responded the same way you did. After finishing, realized that I should have resized with no depriming pin, but, duh, too late for that. Sigh.

like JrFox, I'm cheap (hey, it's congenital--I'm a New England Yankee) so I tried re-using the 100 primers. The primers seated a little easier than normal the second time around. Every single one of them went bang just fine--100%. I was amazed, but pleased.

Quote:

Maybe I should lay off reloading until I have less on my mind?

Well, I find reloading to be good therapy. That said, I lay off doing it if I'm really upset, or very tired. You do have to clear your mind enough to pay attention while reloading.

SLOMountaineer · May 23, 2007, 05:34 PM

SmokeyJoe...you are right, I AM using it for therapy right now. That being said, I am meticulous and attentive to what I KNOW needs attention while reloading. It is just that my logical thinking process is a bit dulled.

GoSlash27 · May 24, 2007, 03:27 PM

Forgive me for the silly question, but how did you manage to deprime 100 rounds without resizing them?

SLOMountaineer · May 24, 2007, 06:20 PM

The brass was already deprimed and cleaned when I purchased it. I am not sure what the folks did to it but the cases were not sized. maybe they had a commercial machine that just deprimed it and they are able to do more brass that way, I don't know.

Smokey Joe · May 24, 2007, 06:29 PM

Only silly mistakes. And if there were silly questions, they'd still be easier to handle than the mistakes!

GoSlash27--I DID resize the cases--Well, ran 'em through the resizing die; since they hadn't been fired nothing much happened in that die, except of course the depriming. This was years ago, and I don't remember what I did with the cases afterwards, nor why I thought the whole operation was necessary. I DO remember thinking what a PITA it was to have primed up 100 cases that should not have been so primed. And the depriming certainly was a "good learning experience."

Chief-7700 · May 27, 2007, 11:51 PM

Sure sound like a real good way to distroy something like maybe yourself. So the cost of 100 primers is around 3.25 is the stress wondering if your going to get luck and save .0325 cents per primer or is someting going to go BOOM! Risk vs
benefit for the one the risk out weighs the benefit. JMHO!
The only way to safely fix the above problem chamber the case and let the firing pin do the work.
Chief-7700

RustyNut · May 28, 2007, 11:00 AM

Chief - you beat me to it, I was going to say the same thing. I would throw them away and start fresh.

May 22, 2007, 05:37 PM	#1
SLOMountaineer Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2006 Posts: 238	Reuse primers after sizing? I mixed up a group of unsized brass with sized brass. I primed about 100 rounds of unsized brass before I realized my error. I then deprimed and resized the brass. Can I reuse the primers or would they have been damaged? Sorry if this is a dumb question.

May 22, 2007, 06:45 PM	#4
jrfoxx Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2004 Location: Evanston,WY Posts: 898	as long as you deprime SLOWLY, GENTLY, and CAREFULLY (I recommed some safety glasses, just to be safe), you shouldn't have any troubles. I've done the same thing as you did a few times and the primers worked fine.That said, primers are prtty cheap and plentiful, so there really is little reason to bother with it (yet I do/havedone it...I have inherited my dad's inability to throw ANYHING away, ever...especially if there's even the SLIGHTEST chance it may have some use __________________ Q: How can I reduce the amount of mail I receive from the NRA? A: Simply email us at [email protected] or dial 800-NRA-3888 and request to be placed on the "Do Not Promote" list.

May 22, 2007, 08:12 PM	#6
gandog56 Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2006 Location: Mobile, Alabama Posts: 979	Yeah, I've done the take out the decapping pin trick before. Too bad I needed to. __________________ Some people think I'm paranoid because I have guns. If I have guns, what do I have to be paranoid about?

May 22, 2007, 08:24 PM	#7
Zippy06 Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: S.E. MI Posts: 117	I have done it. Even reused a primer, that was sideways. Primers still good. The decapper pin, rides on the anvil, of the primer. It's really surprising, how easy, the primer falls out. Just touch it. Re prime and you are good to go. __________________ Zippy06. U.S.N. Vet. NRA. Lee Turret(circa 1986). 9mm, .357 Mag., .40 S&W, .223 Rem., .30-30 Win., .308 Win. G17, S&W 686, G22C, Colt H-Bar, Marlin, Savage 10FP. Be safe. Be happy

May 24, 2007, 03:27 PM	#10
GoSlash27 Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2004 Location: Iowa Posts: 3,118	Forgive me for the silly question, but how did you manage to deprime 100 rounds without resizing them? __________________ Bill of Rights Must be 18. Void where prohibited. Not available in all states. Some restrictions apply.

May 22, 2007, 05:49 PM	#2
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,955	Too late now, but you could have simply sized the primed brass after removing the depriming pin, of course. Some folks have reused deprimed primers with good success. If you are creating target ammo only, go ahead and give them a try as long as you don't mind pulling apart the ones that don't go bang. You might want to load up 5 or so and see what kind of results you get before going for the full hundred. If the rounds are for hunting or competition, then not a chance I would use them. Missing a shot in either case is not worth the $2 you lost on the primers.

May 22, 2007, 05:56 PM	#3
SLOMountaineer Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2006 Posts: 238	Thanks Mal. Yes, they are just for plinking/target. I have had a lot on my mind lately and didn't even think about removing the pin from my sizing die. Duh! Maybe I should lay off reloading until I have less on my mind?

May 22, 2007, 06:50 PM	#5
bob k Member Join Date: January 20, 2007 Posts: 25	I'd throw on ear protection too, them little things are really loud, especially when you don't really plan on them going off.

May 23, 2007, 05:34 PM	#9
SLOMountaineer Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2006 Posts: 238	SmokeyJoe...you are right, I AM using it for therapy right now. That being said, I am meticulous and attentive to what I KNOW needs attention while reloading. It is just that my logical thinking process is a bit dulled.

May 24, 2007, 06:20 PM	#11
SLOMountaineer Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2006 Posts: 238	The brass was already deprimed and cleaned when I purchased it. I am not sure what the folks did to it but the cases were not sized. maybe they had a commercial machine that just deprimed it and they are able to do more brass that way, I don't know.

May 24, 2007, 06:29 PM	#12
Smokey Joe Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2001 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 2,106	There are no silly questions... Only silly mistakes. And if there were silly questions, they'd still be easier to handle than the mistakes! GoSlash27--I DID resize the cases--Well, ran 'em through the resizing die; since they hadn't been fired nothing much happened in that die, except of course the depriming. This was years ago, and I don't remember what I did with the cases afterwards, nor why I thought the whole operation was necessary. I DO remember thinking what a PITA it was to have primed up 100 cases that should not have been so primed. And the depriming certainly was a "good learning experience." __________________ God Bless America --Smokey Joe

May 27, 2007, 11:51 PM	#13
Chief-7700 Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Location: Carmel Valley, CA Posts: 112	Depriming live primers Sure sound like a real good way to distroy something like maybe yourself. So the cost of 100 primers is around 3.25 is the stress wondering if your going to get luck and save .0325 cents per primer or is someting going to go BOOM! Risk vs benefit for the one the risk out weighs the benefit. JMHO! The only way to safely fix the above problem chamber the case and let the firing pin do the work. Chief-7700 __________________ COLT M-1911 DOB 1918 and more a XL-650 to feed them

May 28, 2007, 11:00 AM	#14
RustyNut Member Join Date: May 28, 2007 Location: Mpls Posts: 38	Chief - you beat me to it, I was going to say the same thing. I would throw them away and start fresh.