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Pressure needed to remove a spent primer

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28 March 2024, 07:57
Bobster
Pressure needed to remove a spent primer
Anyone have any data on the amount of pressure needed to expel a spent crimped primer from a primer pocket?
28 March 2024, 08:53
Saeed
No idea of the pressure needed.

But, I have removed these without too much hassle with a tool I made myself.

It is a rod which I use with a hammer.


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28 March 2024, 15:59
p dog shooter
quote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
No idea of the pressure needed.

But, I have removed these without too much hassle with a tool I made myself.

It is a rod which I use with a hammer.


This ^^^^.

But I also have drove the punch clear through the primer.

Those case's go into the scrap bucket.
01 April 2024, 06:52
416RigbyHunter
I have used the hydraulic method on crimped Berdan primed 6.5x55 cases. It works the same way as using grease behind a bearing and tapping a brass rod to force the bearing out, but I used a flat ended piece I turned up to fit the neck snuggly…

Cheers.
01 April 2024, 07:01
dpcd
I've deprived thousands of them; never had a problem. Cal 30, 7.62, and 5.56. It takes 4.2 pounds more than a regular primer. No need to use the hydraulic method on a boxer primed case.
Of course you have to remove the crimp, or swage it out, before re priming.
03 April 2024, 06:59
sambarman338
No idea of pressure figures, esp. with crimped ones, but a buddy punches out all primers as Saeed does, to estimate if pressures have been too high or the cases are worn. I've tried that and just count my light taps - any that drop out too soon become suspect.

I might have to do that with a recent batch of Winchester .45-70 brass, too - some primers fell out by themselves before the first firing. Wonder if I could do my own crimping Wink
03 April 2024, 14:45
Bobster
Can you post pics of the punch tool? I've seen a couple in the past. Do you start in at the primer dimple or from the edge of the primer towards the center?

quote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
No idea of the pressure needed.

But, I have removed these without too much hassle with a tool I made myself.

It is a rod which I use with a hammer.

03 April 2024, 17:32
dpcd
I would get bigger primers. Or swage the pockets smaller with a mandrel and punch machined to go into the pocket and form the outside, in a bit. We used to do that with Berdan conversions.
04 April 2024, 08:44
Wstrnhuntr
I just use one of these.

https://leeprecision.com/decapper-base-30-caliber
05 April 2024, 02:34
Bobster
I'm dealing with Berdan primers in miliary brass. I've got 10,000 primers and need to use them and have done hydraulic, and a version of a punch to pry them out. My thought was to create a pneumatic tool similar to a pellet rifle mechanism. I figured if it was powerful enough to propel a .22 cal pellet down a barrel at 900+ fps it would blow out a primer.
05 April 2024, 06:29
sambarman338
quote:
Originally posted by Wstrnhuntr:
I just use one of these.

https://leeprecision.com/decapper-base-30-caliber


That's what I've got, too. It came with a 375 Win Mequon loader, apparently made by Lee.
05 April 2024, 08:00
eagle27
After several posts by others re removing boxer primers, Bobster now tells us he is dealing with crimped Berdan primers which are a different kettle of fish altogether.

I remove Berdan primers from my Kynoch 404 cases (both factory shellac sealed primers and reloaded primers) using a tough spring steel pin I made of a diameter to enter one of the flash holes. I made the other end of the pin the diameter to fit an ordinary decapper rod. Have to feel for the flash hole then once 'started' drive the primer out using a small tack hammer while holding the case in the case holder with press ram raised up.
No mess and relatively quick to deprime Berdan primers with no damage to the anvil as can happen if using a pick system such as sold by RCBS for Berdan primers.

I can't say how well this would work with crimped primers, I may have some Berdan primed military brass I could try my decapper on.
28 April 2024, 19:56
Bobster
I ended up making a punch based on some pics I found on the net. Used an old slot head screwdriver. Ground a tip shaped kinda shaped like a Bowie knife blade with a chisel point. Fashioned a shell holder from a flat washer to slip in the extractor grooves. Using my cast iron Lyman C-press, I inserted a Lee seating die upside down. That served as the "anvil". I then placed the shell holder on the spent brass and lowered it into the die. Placing the tip of the punch in the primer indent at a 45 degree angle, I gave it 3-4 taps with a light hammer to drive it through until it contacted the inside wall of the primer. This is the part you have to develop feel for. Then I levered the spent primer out. Once I got the hang of it, I was able to de-prime 500 cases in 4 hrs. Only lost 3 cases due to anvil damage. It easily removed even the most heavily crimped primers. Now I have a "home" for those 5,000 Berdan primers I bought 20 years ago!