xxxx

Fire the primer, unscrew the stem to allow pressure to escape first. Then use a case extractor to remove the case.
bb

If the stem is unscrewed first would it just have to sit loose inside the case when the primer is fired ? Thinking if the expander plug is on the stem it might not be possible to pull it out through the neck if the case was sized all the way into the die ( presumimg it was a sizing die ).

NO do not attempt to fire the primer. Very bad advice!!!Good way to get hurt. Unsupported primers ars wuitd powerful projectiles.
Send the die to someone who knows how.

Kolo-Pan,
I presume your intention was to decap the live primer from the case, and the case has stuck in the sizing die before the decapping pin reached the primer... correct ?
DPCD says firing the primer is a bad idea. I would listen to him. Might not be possible to unscrew the sizing die with stuck case if you cannot slide the shellholder out of the ram anyway.
This is my suggestion. Absent other info I would try this if I had a stuck case. If you can, with the die still in the press, unscrew the stem so it's separate from the die body. With a aerosol can of CRC / WD40 with applicator tube squirt generously down into the die interior. This should penetrate between case and die body and should also kill the primer. Leave 10 minutes then with this additinal lubricant, it should now be easier to complete pushing the case completely into the sizing die and thus decapping a now useless primer.
If the case comes out reusable don't forget to rinse out thoroughly in hot water + detergent to clean out remnant oil, then dry thoroughly. Any remaining oil will affect powder burn and / or a replacement primer as well.
The sizing die will need a good cleaning as well.
Good luck.

DPCD is certainly right. Primers make a very dangerous projectile. I was once depriming some of my 30/378 cases by hand. Picked up a case that I believed to have a spent primer, but it was a live one. When I tapped the decapping rod holding the case in my hand the primer ignited. It flew out of the case, passed through my fourth finger and fractured my little finger. I ended up in the ER. Gave me good appriecation of the strength of live primers.

I have heard that WD-40 or any other oil or water will NOT "KILL" primers! I would send it to the manufacturer of the dies.

God Bless, Louis

OK. The pic helps a bit.
Does the stem actually have a decapping pin fitted ? Looks like the shell holder has pretty much come right up to the sizing die so wondering why the primer has not dislodged.
Anyway, if the decapping pin is fitted can you unscrew the lock nut then manually turn the stem down further to contact and dislodge the primer ?
If you manage to push the primer out then use one of the stuck case kits to pull the case out of the die. A kit is usually cheap and easy to find.

use the stem/punch from a smaller caliber to push the primer out.
then remove the case from the die like normal.

if the stem is still inside the case, line it up in the press and push the primer out.

I'm back on my Mac; here is what to do; unscrew the nut that holds the decapping pin in. Punch the primer out with it. It will be impossible to remove the decapping rod if it has an expander on it. Then you will need to drill and tap the case and use a bolt and washers, or a stuck case remover to get it out. Easy for me; hard for some others. But definitely do not fire the primer; that won't solve anything anyway. But put your eye out.
I see 30-06 already said to do that.

From then on Properly Lube your brass
before you try sizing cases!

That was the problem I ran into back in 1958 when learning how. I did the same thing with an '06 case. Made my own puller to get it out.

You also don't read your PM's it looks like. I offered to send you a smoking lamp if you'd pm your mailing info. That was well over a week ago when you had that thread going.

The offer is still good if you'll reply as asked, it's still sitting here.

George

quote:

Kolo-Pan
posted 01 October 2022 03:03
Regarding this post. the only thing that will work is to somehow pull that case out, and somehow deactivate that primer.

With the live primer I'm guessing it's probably illegal to send to someone like RCBS to rectify. If you're unwilling to try yourself and could take it to someone local who would they're likely to proceed along the lines of suggestions already made here. There isn't much at all to lose in giving it a go. Worst case, if everything fails, is putting aside the jammed die and buying a replacement. No huge cost but hardly necessary as the problem is fixable.

quote:

Originally posted by Kolo-Pan:
30-06

Yes!

Can I soak it in water to destroy the primer or are they waterproof?

YES! Soak it with oil. A few drops (maybe WD-40) is enough but since the decapping stem is in the way, be generous and let it sit for a few days to make sure it's inert.
Then you can pry out the primer and drill & Tap the primer pocket for case removal.

Zeke

If you cannot punch the primer out with the decapping stem... for whatever reason.
Once the primer is made inert, you can use a small drill bit and drill down the SIDE of the primer and then use a small punch to pry out the primer.
It's then a simple task of drilling and tapping the primer pocket for the usual case extraction.

Zeke

Good luck making the primer inert with water or even oil. They are very resistant to such things. But you can punch them out still live; if your decamping pin is still in there. Just don't try to fire it.
Personally, I drill them out in the lathe with a center drill, but as always, Never do anything I do or say.

Ok, then, on to COA 2.

Bite the bullet, buy another die, and end the drama. In the mean time, send the die to RCBS. Or keep it as a reminder.

kolo pan:

Ok, gotcha, Now I can put this lamp back on the shelf.

Every time you run a case in a die, you've got to lube it or it's going to stick like this.

Hope you get that case out and save the die.

George

quote:

Kolo-Pan
posted 02 October 2022 06:45
I put plenty of lube on that case

A stuck case remover kit should still pull that case from the die. Might need some grunt but I bet it would work.

This is a pretty long thread over a stuck case.

Yet another way is to cut the base of the cartridge off with a hacksaw and remove the decapping rod, then if you have an oxy acetylene torch you can heat a line on the brass the brass up red from base to shoulder and let it cool and the case will just fall out of there. The heat makes the brass expand and buckle a little bit then when it cools it contracts back and is now slightly smaller.

Or you can put a wad of paper inside the neck (from the now cut off base) and fill it with epoxy then after it has hardened use a punch through the decapping rod hole to drive it out. you can also do the same thing with either molten lead or cerrosafe instead of epoxy. Back when I was young and broke with an '06 I bought some used brass at a gunshow and pulled a few cases apart in that batch so got pretty good at getting them out. I used to just drop a bullet in then melt a few inches of solder with a torch letting it fill up behind the bullet. Nowadays new bullets can cost more than new brass so there are other ways as well.

quote:

Mark
posted 02 October 2022 15:42
Yet another way is to cut the base of the cartridge off with a hacksaw and remove the decapping rod, then if you have an oxy acetylene torch you can heat a line on the brass the brass up red from base to shoulder and let it cool and the case will just fall out of there. The heat makes the brass expand and buckle a little bit then when it cools it contracts back and is now slightly smaller.

Words of wisdom. Wish I had thought of that. I will remember this in a moment of necessity.

When swing the head off, cut it in the rim groove.
That way you will have some of the case wall
left sticking out. IF it's flush, a thin screw driver might be able to bend it enough to grip.

Use needle nose pliers to twist one side to shrink
it enough to lose grip.

Question: What kind of lube did you use?

George

quote:

Yet another way is to cut the base of the cartridge off with a hacksaw and remove the decapping rod,

Doing this can create enough heat to set off the primer.

Personnel experience

The die then acts as a chamber raising pressure

He said to saw off the case head first; that will not set off the primer. As for the die acting as a chamber, the primer already is in it's own chamber. It doesn't need any more to fly out and imbed itself jeep into your body. And don't saw through it. As I said above, I have removed them with a center drill, but do not try that. That method is only for me.
Be careful trying to pry the case out, or heating it up; those methods can damage your die, potentially.

Put the die horizontal in a bench vise.
Place a stripped Mauser bolt body over the case head and hold it securely there.
The bolt head will fit over the case head and primer,,or it should. You may have to clean up some of the chewed up brass on this one.
Then place the firing pin into the bolt, down upon the primer.
Hold the bolt body securely against the die covering the primer and case head.
STrike the firing pin with a hammer to fire the primer.

The primer will bounce back a bit but things won't go ballistic if you hold the bolt securely.
Wear eye proection of course and a heavy pair of leather gloves is recommended.

Once the primer is fired,,then do the regular stuck case removal thing.

quote:

2152hq
posted 03 October 2022 05:12
Put the die horizontal in a bench vise.
Place a stripped Mauser bolt body over the case head and hold it securely there.
The bolt head will fit over the case head and primer,,or it should. You may have to clean up some of the chewed up brass on this one.
Then place the firing pin into the bolt, down upon the primer.
Hold the bolt body securely against the die covering the primer and case head.
STrike the firing pin with a hammer to fire the primer.

The primer will bounce back a bit but things won't go ballistic if you hold the bolt securely.
Wear eye proection of course and a heavy pair of leather gloves is recommended.

Once the primer is fired,,then do the regular stuck case removal thing.

Have you ever done this ?

After reading this thread yesterday I was reloading some .257 AI shells for my upcoming antelope hunt next week.

After cleaning and sizing the brass I noticed two shells with a crack in the case mouths so I went ahead and primed them, then squirted WD 40 in the cases and let them sit overnight.

Before chambering the cases I poured the excess WD 40 out of them. THEY BOTH FIRED!

quote:

buffybr
posted 03 October 2022 05:57
After reading this thread yesterday I was reloading some .257 AI shells for my upcoming antelope hunt next week.

After cleaning and sizing the brass I noticed two shells with a crack in the case mouths so I went ahead and primed them, then squirted WD 40 in the cases and let them sit overnight.

Before chambering the cases I poured the excess WD 40 out of them. THEY BOTH FIRED!

Wow ! DPCD is right again ! I had always believed oil contact would kill primers. Thanks for invalidating this with your experiment.

Ha, that is funny. If it wasn't right, I wouldn't post it!
Now, as for using the Mauser bolt thing; Please do not do that! Too much can go wrong with the average guy.
(Now, I could do it, but you shouldn't; you meaning anyway else.) Some guys just attract bad luck and this is a thing prone to have it.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
He said to saw off the case head first; that will not set off the primer. As for the die acting as a chamber, the primer already is in it's own chamber. It doesn't need any more to fly out and imbed itself jeep into your body. And don't saw through it. As I said above, I have removed them with a center drill, but do not try that. That method is only for me.
Be careful trying to pry the case out, or heating it up; those methods can damage your die, potentially.

DPCD is not joking when he cautions about the energy in a primer, my brother and I tossed a shotgun shell into a wood stove once in our younger stupider days. The powder flared up and burned a short while after the toss and the shell stayed in the coals for quite a while, my guess is about 10-15 minutes. My brother went to poke at it but before he touched it the primer went off and hit him in his thumb right around the first joint. The primer cup penetrated the skin and then traveled under the skin about 180 degrees, coming to rest on the opposite side of his thumb just under the skin. Of course we had to do emergency surgery before mom and dad got home so we did just a slight cut with an exacto knife and I grabbed it with a small pair of needle nose pliers and pulled it out. Other than a sore thumb for a couple days no permanent damage but we both had nightmares about getting hit in the face/eye for a while. Pretty certain if a person got hit in the mouth it would take out the tooth or definitely at least crack it behind the lip where it struck.

quote:

Originally posted by Kolo-Pan:
I put plenty of lube on that case

Obviously not. Buy a new die.

quote:

Originally posted by 30.06king:


Have you ever done this ?

Yes,,,and a lot more.
and I'm still here to talk about it with all my fingers, eyes and no holes in my body from flying fragments.
I also walk across the street w/o using the crosswalk.
I sometimes exceed the posted speed limits while driving as well as other death defying activities.
Survived many yrs w/o the use of a seat belt/harness, steel toed shoes or an orange plastic safety hat.

For Christs Sake. It's a primer.
Wrap a piece of steel around it called a bolt body, hang on with some leather gloves and pop the damn thing.
Then get on with life and reloading.

..Or sit there and wring your hands wondering what & who in the world can save me now.

OR,,Here's another idea.

Again lock the die in a bench vise horizontal.
Prop a propane torch so that the pinpoint flame just touches the primer itself..
Light that baby up,,and leave the room.
It'll take 15 or more seconds of direct flame to detonate the primer.
But you will be safely out of the room so nothing can dent you.

We took many stuck live rounds out of Milsurps that way back in the 60's and 70's.
A number of them M/Nagants that seemed to stick their steel cased ammo quite often.
Just the bbl'd action set on a berm with the torch proped up to set the tip of the flame up and inside the breech onto the primer/casehead.

The case would blow out the back,,the bullet exit the muzzle.
Often the BernsoMatic torch tip was damaged as the case ejected upon detonation. But the customer got charged the extra $2 for that.

The torch won't be engaged long enough to damage the die HTreatment.

OH geez I can be thick sometimes.



What is there to stop a person from removing the two lock nuts on the shaft and giving the decapping rod a tap with a plastic mallet? Actually it would be best to remove the lock nut then just unscrew the main adjusting nut so it protects the screwdriver slot and giving it a whack. I've never had a primer go off on removal, and I just had to do that yesterday when I ruined a case neck while setting an expander die.

Might even be able to back the lock nut off almost to the end, put another nut on top of it, snug them against each other and put a wrench on them with die in a single stage press or vise and just screw it down and have it press the primer out while tightening.

It ain't rocket science.

quote:

Originally posted by Mark:
OH geez I can be thick sometimes.



What is there to stop a person from removing the two lock nuts on the shaft and giving the decapping rod a tap with a plastic mallet? Actually it would be best to remove the lock nut then just unscrew the main adjusting nut so it protects the screwdriver slot and giving it a whack. I've never had a primer go off on removal, and I just had to do that yesterday when I ruined a case neck while setting an expander die.

Might even be able to back the lock nut off almost to the end, put another nut on top of it, snug them against each other and put a wrench on them with die in a single stage press or vise and just screw it down and have it press the primer out while tightening.

Do this. Thread the die back in the press, remove the top lock nut and proceed to screw the expander stem into the case. Once it bottoms out use a flat blade driver to screw the expander assembly into the case head and it should push the case out of the die.

Put on your ear and eye at protection just in case.

quote:

DavidReed
posted 03 October 2022 14:04
quote:
Originally posted by Mark:
OH geez I can be thick sometimes.



What is there to stop a person from removing the two lock nuts on the shaft and giving the decapping rod a tap with a plastic mallet? Actually it would be best to remove the lock nut then just unscrew the main adjusting nut so it protects the screwdriver slot and giving it a whack. I've never had a primer go off on removal, and I just had to do that yesterday when I ruined a case neck while setting an expander die.

Might even be able to back the lock nut off almost to the end, put another nut on top of it, snug them against each other and put a wrench on them with die in a single stage press or vise and just screw it down and have it press the primer out while tightening.


Do this. Thread the die back in the press, remove the top lock nut and proceed to screw the expander stem into the case. Once it bottoms out use a flat blade driver to screw the expander assembly into the case head and it should push the case out of the die.

Put on your ear and eye at protection just in case.

Gents,
If you scroll back a bit you will see where the OP says there is NO decapping pin on the decapping rod. I also suggested earlier manually screwing down the decapping rod to push the primer out. But, obviously, neither my idea, nor yours, will work.
Mark, I think you came up with the best idea in suggesting sawing off the head of the case.

quote:

2152hq
posted 03 October 2022 09:45
quote:
Originally posted by 30.06king:


Have you ever done this ?


Yes,,,and a lot more.
and I'm still here to talk about it with all my fingers, eyes and no holes in my body from flying fragments.
I also walk across the street w/o using the crosswalk.
I sometimes exceed the posted speed limits while driving as well as other death defying activities.
Survived many yrs w/o the use of a seat belt/harness, steel toed shoes or an orange plastic safety hat.

For Christs Sake. It's a primer.
Wrap a piece of steel around it called a bolt body, hang on with some leather gloves and pop the damn thing.
Then get on with life and reloading.

..Or sit there and wring your hands wondering what & who in the world can save me now.

I was just asking out of interest. I'm glad to know you have used your method successfully. Also happy to learn your adventurous spirit and attitude in life has served you well thus far

quote:

Originally posted by 30.06king:

Gents,
If you scroll back a bit you will see where the OP says there is NO decapping pin on the decapping rod. I also suggested earlier manually screwing down the decapping rod to push the primer out. But, obviously, neither my idea, nor yours, will work.
Mark, I think you came up with the best idea in suggesting sawing off the head of the case.

You don’t need the decapping-pin in the stem to do this. The threaded stem that holds the expander ball and pin is sufficient to do this maneuver to push the case out of the die.

Of course some of you have done all manner of marginally safe (and patently unsafe) things, like speeding, drinking, and going out with married women, as I do regularly. Laws of safety do not apply to me; however, I still advise everyone else not to try anything except sit on their couch and watch TV. Some guys seem to attract disaster and I don't want to be responsible.
I guarantee that if some guys try to pop a primer, that 2% of them will end up with a primer in their face.