I realize there is another post on this but it seems important enough to me to start a new one. This concerns depriming unfired primers. Before today, I had been reloading for 41 years and NO accidents. But today, I was depriming some live primers when one went off. It sounded like a firecracker had gone off. Fortunately, except for 3 tiny scratches on my face, I escaped unharmed. But I was darned lucky, if the debris that hit my face had hit my eye/s, I might not be able to see this computer screen now. I should have been wearing eye protection too, I wasn't.
Yes, I GOT BY with many other deprimes of live primers in the past but old man Luck caught up with me. To sum it up, don't do it!! Now a bit wiser, Ray

Ray, I didn't post on the first thread but I did read most of it. In my limited experience I have deprimed live primers with a universal decap die with no events to date. Being new this is not something I would have just tried without asking someone. Not sure who it was but 'someone' said it would be fine, just nice and gentle.

Was anything different this time that you think may have contributed to setting one off?

What would you recommend? Just soak the case in a tub of oil for a few days and discard?

Glad you weren't injured! I do wear either safety glasses or a full face shield, but this is starting to sound like a bad idea.

Any further thoughts?

XWind

You could fire them in your gun.

newtoot
Glad your OK , but I'm currious what Make of primer was it? Pistol-Rifle-Shotgun?

newtoot
Glad your OK , but I'm currious what Make of primer was it? Pistol-Rifle-Shotgun? Was this done on a multi press or hand press?

I was using a hand press. It looked like a deprimed primer was unknowingly stuck in the ram. The ram has a hole in it for primers to go thru before being caught in a small plastic "catch pan". Normally primers drop right thru but not this time. This primer
pressed on the case I had in the shell holder.
Shooting them in your gun sounds like the best idea as far as safety goes. The reason I was depriming was this. I had a new custom barrel
installed and I was just neck sizing for my old barrel. I had one case out of three to stick so bad in the chamber of the new barrel that I had to get a gunsmith, the one who made the custom barrel, to open the bolt. It seems prudent that once I fire these rounds in my new barrel that I could go back to neck sizing if I wish, but never! for hunting. Sorry for the delay in answering your questions but I have been up in the CO mtns working on a cabin I am building.
Ray

Hot Core and others
Thanks for replies and info. I realized the decapping pin was adjustable but not removeable. However, if I remove the assembly won't I also be removing the neck sizer?? Maybe I can just adjust
the pin to where it doesn't touch the primer?
Also, if I move the decapping pin up too far won't this put the neck sizer up too high for it to work, or will it. I've been reloading 41 yrs and still have a lot to learn, at least I admit it.
I'd rather admit my ignorance and correct it than to persist in ignorance! Thanks Ray