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Primer question

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Nikos

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I recently picked up some GI 30.06 brass (EW 43) as part of an Estate that was being cleared out.
This brass appears to be unfired, but the heads were pulled about 20 years ago. Maybe he was making Mexican match? Can’t ask as he passed on. My concern is the primers might be inert after all these years, and I don’t want to just reload as these might be corrosive primers.
The question is, how to remove these primers safely? Is there a special tool for this?
 
I would set up a single stage press outside and pop them out. With ear pro just in case.
How many pieces are you talking about?
 
Arto said:
how about use them for ~dry fire?
Click to expand...

He said "possibly corrosive". Not a big deal to milsurp guys.

That is decent amount of brass. I have a bucket of '06 mil. brass somewhere. I got tired of beating my shoulder so it just sits there.
 
Take the cases toss them in a bucket top them off with water. Let them sit overnight, drain the water dry them f you desier, demprime.

Nikos said:
I recently picked up some GI 30.06 brass (EW 43) as part of an Estate that was being cleared out.
This brass appears to be unfired, but the heads were pulled about 20 years ago. Maybe he was making Mexican match? Can’t ask as he passed on. My concern is the primers might be inert after all these years, and I don’t want to just reload as these might be corrosive primers.
The question is, how to remove these primers safely? Is there a special tool for this?
Click to expand...
 
Nikos said:
I recently picked up some GI 30.06 brass (EW 43) ...and I don’t want to just reload as these might be corrosive primers.
The question is, how to remove these primers safely? Is there a special tool for this?
Click to expand...


Eu Claire Ordnance Plant: Manufactured exclusively during WWII and all production IS CORROSIVE!
Headstamp: EW
Date Stamp: Last two digits of the year:

http://www.odcmp.org/1101/usgi.pdf

I'd simply decap on your press. Use a universal decapper or screw your stem in extra far, so you aren't dealing with sizing resistance while doing this. I've found primers can still ignite after oil soaking (maybe I used the wrong oil...?).
I suppose you could use the Lee decapping set with a broken pin and do it hydraulically, but that's not really necessary.

Inspect your brass since it may have degraded internally.
 
Just decap as normally would. Wear easy protection. As you should anyway.
There is more of a chance of setting off a primer seating them than decaping them.
 
BTSDOG said:
Water will not deactivate primer compound, only a soaking in OIL
will do the trick......


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Actually, I think water works best. I remember seeing a test over on CB or Enos where someone soaked primers in various solvents and tried to detonate them after. I forget the exact numbers but I think water was actually the best, with a ~50% success rate. It was better than oil, WD40, case lube, etc...
 
Long ago I tried it, resat a few dozen primers chambered the cases and low and behold none went off. Good enough for me. Sometimes I let them sit 24, 48, 36 even 72 hours in water because I just simply forget. [smile]

bill o said:
Did you try to fire the water soaked primers, or did they just not go off in the decapping die?
Click to expand...
 
When reloading a 30.06 round 150 grain, with a cannelure, where should a person seat the bullet? At the bottom of the cannelure? Or the middle of the cannelure?
 
I stand slightly corrected, water will deactivate a primer as long as it is still wet. If you let them totally dry out, they can go off again.... oil wil kill them permanently .....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
BTSDOG said:
Water will not deactivate primer compound, only a soaking in OIL
will do the trick......
Click to expand...
I believe water will deactivate primers as long as it stays wet. The factory does some of the process with the compound wet for this reason.

Back to active when it dries out.
 
Nikos said:
When reloading a 30.06 round 150 grain, with a cannelure, where should a person seat the bullet? At the bottom of the cannelure? Or the middle of the cannelure?
Click to expand...

It will depend on the bullet you are using. If you are using 150gr flat base FMJ just load it to military spec OAL. It will tell you where on the first round.
 
Nikos said:
When reloading a 30.06 round 150 grain, with a cannelure, where should a person seat the bullet? At the bottom of the cannelure? Or the middle of the cannelure?
Click to expand...

From a safety standpoint, it doesn't matter. Try both, see what shoots better.
 
Nikos said:
When reloading a 30.06 round 150 grain, with a cannelure, where should a person seat the bullet? At the bottom of the cannelure? Or the middle of the cannelure?
Click to expand...

I like to load my cannelure bullets so you can just see the leading edge of the cannelure peaking out of the case neck. Cases should be trimmed to same length. I crimp with a Lee factory crimp die just a kiss of a crimp. No real reason to crimp I just do it.
 

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