Deactivating Rimfire Primers

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Gary L. Griffiths

New member
I've been asked to create some authentic-looking dummy .22 WMR rounds for a museum display. I plan to CAREFULLY drill a hole in the side of the cartridges using a wooden jig in a vice behind some armor glass, then dump out the powder. The museum isn't comfortable with leaving the primers live, but doesn't want the firing pin crush on them necessary to safely detonate them.

I had planned to put a few drops of Kroil into them, then set them upright for a week or so. There's also a dinosaur thread here that recommends using denatured alcohol or WD-40 for centerfire primers, with mixed results.

Does anyone here have a better solution? All serious replies appreciated! :)
 
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Smoke & Recoil

New member
PULL the bullet, dump the powder, then heat the primer mix (rim) with butane torch...but not just yet, wait for others to chime in with other ideas.
 
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D

dahermit

New member
Does anyone here have a better solution? All serious replies appreciated!
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Being a retired machinist, I would just turn a few out of Brass rod on a lathe. That way they are inert without dorking around with any primer compound.
 
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mehavey

New member
The museum isn't comfortable with leaving the primers live, but doesn't
want the firing pin crush on them necessary to safely detonate them.
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You'll have to forgive me while I scratch my head on that absurdity.
 
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dahermit

New member
Forgive my ignorance but can't you just buy new brass?
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Because the requirement is for ".22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire"... no empty cases available, only loaded ammunition. Evidently the museum does not want loaded ammo in the display.
 
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Shadow9mm

New member
Pull the bullet, put a bit of cannon fuse in and burn the powder and primer out. Put the bullet back in. Would be my thought.
 
J

Joe-ker

New member
What shadow said. But no fuse needed. Just something to catch the brass as it will rocket.

It was fun as kids to pull the bullet, pour the powder out in a trail with just enough in the brass yet, and light it.

Primer detonated, no strike. Mission accomplished.
 
P

Pahoo

New member
Dummy - Rounds

Does anyone here have a better solution? All serious replies appreciated!
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Why not purchase some dummy rounds and safety wise that will work out better. Now then, these are not "snap-caps" but dunny rounds. The last time I looked, they were still available.


"Be Safe "
 
U

Unclenick

Staff
Unfortunately, most dummies now are aluminum turned with the right profile and colored and labeled.

You can use any of the aforementioned methods of igniting the priming material, but the case will try to take off. I wonder if you pulled the bullets and dumped powder and soaked them in water with a little dishwashing detergent or another wetting agent overnight and then put them in an ultrasonic cleaner if that wouldn't get the compound out. But I haven't tried it, so you are on your own with it. Firing it by some means remains the most certain.
 
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tangolima

New member
Pull the bullet. Dump the powder. Put the brass in a rifle and fire it to spend the priming compound. Seat the bullet back in.

Pulling and seating the bullet is probably the trickiest parts. Inertia puller has risk of igniting the primer. Puller die or similar improvision is safer. A .223 seating die may work for seating. You may need to size the neck down a bit for tension. A .223 sizing die should work (neck only no need to size the body).

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
P

Pahoo

New member
Still available and save you fingers

Unfortunately, most dummies now are aluminum turned with the right profile and colored and labeled.
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Perhaps but not all. :rolleyes:
My last batch were made by Winchester. Dark brown care with lead bullets and small hole, in the enter of the base. Just how many are you looking for?

Save your fingers and;
Be Safe !!!
 
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Gary L. Griffiths

New member
Wow! Great ideas, with quite a bit of diversity on what if anything will deactivate a primer. Never thought about heat. Reminds me of the scene in RED where Bruce Willis drops a handful of 9mm cartridges into a frying pan to create a diversion!. Anyway, got me to thinking: Why not test and find out? I picked out 10 rounds each of .22LR Winchester Wildcat (CCI Headstamp), an unusual headstamp from ammo I've had for years on my pistol belt, Super-X, and CCI Mini-Mags, and pulled the bullets. Used a washer from a roofing screw, which fit the cartridges exactly, and provided a bit of padding when using the kinetic bullet puller. Discovered the Super-X cartridges were orders of magnitude more difficult to pull, causing me to give up and mechanically pull some of them after 15 whacks of the kinetic puller, where the other 3 brands took 2 to 5 whacks on average.

Unfortunately, unable to post pix I took of the process.

Will let one of each soak for a week in Kroil, Strike-Hold, Ballistol, acetone, denatured alcohol, Hoppes #9 nitro powder solvent, water, gasoline, Sea-Foam, and vinegar. Then will dry out with compressed air, and let them dry in the sun for another week. Then will try firing them in my .22 LR revolver and see which, if any of them, are fully inert. Will post the results. :cool:
 
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mehavey

New member
The empty case will act like a small rocket when the compound ignites
(Ask me how I know from roughly 66 years ago):eek:

No big deal, but be sure to put a cardboard box/dish towel behind it.
 
7

7.62 man

New member
Heating the primer compound until it burns or dissolving it in acetone are the only ways I know of to remove the primer compound. Soaking it in oil doesn't remove it, as the oil or water evaporates the priming compound will become hot again.
 
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Scorch

New member
I prefer the idea of turning them out of brass rod. If you want them to look real, drill then add a bullet.
 
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hounddawg

New member
PULL the bullet, dump the powder, then heat the primer mix (rim) with butane torch...but not just yet, wait for others to chime in with other ideas.
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best idea so far, only thing I would add is use some needlenose pliers to hold them and wear a face shield. Goes without saying don't be looking into the hole, but then on the back of the frozen pizza box it says heat before eating so maybe it does need to be said
 
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