?? Primers installed upside down . ..

[bedbugbilly]

I'm fairly new to reloading and SO FAR, haven't had a problem with a primer going in upside down (I'm loading 38 spls). I see something about this every once in a while where a problem happens and a primer gets flipped and installed upside down. I'm just asking for the sake of knowing IF I ever have it happen. What's the best way of removing an upside down primer?

I'm assuming that if you put the casing back in the press (assuming you caught it before it was loaded and you had to pull the slug and dump charge) that you could very carefully and GENTLY use the depriming die to push it back out. The anvil wouldn't have anything to press against to discharge it? Is this the best way to do it or maybe I should ask what is the SAFEST way to remove an upside down primer?

I don't think I have ever seen this addressed in the reloading books or maybe I've missed it. Thanks for the help - I plan on writing the solution down in my data/reloading notebook just so I can refer to it if need be.

 

[anotherred]

I've done this plenty of times. Just sloooowy deprime and you'll be just fine. I've even remove a few that where seated correctly and the shell got damaged in the press.

 

[swmike]

Same here, just slowly run it back through the sizing die.

I load by the many hundreds, sometimes thousands and thus I see it happen more than most. I use a universal de-priming die for these. IF it were to be set off, there is little or no restriction in the case mouth to cause any pressure buildup and the die body will re-direct any force downward.

 

[A_Gamehog]

Soak it in water overnight then resize . It's inert.

 

[WhyteP38]

This situation is where a universal decapping die is very handy. Gives you a better feel for pressure feedback if you need to remove an upside down primer.

I've done it several times. But you have to be careful. Even upside down, you can set off a primer.

Wear eye protection. Clear out everything that could cause a problem, such as powder, other primers, etc. Go very slowly. Have something soft to catch the primer when it comes out.

Soak it in water overnight then resize . It's inert.

I wouldn't count on that. I've read posts by others who claim to have let a primer soak overnight - or even for several days - in all kinds of things. Water, rubbing alcohol, various other liquids. And the primers still worked.

 

[jepp2]

I wouldn't count on that. I've read posts by others who claim to have let a primer soak overnight - or even for several days - in all kinds of things. Water, rubbing alcohol, various other liquids. And the primers still worked.

I have read the same posts. Primers soaked for 2 weeks in WD40 still fired. I haven't run those tests, but I did soak some in mineral spirits for 24 hours and they fired just fine. I will run the tests on oil, WD40 and other liquids at some time and post the results.

I have deprimed several hundred properly installed primers using a universal decapping die and never had one go off. BUT, I always proceed as if they might. I wear eye protection, hearing protection and place a 1" PVC plastic pipe section over the ram slot on my RCBS Rock Chucker press. The only thing that could happen is the primer would back out of the case. Operate the ram slowly.

I also reuse those primers in non-critical loads and they all have fired.

 

[oldgunsmith]

I've never had a primer survive an overnight soaking in Chemtool or Berryman's B-12. It isn't uncommon for the anvil to fall out of the primer when the brass is de-primed after that.

 

[jib]

simply press it out slowly.

If you don't use eye protection for loading AND YOU SHOULD, use it for unloading a primer. If you are paranoid, throw on some ear protection.

Jack

 

[BuckRub]

If its loaded then pull bullet and dump powder then resize and kick primer back out. Flip and put all back together again. No harm. But if you ever seen some you need to change what you're doing. I seen one about 20 years ago when I was just starting out.

 

[Old 454]

Only one in 20 years of handloading, damn your good

 

[BuckRub]

O believe me I've had some learning curves but not many. If I ever have one, know what you did wrong and change it. Everytime when you reload do you have two or three ? Find out what you're doing wrong and correct it or just keep doing same thing and complaining Old454.

 

[AlaskanGuy]

Fix it....

I have had this happen too... And i also use the lee universal decapper to fix it.... Actually, i use the universal decapper for all my de-capping.. I decap before i clean the brass, so the primer pocket also gets nice and purty..

 

[BuckRub]

I quit de capping before tumbling brass. When I did, I'd get media stuck so tight in primer pockets and if all weren't checked and clean the ones stuck with a tooth pick and put a primer in on accident they either wouldn't seat all the way or wouldn't get the fire to the powder. It's easier depriming after tumbling for me.

 

[stevelyn]

I've seated primers in backwards a few times and I'm using a Lee Ergo Prime. I just run it through the decapping/sizer die gently with my back toward the press.