Author Topic: Use them again (Read 620 times)

razmuz · « **on:** December 16, 2003, 01:58:42 PM »

Many may frown on this, but I use a universal de-primer and then use the primers again. About thirty years ago I deprimed a bunch of brass with an old Lee reloader and am still using some of those primers. Haven't had a failure yet. Be sure and wear safety glasses, and yes some of them did go "POP" with the old Lee tool but never with theRCBS Universal de-primer. I'm sure you know enough not to have any loose powder laying around.

josebd · « **Reply #1 on:** December 16, 2003, 02:29:41 PM »

knocked some primers out today with rcbs, so far no problems,did about 20, 50 to go.

Old Syko · « **Reply #2 on:** December 16, 2003, 05:54:05 PM »

Somebody has to ask. Why in the world would you want to salvage primers? I understand it can be done but when you reseat them they're not going to seal properly since they've already been compressed once before. As cheap as primers are this seems like a serious waste of time to me, time that would be both better spent and safer in other areas. As I said before Why?

Donna · « **Reply #3 on:** December 16, 2003, 10:25:28 PM »

Primers are made of metal cups and metal has an elasticity to spring back to some degree and this degree of spring back is enough to reseal properly. When I do it it is because I have accumulated a couple thousand cases for one reason or another, thats two bricks of primers and each can cost around $20.00 to $25.00 each. It is the same reason why you save the cases (brass) to reload them over and over again, cost. If the primers are not smashed or damaged they are just as good as new. Thats why. But I can understand your question. There are people that throw away once shot brass because they dont see the use in keeping it. Money is thrown away all the time and if you have money to throw away, well its your money. :roll:

Some people ask why? Then there are others that ask why not? And it is the why nots that are the insightful people! Thats why!!!

Donna :wink:

Old Syko · « **Reply #4 on:** December 17, 2003, 03:32:42 AM »

I'm sorry but I prefer quality to cost. Primer cups are made of a malleable alloy that is designed for a one time use. To punch them out after being seated defeats the purpose of this original design by both distorting the cup and fracturing the compound inside. This in turn will cause inconsistent ignition.

The last primers I bought back in June of this year were $220+sales tax for 20,000. At a touch over a penny a round, reusing primers is not a practice I will be participating in any more than I will be brazing split case necks in order to save expensive rifle brass.

Those of us who ask why, do so in a polite attempt to learn from others. Those who say why not, must learn the hard way.

John Traveler · « **Reply #5 on:** December 17, 2003, 04:39:35 AM »

Salvaging and re-using primers DOES seem like a waste of time.

HOWEVER, there are some circumstances where it is justified:

During WWII, Filipino (and elsewhere) guerilla war fighters reused FIRED primer cups and anvils by depriming, tapping out the indentation, and refilling with home-made priming compound, black powder, and cut-down bolts for bullets. Sounds like desperation, doesn't it? Well, it WAS!

Fred Barnes, author of Cartridges of the World, wrote that during the civilian ammo shortages of WWII, a friend salvaged M1 carbine ammunition by laboriously sawing cases in half to get the intact primers, and reloaded .357 ammunition using the primers and powder. He kept his S&W firing when no one else could get or make ammo.

T/C nimrod · « **Reply #6 on:** December 17, 2003, 07:37:03 AM »

Donna - I agree, $18.97 (price for 1,000 Federal primers w/tax in Pa.) is not something to just throw away. However, when I figure in the time I'm going to get in depriming, collecting, and repriming used primers it's not worth it. That $18.97 savings just cost me $15.00 in labor - I guess business sense takes over at a certain point.

John Traveler - thank heavens times change! Those are some interesting tidbits I never heard before. If we have a shortage of 357 mag ammunition in todays world, we have a larger problem on our hands.

BruceP · « **Reply #7 on:** December 17, 2003, 08:06:18 AM »

T/C nimrod, I'd just like to add that if you were counting your laber at $15 per hour then you would have to knock out the primers way faster than I would consider to be safe. You would have to deprime, gather and repack them for later use at a rate of one primer every 3.6 seconds.
I'll just buy new primers.
BruceP

Ross · « **Reply #8 on:** December 17, 2003, 12:40:31 PM »

If economy is the ruling criterion, we must eliminate all hobbies. If furthering our education is worth anything we may continue to tinker.
It isn't amusement, it is research, or confirming old research.
We are serious people, and are not here to have fun.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross

longwinters · « **Reply #9 on:** December 17, 2003, 12:42:24 PM »

Some people might have more time than money. I have enough money (not a lot but enough) that I would probably just buy more primers . . . but I have thought about salvaging primers several times just because it annoys me to waste stuff.

long

Donna · « **Reply #10 on:** December 17, 2003, 01:59:07 PM »

Hello all,

Yes, Primer cups are made of a malleable alloy but it still has a nice spring back ability. Not everyone that asks why does so in an attempt to learn. Some ask why in an attempt to belittle others. There is nothing necessarily bad in learning the hard way especially when it is the only way to learn or you can make a better mouse trap. Im just saying dont knock others for doing something. I may not do what another person is doing and Ill give my reasons but if that person really want to do it his or her way I say have fun. Popping primers out and reusing them is not necessarily hazardous or take much time to do or sacrificing quality over cost. But if you think that your time is worth more that a primer or it is too hazardous to do or the quality might be to poor then, DONT DO IT. I dont go fishing all day to catch one fish because it is cost effective; I do it for other reasons. Do you really think your saving money by reloading? If you say yes then I believe your lying to yourself and others. Your probably spending the same amount of money if not more, the thing is we just get to shoot more. How is that not saving money? How is buying a TV for $200.00 that is reduced by 20%, that you dont need saving you money? Youre still spending $200.00. I can save real money by not buying the TV in the first place. People have a warped sense of what savings and free are. For me I feel that I can recycle my primers safely, economically, and have a high degree that the primers are of good quality.

While I believe it is all right to give personal opinions I do not believe it is all right to portray them as facts. That is what politicians do.

Oh yes, one more thing, if anything I have said does not apply to you, then I was not talking to you. :wink:

Donna

BruceP · « **Reply #11 on:** December 17, 2003, 03:28:25 PM »

Donna, I agree in that one should do what they feel is best as long as safety is first and foremost. I really don’t have a firm stand one way or the other for what everyone else should do on this. I was merely adding to T/C nimrods thought and giving everyone a little more to think about. So if I happened to be one that steped on any toes it was unintentional.
I have knocked out a few live primers myself but not a lot and not for the purpose of reusing them.
I do have to ask you one thing though. Do you really not save money buying an item on sale that you don't need?
Dang, my wife's been lyin' to me for almost 18 years now. :lol:
BruceP