Deactivating Primers?

The Problem

After loading several hundred rounds of ammunition not too long ago, I then discovered that two primers had been seated sideways and one upside down. I removed the bullets and recovered the powder but decided to discard the shells with their damaged primers. But since the primers were still live, I wondered what should I do to deactivate them?

Answers

In my researches that followed, I was surprised when several individuals basically said it can’t be done: you can’t deactivate primers.

“Surely this cannot be,” I thought. “What do big companies like Winchester, CCI, and Federal do if they mess up a batch? Surely they have a way to render the material harmless?”

Reloading Manufacturers

From ammunition and reloading companies, I got these answers.

Both RCBS and Dillon (reloading equipment manufacturers) state in their instruction and/or on-line help files that damaged primers should be soaked in oil, or simply that contact with oil deactivates primers.

And RCBS, in describing how to lubricate one of their presses warns:

Lay Opinion

But in spite of those, one lay shooter reported that, after a short soak in various oil-based substances (incl. Hoppes #9 and WD-40), his primers would all still go “Bang!”

Confirming this, a [different web site](http://www.predatormastersforum.com/ killprimers.shtml]) reports on their methodical experiments. They found that, even when soaked in water or oil, some brands of primers will re-activate once they’ve dried out.

Primer Manufacturers

“Ok,” I said to myself, “let’s go straight to the horse’s mouth. Let’s ask Winchester, CCI and Federal. They make primers. They should know.”

I visited their websites, found the place to submit questions, and asked each one the same: “How can I safely deactivate primers?”

Federal responded:

Winchester, after a couple of phone calls, responded by telephone:

And Linda at CCI responded by email:

Good idea!

Local Government

I Googled-up the state of Arizona web pages and, therein, found the government department in charge of hazardous material regulations. In two minutes I had them on the phone.

The Police connected me to the bomb squad – am I now on their “Watch” list? – who, after considerable discussion amongst themselves (several of whom were reloaders) said if the quantity was small, I should soak them in water and then put them in the trash. I could swear there were heads nodding in the background as they added, “by the time the primers dry-out and re-activate, they should be safely buried at the city dump.”

I relayed this somewhat surprising answer back to Linda at CCI. She responded, “They are correct that the primers will be active again once they dry out and I am a bit surprised they will eventually be buried at the dump but I am sure they know what is best.”

Bottom Line

Make them go “Bang!”

That’s the only effective way to make a primer inert. You have to fire it. Wear suitable eye and ear protection is, of course, mandatory.

Percussion

If the primer is in an otherwise empty shell, load it into your gun and pull the trigger after aiming in a safe direction. (If someone phones in a complaint and the Police peer over the fence at what you’re doing, things are going to get dicey when they see you with a firearm making loud shoot-y noises!)

If the primer is loose, one person said they hit them with a hammer (one at a time). The bang is comparable to an M-80 firecracker which can do considerable damage. Safety equipment is, as always, mandatory.

Cooking Off

I also found a report that primers can be “cooked off” on a hot plate with a cover, or as another person reported, in a pressure cooker vessel but with a loose lid. Supposedly they do this on their kitchen stove but I doubt my wife would cotton to any such practice.

Burning them in a fire where they go “Bang” and scatter live sparks is another hightly questionable, but nonetheless occasionally reported approach.

Regardless, testing proves that primers can’t be deactivated. If you soak them in oil, they will resurrect their powers once the oil dries out.

You gotta make them do what they were intended to do: make noise!