Thread: Safest Method Of Discharging Unknown Primers?

I tried to kill a bunch of primers that were in similar handloads of unknown parentage, pulled the pills, dumped the powder and pressed the primers out. Soaked a couple in water, a couple in crc and a couple in oil. They all went off, I chucked on earmuffs and safety glasses and gave them a light tap with a hammer on a block of steel. Set off a couple of unmolested ones for a comparison, no difference in volume or pop... Conclusion is if you want to be rid of them the only safe and sure way to deactivate them is in the time honored fashion, setting them off. Even if you soak them and it does desensitize them, no guarantees that they won't dry out and get some of their mojo back. To be fair they aren't that violent even setting them off with a tap from a hammer on steel. You just end up with a flattened cup with the deformed anvil left in it.

The way I'd do it in your case is just press the primers out, collect them one at a time to minimise the numbers in the press if you do get a pop and into a primer tray before doing the next. Wear earmuffs/earplugs and safety glasses as the minimum, and you won't have any issues.