Rebuilding primers - re-priming compound

[cmj8591]

HOLY SNEYEKIES you could get into trouble just by reading this thing I did enjoy the step by step about how to build a 9mm pistol and a 12 ga shotgun out of some scrap lumber, some galvanized pipe and some fittings.

I hit the download button. I think my name is now on a list someplace!

I have to go now. There is a black van pulling up in front of my house!

 

[wheelgun28]

HOLY SNEYEKIES you could get into trouble just by reading this thing I did enjoy the step by step about how to build a 9mm pistol and a 12 ga shotgun out of some scrap lumber, some galvanized pipe and some fittings.

Does this make HomeDepot an FFL now?

May I see your pistol permit to buy that pipe sir...

 

[cgt4570]

I hit the download button. I think my name is now on a list someplace!

I have to go now. There is a black van pulling up in front of my house!

And I can hear the black choppers on their way, too!
My wife's convinced we'll end up on the new some day.
How many arms and rounds equal an 'arsenal'? I can't remember.

 

[Funflyer]

Prime-All is overpriced for such a small amount. If and when reloading primers becomes necessary you should already have the chemicals on hand ready to go. More than one "how to" source for recipes available from net searches, and bulk chemicals can be found here.

 

[rwsmith]

Full Survivalist mode.....

I can see me sitting at the bench removing anvils, flattening the dimple, charging and reinstalling the anvils on 2000 primers.

 

[walnutred]

My physics teacher in high school (1970s) had some quirks but was interesting. He had spent at least one tour as a FAC pilot in SEA in the 60s. One of the classes he was only allowed to teach once was an improvised munitions class subtitled "Household chemicals you should NOT mix together." At the time I had Stevens Favorite in 32 RF, which my dad later had converted to 32 Long CF. Prior to the conversion Mr. Phillips guided me on reloading 32 RF using a home made priming compound. The most tedious part was removing the firing pin dimple but the cases I had were copper out of Canada so a little softer than brass.

 

[gwpercle]

If in the event things get that bad and I run out of ammo I'll start using my flintlocks, no primers needed.....

And after the Flintlock ... I still have my Bow and Arrows !
Gary

 

[AlHunt]

I can see me sitting at the bench removing anvils, flattening the dimple, charging and reinstalling the anvils on 2000 primers.

It's even worse than that. I've found that anvils don't always fit into a different cup. Since all my primers are mixed together I don't know if it's brand specific or just a little deformation from removing the anvil.

 

[Speedo2]

Today's replacement cost for small pistol primers is anywhere between $0.14 (Ammoseek) and $0.28 (GB) EACH!! This cannot be sustained.

However, if it does, I'm gonna need new glasses. -OO- Big ones.

 

[rwsmith]

When my Sis was a chemistry student...

...some joker made a batch of this stuff in crystal form and spread it on sidewalk on campus. So when people walked over it it popped and sparkled. Somebody deduced that it was an electrical short in the ground and called a crew to dig up the road.

The students told them that someone was pulling their leg but they were insistent that a dangerous electrical short was the problem and proceeded to dig up the road.

 

[steelslaver]

I have downloaded this manual and others, have bought copies of Uncle Fester's Home Workshop Explosives, the Anarchist Cook Book etc and my Federal security clearance to enter unguarded international ports is still with me.

Working in a refinery they sometimes check you lunch box when entering. One thing they say they look for is explosives. That is really funny to me. I am going in to work on a big bomb, pressure vessels, pyrophoric chemicals, explosive vapors with really low flashpoints, acids, caustics, pressure vessels. The valves are right there and open just like a water spigot after you remove the plug with you channel locks. Now thats funny right there. There are tons of rules and procedures in placed to try to keep people from blowing the place up and they search you for explosives. Now thats funny right there.

Like my brother said, when they first started the all the background check deals after 911. Hey, they know where we have have been for the last 30 some years, mostly working in these things and we haven't blown one up, yet.
Thank God.

 

[leadhead2]

Back in the late 50's there was a product called atom pearls. They were
a little bit bigger than BB's and when you thru them on cement they
would make a pretty good bang. Used to throw them against the black
board in school when the teacher wasn't looking. Went to the roller
skating rink and throw a whole box out on the floor and sometimes,
the bang would knock them off there skates..... Good Times
leadhead

 

[BRL40]

...If I had to make my own, I'd likely find a more practical hobby.

When I was younger, I used to make up all kinds of homemade Boomers!

When I got older, there were a few times that I still had the urge to make up a few homemade Boomers!

Eventually, I got the same results though, and came to the conclusion that I was still just as stupid as before and that Guardian Angles do really exist!

I no longer have an urge to mess with homemade stuff like that.

 

[nbedford]

And I can hear the black choppers on their way, too!
My wife's convinced we'll end up on the new some day.
How many arms and rounds equal an 'arsenal'? I can't remember.

Location, location, location. Depends on where you live, if Massachusetts then 2, if Texas then what, 40?.

 

[AlHunt]

Well, here I go. I got the "re-priming compound" a week or two ago. Today I re-made 9 (started out with 10 and dropped a cup). Drying now and tomorrow I'll test them out.

I can see where the process could be improved a lot but for the moment I'm following the directions to the letter. Once I master it, I'll head off the reservation. Definitely, they're little fiddly things to mess with and there's a lot of imprecision that think can be improved upon.

Just to reiterate, I don't see this as a recreational shooting activity and the compound is almost certainly corrosive. But in 2021, when I need to shoot an intruder, I don't want to have to wait for my "Intruder Shooting Permit" before my background check in order to buy the 1 round of ammo we'll be allowed. And I don't want to wait for the great "Spent Primer Shortage" before I figure it out. Besides, it's kind of interesting.

I took the left over mix, put it on the vise and whacked it with a hammer. It went bang. I'll watch the vise now to see if it rusts in the next couple of days.

 

[AlHunt]

It Works!

It's the next day and I can report that the re-made primers work just fine.

I tested 3 primed cases first. No point in building live rounds if the primers are duds. They really didn't make much noise and I couldn't be certain the first one had gone off until I saw the smoke roll. (If and when I come back to this, I might re-visit roll caps. 2 roll caps in the primer cup were more energetic than the PrimeAll compound in the kit.)

Came back inside, built 1 round over a starting charge of AA2 and headed out, frankly skeptical due my 1st 3 being such mosquito farts. But, I squeezed the trigger and got a nice BANG. I'll be darned....

Headed back inside, made a few more ... and they all went "BANG". OK, so I can re-make my own primers if I absolutely have to.

Then I scrubbed the 686 better than it's ever been cleaned because I'm certain these things are corrosive. I'm 99.999% certain the white powder is potassium chloride and the anvil on my vise from yesterday is showing a sheen of rust.

So, I'm going to set it aside for a while as I delve into the mysteries of making my own black powder. I'll develop the process to at least be able to shoot the revolvers and bolt guns with homebrewed ingredients.

It's not how I want to shoot but if I NEED to shoot, I don't want to be at the mercy of some corporate or bureaucratic overlords.

[Engaging Jocularity Mode]
So be on the lookout for Dr. Al's Custom ReMade Primers at finer gun stores near you! Only 10 bucks each! (buy 9 and the 10th one is free)
[Jocularity Mode Off]

 

[Culina]

whats the going rate per pound of spent primers?

 

[AlHunt]

whats the going rate per pound of spent primers?

It depends on how bad the hoarding gets...

 

[lrrifleman]

@Al,

I am set up to manufacture my percussion caps for my 1861 Navy with the roll caps. I think that I may be more comfortable recharging spent primers with 2-3 roll cap blisters than this compound. Have you tried recharging primers with roll caps yet? Have they proven to be relatively reliable? Have you felt a threat of corrosion after using cap primed primers?

Thanks, Ed

 

[ralph7]

I'll buy airguns before I try to reload primers...