Making Primers Inert

csf

I have collected four 5 gal. buckets of surplus brass, without projectiles. Most are Turkish 8mm berdan primed or Israeli .308 & 5.56mm boxer primed. All are junk but have live primers. The local recycling center will not accept them as is. I need a recipe to render the primers inert. Firing is Not an option, nor filling each individually, there are just too many. I need something to fill the buckets and let soak. Oil, WD40, kerosene, varsol, paint thinner, etc is too expensive for bulk use. I would need gallons. I need 100% effectiveness. Any suggestions for a formula that you have actually used successfully?

Winston Bode

I?ve seen WD-40 kill primers in just a few minutes

rufe-snow

If your located out in the boonies? Without any close neighbors, to cause problems. Start a fire in a empty 55 gal. drum. Make a basket of screen wire with a long handle. Wearing eye protection and gloves. Barbecue the little suckers, couple hundred at a time. Guaranteed the primers will pop, when they are roasted over a open fire.

11b6r

With GREAT regret, I know of NO means of chemically inerting primers that will last. ALL of the solvents, including WD40 will eventually evaporate, and at least SOME of the primers will go hot again.

fordsix

pizz on them[;)]

beantownshootah

I don't think there is any chemical formula that's 100% effective in killing primers. Most oils or solvents will deactivate primers, but some may reactivate later.

Best way to kill a primer is to fire it.

If you can't/won't fire them the old fashioned way, I think rufe has the most practical solution of bulk-cooking them off.

andrewsw16

I second the safe burning method. I have heard many suggest WD40, but, from my own experimenting, it is NOT reliable. I reprimed several cases then filled the cases with WD40 and let them sit for 24 hours. Then I dumped out the WD40, loaded the cases in a revolver and tried them all. Yep, you guessed it. They ALL fired. [:D] So much for WD40 and inactivating primers.
Something like an old fashioned campfire popcorn cooker with a long handle would probably be a safe way to "cook" primed brass until detonation.
Or, just repowder and rebullet the cases and use them for some fun plinking. That would be the fun way to deactivate the primers. Primers are so stable, I'll bet most, if not all, go off with no problems. [:D]

pip5255

burn them one at a time to be sure it went off or fire them in a gun.
you could try to get someone to take them to reload maybe.

yoshmyster

If they're just shells and primers. Just "pop" the shells through the rifles.

Hawk Carse

It would take a while to run 20 gallons of primed brass through guns.

It would be fastest to improvise a "popping furnace" with provisions to contain flying primer cups, which is the highest velocity item coming out of a heated case.

yonson

Primers can be removed hydraulically with water. Need a punch that fits closely inside the case neck. Put shell in shell holder, set in container with enough water to cover entire shell, hold punch just started in neck. Strike punch with hammer (don't overdo it). Should work, may need some experimentation. Slow but effective if primers aren't crimped too much. Brass has some value at scrap yard if other metals (primers) are removed.

charliemeyer007

I have burnt a lot of loaded ammo in rabbet holes. IMHO you will still need to inspect the brass unless you heat it to molten. Waste engine oil is cheap. I have never had oil killed primers come back to life.