Damaged primers safe to shoot?

[Priority 4]

Anything is possible with the primer. Seating depth is supposed to make a difference with ignition of the powder charge (I don't know for sure). So if the primer is only partially seated in the primer pocket (only one side of the primer seated completely), it's possible the flame won't go through the flashhole consistently. That would affect the ignition of the powder charge which would have a large effect on accuracy.
Also possible the priming pellet compound is partially crushed which might affect the ignition of the primer, causing a change in the ignition of the powder charge. Might not make a difference for blasting ammo, but for precision type shooting, such as load development, etc I would not include the pictured cartridges in the ones I am shooting for extreme accuracy tests.

I gotcha. I guess I was thinking from purely a pressure perspective. From an ignition perspective, I could see that.

OP- Will you let us know the result? If you decide to send them, and if you do, how they perform?

 

[Priority 4]

If they're flush or deeper AND the cup is sealed....id shoot it.

Sealed is a good point. +1

As for depriming, I have pushed at least 1k live primers out in sizing dies and never had one pop.

Wow! I've never been brave enough to try. I never would have guessed.

 

[Adam Gibbs]

Thanks for the advice here. I just didn't know if it would be dangerous for some reason. I gather that accuracy may suffer, but it shouldn't be dangerous.

I'll probably take 5 of the once that are damaged the least, load them and see if there is a POI shift. Repeat until I notice an issue or a accuracy shift.

For those wondering, I do ream the crimps out on a lyman case prep station, but sometime the crimp remover tool just doesn't get it all the way for me for some reason. Then I end up with primers like this. They are the exception, not the rule.

 

[long hunter]

Perhaps the cutter is getting a bit worn. I use a Hornady crimp cutter in a cordless electric drill works just fine, same thing for cleaning the primer pockets just chuck the brush in the drill. I think it gives me better control of the process.

 

[rayporter]

your greatest danger is seating them!!!!

if one goes off the whole tray will go. it has happened often enough thar you should load the primers one at a time.

you also need a primer pocket uniformer to uniform the pockets after you cut the crimp.

i have pushed out a lot with no trouble.

personally i would shoot em for practice and not waste them, but i would use moderate loads. hot loads might not seal well.

 

[49ereric]

I did the same thing with some primer pockets,bevel the pocket to much and they are a loose fit and not enough a tight fit but shot em all.
I prime them one at a time though.

 

[robtattoo]

Go shoot them. They're fine.