# drilling shells



## emtmike

OK I have had it. I have now destroyed 3 308 shells and 4 45 shells just trying to drill them. Is there an easy way to drill them out? And yes I have already done a search on the home page to find what I need. If there is anybody that has some kind of a jig or just an easy way to drill the dam things out PLEASE TELL MEâ€¦. Thanks   MIKE


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## mrcook4570

I don't do anything special with them.  I just put them in a vise like a pen blank and drill with my old trusty HF bits.  I know of some who pad the vise with leather, but I haven't had any problems without padding.  I also drill slow with light pressure to avoid spinning the shell.  

The first few I tried with brad points, however, ended in disaster.


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## arjudy

You can also make two wood blocks with a 90 degree cut out like a V and hold the casing in between the two when clamping in the vise.


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## alamocdc

Before I got my PHD vise, I drilled mine on the lathe using a scroll chuck to hold the casing.


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## Gordon

Mike

I've had to use a little oil on my bit sometimes.  If I slightly crushed the shell casing in my vise when drilling - I insert an appropriate tappered punch in the casing and hand press to restore the shape - and have been able to sand the vise marks off of the brass casings. 

 Nickel platted casings are a different story - easy to sand away the nickel plating leaving the brass casing.

Good luck.

Gordon


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## Jim Boyd

The primers in all of mine were dimpled off center causing the hole to go off center. To solve this I am using a <u>LONG</u> 1/8" bit and drilling from the inside out. This removes the primer and the shell can then be drilled normally. Just the way that works for me.


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## emtmike

OK Here is what I have decided to try. I have taken the casings and filled them with Gorilla glue. I plan on letting the glue do its thing while drying, I know it will expand. I plan on trimming the glue up so it is where I want it then I will drill out the shell with the 7 mm bit. This, I hope, will help me keep the tube centered. Let me know what you think. Thanks   MIKE


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## laspringer

I drill with a unibit, if I am off center after the first step I can adjust the brass and the unibit seems to correct my mistake of not centered.


Alan


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## Thumbs

Mike, drill first with a smaller bit like an 1/8" at about 800-900RPM.  Then use the bit required for your tubing at the same speed. ( I forget whether I used an "I" or "J" bit for the SlimLine kit. )  Use an old piece of inner tube or something like that if you still need to keep the brass from spinning. I did the same thing to the first few I tried.


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## pssherman

Mike,
I use a pin punch to drive the primer out of the casing. Then, I put the casing in a drilling vise (made by PSI) and use the primer hole to allign the drill bit (size I for a slimline). Use very light pressure so that the casing does not start to turn in the vise. This gives me a perfectly centered hole every time. 

I have drilled out over a dozen 45 AUTO and 30-06 casings in my experiments. My problem is in figuring out how to solder 2 of the 45 cases (about 3/4 inch long) together end-to-end and get it to look good. I am starting to produce better results, but every pen will take 4 of these casing.

Paul in AR


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## Thumbs

Mike, as Paul just mentioned, casings without the primer are very easy to drill and get the hole exactly centered.  Knocking out the used primer is a very good idea!  However, while gun shops often have used brass for sale very cheap, new brass without the primer cap is also very cheap.  One cautionary note about buying used brass though, every once in a while you might find a cartridge casing that someone was going to reload, had then put a new cap in it, and subsequently changed their mind!  I had gotten one in a bulk buy that way!  Not a big deal if you remember to check every casing before drilling.  I do!  Another note: when you discharge this kind of cap do it outside where it won't be so hard on your eardrums. LOL! DAMHIKT![}][]


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## Randy_

> _Originally posted by Thumbs_<br />.....One cautionary note about buying used brass though, every once in a while you might find a cartridge casing that someone was going to reload, had then put a new cap in it, and subsequently changed their mind!  I had gotten one in a bulk buy that way!  Not a big deal if you remember to check every casing before drilling.  I do!  Another note: when you discharge this kind of cap do it outside where it won't be so hard on your eardrums. LOL! DAMHIKT![}][]



I used to do some reloading of ammunition and want to warn everyone  that primed cases are <b>dangerous</b>!!  Never had to do it so I'm not sure what the recommended method is for removing a live priimer from a case; but if you just pop the primer with a nail and a hammer, the primer could blow out and put out an eye!!  Bob, how did you deal with the problem??


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## Randy_

I found this after a quick search.

<b>".....The safest way to handle a live primer is to place a drop of mineral oil into the primer from inside the case and let stand for a while. The oil will render the primer pellet inert and allow you to safely deprime the case....."</b>


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## Thumbs

You are absolutely right, Randy!  I should have added another note about proper shielding between you and any hurry up de-priming methods as you don't know what particles may be blown about by the discharge of a cap in the shop environment. Plain old dirt can damage an eye very easily at speed.  By the way, I did shield my self from the cap end of the casing and directed the discharge into a safe receptacle.  You'd have thought I was a CSI guy!  LOL![]


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## Fangar

The easiest way to drill them is on the lathe.  I have a couple different setups.  If you have a Supernova Scroll Chuck or similar chuck, there are dowel or pin jaws available. Here is a photo fo a 300 win mag in the jaws:

NOTE: The primer was not removed prior to the photos.  I use a small punch to knock them out first!






For my 300's,. I turned a collet insert for my Beall Collet Chuck, from and idea that Eagle mentioned to me.  I use the 3/4" collet inside of the chuck.  The insert was drilled to the proper ID to just slide over the casing.  Then the insert and the casing are placed into the collet assembly.  This works best by far and does not mar the outer surface of the casing.  












Cheers,

Fangar


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## alamocdc

James, you're killing me here. I had just about talked myself out of buying a Beall and you go and post something like this. Thanks for costing me even more money. [] Now LOML will have even more reason to make me sleep in the shop. [:0]


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## Rifleman1776

> _Originally posted by Randy__
> <br />I found this after a quick search.
> 
> <b>".....The safest way to handle a live primer is to place a drop of mineral oil into the primer from inside the case and let stand for a while. The oil will render the primer pellet inert and allow you to safely deprime the case....."</b>



   That's the right advice. Hope all read it before attempting to mess with a live primer. Actually, any oil will deactivate the primer. WD-40 is a good choice too.


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## Randy_

> _Originally posted by Fangar_<br />... This works best by far and does <b>"NOT"</b> mar the outer surface of the casing.



James:  I'm thinking this is what you meant to say??


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## Randy_

> _Originally posted by Rifleman_[br
> That's the right advice. Hope all read it before attempting to mess with a live primer. Actually, any oil will deactivate the primer. WD-40 is a good choice too.



Frank:  I was going to email you if I had not been able to find the info with a quick Internet search.  I figured that you would know the proper techinique!![^]


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## Randy_

> _Originally posted by Fangar_<br />The easiest way to drill them is on the lathe.  I have a couple different setups.  If you have a Supernova Scroll Chuck or similar chuck, there are dowel or pin jaws available......



Another one for you, James. How does the SN chuck do as far as protecting the surface of the cartridge?  Seems like your wooden insert would be useful in that 
set-up as well??


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## Randy_

> _Originally posted by alamocdc_<br />James, you're killing me here. I had just about talked myself out of buying a Beall and you go and post something like this. Thanks for costing me even more money. [] Now LOML will have even more reason to make me sleep in the shop. [:0]



Right on, Billy!!  I have been trying to talk myself out of buying one of those ever since Charles put them in his I-store at such a good price.  So far, I'm not having much luck.[V]  Only thing that has stopped me so far is the fact there is a real nice wire welder on eBay that needs a new home!![]


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## Fangar

> _Originally posted by Randy__
> <br />
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Originally posted by Fangar_<br />... This works best by far and does <b>"NOT"</b> mar the outer surface of the casing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> James:  I'm thinking this is what you meant to say??
Click to expand...


You are correct.  I edited my post to reflect the correction.

Fangar


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## Fangar

Billy,  

It really is useful, especially when you get all the collets.  I now use it to hold my 5/8" aluminum stock for drilling too. 

Randy,

Believe it or not, the SN chuck with those jaws really does not mar the casing really.  Usually it buffs right off prior to powdercoating, but you are right a similar insert could be used in that too.

Fangar


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## byounghusband

> Right on, Billy!! I have been trying to talk myself out of buying one of those ever since <b>Charles put them in his I-store</b> at such a good price.



<s>Where??  Please clue me in.</s>  Never mind, I found it......[B)]


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## C. Scott

emtmike,

Someone may have mention this already but, I just use two 1/2" drill chucks in my Jet Mini to drill out the casings.  It works perfectly!  I put the bit into the headstock, casing in the tail, turn at 500rpm, lay a rag on the lathe bed and use a spray bottle with water to keep the casing cool as I slowly feed it into the bit.  The drill chucks are $10 at Harbor Freight.
Hope this helps.

Regards,

C. Scott


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## Sylvanite

> The safest way to handle a live primer is to place a drop of mineral oil into the primer from inside the case and let stand for a while. The oil will render the primer pellet inert and allow you to safely deprime the case





> That's the right advice. Hope all read it before attempting to mess with a live primer. Actually, any oil will deactivate the primer. WD-40 is a good choice too.


Sorry to revive an old thread, but I feel safety compels me to reply.  Saturating a live primer with oil (mineral or WD-40) is NOT a reliable to deactivate it.  Primers used to be very sensitive to oil contamination, but modern ones can survive oil immersion.  In fact, people have left primers in a jar of WD-40 for several weeks and they still functioned when test-fired.

_<b>Do not rely on oil to neutralize a primer!</b>_

The safest way to deactivate a primer is to load the primed case into a gun of the matching caliber and fire it (while pointing it downrange and observing all other good gun handling practices).

The next best way is to deprime the case hydraulically (using water pressure to push the primer out) but that requires a fair amount of tooling.  A common, but somewhat unsafe method, is to deprime using a decapping die (a standard reloading tool) while being very - very careful with the pressure and looking the other way just in case.  I've done that many times, and although I've never had one go off, I always assume that the next one may.

The safest thing to do with primed brass (if you have no way of loading it) is to crush the case mouth with a pair of pliers and throw it away.

If you have a primed case that you absolutely, positively have to use, and have no safe way to deprime yourself, send me an email and I'll try to arrange to deprime it for you.

Be safe,
Eric


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## alamocdc

> _Originally posted by Sylvanite_
> A common, but somewhat unsafe method, is to deprime using a decapping die (a standard reloading tool) while being very - very careful with the pressure and looking the other way just in case.  I've done that many times, and although I've never had one go off, I always assume that the next one may.
> 
> Be safe,
> Eric


I too have deprimed a few dozen shells this way, but it scares the #$*& out of me every time! Then I learned to prime the shells only when I was truly ready to load them.[B)]


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## bonefish

I agree with Eric about not relying on oil to kill the primer.

The advice I would give is not to mess with a live primer at all. The one and only safe way to remove a live primer is to fire it in a rifle chambered for the cartridge.

DO NOT ever try to drill out a live primer, either from the front or back.

Eric, I have also removed live primers in the loading press, but never again. I never had one go off, but as alamocdc says, it scared the, well never mind out of me each time I did it.

To drill out the case. First remove the FIRED primer. You can use a 16 penny nail with the tip ground down to fit the flash hole. Drill a 1/4 to 3/8 diameter hole in a block of wood and place the base of the case centered over the hole. Insert the nail from the mouth of the case and tap the FIRED primer out.

I don't know what type of equipment you have, but if you have anything similiar to what Fanger showed, that's the way to go. I have a metal lathe, so it is not a problem for me.

Another way to do it is to take two pieces of 3/4" pine board about the size of a deck of cards and clamp them togather. Drill a hole, about 7/16 in diameter in the crack where the two pieces of wood are clamped togather.

Remove the clamp, and if you have a vice, put the wood between the jaws and the cartridge in the hole, then tighten the vice jaws. Use the primer pocket and flash hole to start the drill in the center.

If you have a drill press, and a drill press vice, clamp the wood in it and drill out the primer pocket on the drill press. This is easier than using a hand drill.

Questions similiar to this appear quite often. I have the equipment to do it, and I have thought about volunteering to drill out cartridges for pen makers who do not have the proper equipment.

All I would charge is for the postage to return them, and maybe a few cents for gas when I took the cases to be mailed.

If anyone is interested, let me know. I have a lot of empty cases, in different calibers, and I could furnish the case also, saving the trouble of mailing it to me and sending it back.

If it is for a case I don't have, then you would have to send it to me. But, NO CASES WITH LIVE PRIMERS.

Bonefish


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## richinva

> _Originally posted by Randy__
> <br />I found this after a quick search.
> 
> <b>".....The safest way to handle a live primer is to place a drop of mineral oil into the primer from inside the case and let stand for a while. The oil will render the primer pellet inert and allow you to safely deprime the case....."</b>



Randy,

The above may work and it may not.  Some primers are coated/sealed to prevent moisture intrusion, so the mineral oil may not find a hole in the coating.  I have deprimed literally thousands of pieces of primed brass through years of handloading, but it's not something that's recommended.  Unless you're really used to it, I'd say the safest way to handle a live primer is to don't..............

Primers are made to want to go off, and IMHO, it takes quite a bit to make them something they're not.

Rich in VA


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