How long do stored primers last?

[opeagle]

While I've only been reloading a few years, I don't think I've seen this discussed.

While reading the current issue of SWAT magazine, a sidebar in an article makes the claim that factory ammo will keep for decades, but the same cannot be said for exposed or even properly stored primers-the weak point in reloading components.

Rather than worry about the Authors views, as I'm skeptical of some of them, what is the shelf life of a primer given average storage conditions?

 

[Rotortuner]

While I've only been reloading a few years, I don't think I've seen this discussed.

While reading the current issue of SWAT magazine, a sidebar in an article makes the claim that factory ammo will keep for decades, but the same cannot be said for exposed or even properly stored primers-the weak point in reloading components.

Rather than worry about the Authors views, as I'm skeptical of some of them, what is the shelf life of a primer given average storage conditions?

in a stable low humidity environment, i would think 10-20 years no problem. i load with primers that are already about 5 years old with zero problems.

 

[mdmp5]

I think the whole belief that primers are unstable and vulnerable is a bunch of shit. The old adage of not handling primers due to skin oils contaminating and deactivating them has been disproven. Many guys have tried to inactivate primers with WD40, and they still detonate. I see no true expiration date on primers, but 20 year old primers might be worth looking into to see if they work well, because logically speaking, newer should be better

 

[lte82]

I shot some ammo from the 40s or 50s in a garand last year. Zero misfires. A properly stored primer will last just as long as it would in a piece of brass. You may get slightly less ignition but it will still work.

 

[Cascade_Sherpa]

I bought enough small rifle primers to last through the Zombie Apocalypse and two terms of BHO so hopefully mine are going to last in military surplus steel artillery cases in my garage packed with desiccant.....

 

[FLIGHT762]

I think the whole belief that primers are unstable and vulnerable is a bunch of shit. The old adage of not handling primers due to skin oils contaminating and deactivating them has been disproven. Many guys have tried to inactivate primers with WD40, and they still detonate. I see no true expiration date on primers, but 20 year old primers might be worth looking into to see if they work well, because logically speaking, newer should be better

I will agree. I have primers from the 50's,60's and 70's. Military and commercial. All that I have reloaded and tested have ignited just fine. I don't know where the author of the SWAT magazine article is getting his data, but I do believe he may be full of shit, just guessing.

Over the past 3 decades, I've had the opportunity to shoot a lot of old ammunition that had been turned into a L/E agency for destruction. Much of the ammo was destroyed, one at a time. The only failures to fire were some Winchester paper shotgun shells from the 50's. I learned that Winchester had changed the priming mixture in the shot shells and the mixture in this era didn't fare well. All of the oldest Federal and Remington shells fired.

The only other ammo I had issues with is some WWI (1918) USCCo. 30/06 ball ammunition. Many were hang fires. The ammo had been stored for many decades in the dirt under a house. I've shot a lot of WWII military ammo, .30 Carbine , 30 M2 Ball and 45 ammo that all fired. I don't recall any WWII properly stored ammo having ignition problems.

Granted, storage conditions can have effects on the primers. I was recently given a 1000 pack of CCI large pistol primers marked "1964". They are brass primers and some had a slight black patina on them from age. I tested 10 of them and the 10 all fired and appeared to be robust. I believe storage conditions can matter, but any current primers, properly stored, should last for many decades.

 

[opeagle]

I agree that loaded ammo is fine, as I've been a party to shooting surplus ammo from as far as the the 1940's - 1950's. Like others said relatively problem free I might add.

And I've seen people do a lot to deaden a primer, but that was assumably a recent primer.

The claim that stored primers don't last kinda suprised me.

 

[George Az]

I found a box of BR small rifle I have had since 93- I remember because that is when I bought the rifle. I found them tucked into a corner of my roll away - so unheated/unregulated garages and a short session in a below freezing storage unit for the last 20 years. All still went bang.

My buddies father just passed, serious reloader for years. Some of the stuff is pretty old, all from a low humidity standpoint though - all from the West. Everything is working well. I could see how Florida, or the East might be different. My humidity is very low.

 

[lancetkenyon]

My Dad gave me some old Remington primers that are at LEAST 40 years old. Put a few in some .22-250 brass to see if they would still ignite. The day at the range was no different than any other. Same loads with the old primers all went bang and all POI stayed the same.

 

[High Binder]

I was given a bunch of really old primers that the guy said he hadn't touched since the early 70s (so about 40yrs old) and they all went boom just like any new primer..

 

[Ring]

store in airtight ammo cans, and not a issue

 

[dbateman]

Modern production primes will last as long as you need them to as long as you make a little effort to store them properly.

 

[iamtheav8r]

I think the whole belief that primers are unstable and vulnerable is a bunch of shit. The old adage of not handling primers due to skin oils contaminating and deactivating them has been disproven. Many guys have tried to inactivate primers with WD40, and they still detonate. I see no true expiration date on primers, but 20 year old primers might be worth looking into to see if they work well, because logically speaking, newer should be better

I read an article where a guy was trying to dispose of old primers and he tried all kinds of things to make them inert including dousing in water, oil, etc. Nothing worked. The primer manufacturers are laughing at the thought of all of us handling primers with autoclaved tools and nitrile gloves in a class 3 clean room.

 

[dariof]

I shot some 9mm using Federal primers I had for about 18 years. No problems or misfires. Every one of them went "boom!" They were stored in a regular cardboard box with a gaping hole in the top of the box. They went through the cold of winters and the heat of the summer out here.

 

[M40_A1]

Over the past 3 decades, I've had the opportunity to shoot a lot of old ammunition that had been turned into a L/E agency for destruction. Much of the ammo was destroyed, one at a time.

I hope your insurance is paid up!

I've never had a primer fail on me yet, new or old. They keep trying to screw our primers up. Remember several years back when "they" (whoever that is... lobbyists?) were calling for primers to me made with a shelf life on purpose, and tracking numbers in each primer? Now the greenie weenies want lead-free primers, and so far there has been no lead-free compound developed that is really good enough to use or will last as long on the shelf. Let's hope nobody messes with our primers!

 

[opeagle]

I hope not as well. I'm a fan of the magazine but I wanted to get the opinion from experienced long time practicioners like yourselves.

I'm thinking the opinion offered was, well not well researched.

 

[BuzzBoss915]

I stopped using CCI many years ago but still have them on the shelf and I bet they will fire exactly as they are supposed to. The only caution I have read concerning primers is keep them in the original boxes and I firmly believe it. They say, for sure, don't store them loose in glass jars, I think there is a concern about static electricity; at least that's what I read in an old manual once? BB

 

[ShtrRdy]

I have some primers from the mid 70's that I stored in a garage for about 15 years. Temps probably ranged from 0 to 120 degree F, while the humidity was low. I've been using them for practice loads and had one give me a delay fire once. Otherwise they go bang when they needed to.

 

[vwike]

in a stable low humidity environment, i would think 10-20 years no problem. i load with primers that are already about 5 years old with zero problems.

I live in oklahoma and can absolutely verify that primers will go bad in a humid environment. I have muron primers that have been on my reloading table for a year. The last pack of 100 was about 60 percent of them bad. A lot of humidity in the air in oklahoma. The next batch I buy will be stored in a sealed case

 

[NiteQwill]

I live in oklahoma and can absolutely verify that primers will go bad in a humid environment. I have muron primers that have been on my reloading table for a year. The last pack of 100 was about 60 percent of them bad. A lot of humidity in the air in oklahoma. The next batch I buy will be stored in a sealed case

This must be an April Fool's joke. You literally bumped a nearly decade old thread...

 

[JoeZ]

This must be an April Fool's joke. You literally bumped a nearly decade old thread...

And he joined just to make that post!

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

Being more than somewhat blond,, I bought into it, hook, line and sinker until I got to the last two posts.

I’ll give the newbie credit, at least he goes back checking out what has been written rather than blurting out a question or statement that was addressed days, weeks months or years ago.

 

[MarshallDodge]

I'm still loading and shooting Winchester LRP from the early 90s.

 

[supercorndogs]

I traded for a bunch CCI 250s a few years back k from the 70s and 80s. They shot the same groups and produced the SDs as new CCI 250s.

 

[hkguns]

Bottom line is your primers will outlive you unless you do stupid shit with them.

 

[Conaso]

I live in oklahoma and can absolutely verify that primers will go bad in a humid environment. I have muron primers that have been on my reloading table for a year. The last pack of 100 was about 60 percent of them bad. A lot of humidity in the air in oklahoma. The next batch I buy will be stored in a sealed case

Oklahoma? Sooner late than never...