Primer Questions

[waveone]

Does anyone have experience with storing primers for long term and primer shelf life?


In terms of primers for AR platform, both 556 and 308, what are optimum sizes. Never reloaded for an AR whereas for my bolt guns I use the CCI 200 and 250 lrge rifle primers for my 308 and 300 respectively.

While I am certain this topic has been covered I would like to hear from someone who does this regularly because it would seem this application is a bit more complicated than simply loading for a bolt gun.

thanks

 

[Joe Kidd]

I've got primers 12-15yrs old that I'm still using, and shot ammo older than that. I store them in sealed military ammo cans in my home with a small desiccant can inside. I suspect that actual primer life stored properly could go 50yrs+. Temp extremes and humidity is the killer on storing primers. I can't help on the AR platform.

 

[Pinecone]

I load Remington 7 1/2 or CCI 450 for 5.56.

For ARs, there is a chance of a slam fire. Remington 7 1/2 is what Remington says they load in military ammunition. CCI 450 has a thicker primer cup, the same as the #41 military primer.

Of course, the #41 military primer is a good choice, but they are more expensive.

 

[wildfowler]

I believe the #41 is also considered a magnum primer. CCI says to use magnum data. (If that is important to anyone?)


CCI Ammunition - Primer Details

 

[exx1976]

I use Tula AR primers for my AR-15. Work great, go bang every time, and last time PVI had some in stock they were $20/k. I stocked up.

With regards to primer life, I bought 10k primers last year at a gun show for $20/k, and they are OLD school Winchester. Like two box designs ago. Every single one of them has gone bang properly. They were two original sealed cases of 5k each. When I opened the cases, the original 1k boxes inside were pristine.

 

[waveone]

I load Remington 7 1/2 or CCI 450 for 5.56.

For ARs, there is a chance of a slam fire. Remington 7 1/2 is what Remington says they load in military ammunition. CCI 450 has a thicker primer cup, the same as the #41 military primer.

Of course, the #41 military primer is a good choice, but they are more expensive.

This gets to the heart of where I am going with this. I have shot Prvi 168 match in my P308 with no problems. I would like to buy some Prvi primers and try some loads with them. Thanks for the heads up on the Remington primers. THat is the info am looking for

are they interchangeable between 556 and 308?

 

[armorpl8chikn]

CCI450 for ALL AR15 loads at my house. I have primers from 1988, not many but a few hundred. I use them as a control about every five years. They were quite good 2 years ago. I keep my primers on a shelf. House is not air conditioned but where I live it rarely gets in the 90's, and when it does not for many hours.