Priming cases: when and how long can they sit?

[TNSleeper99]

This maybe a rather elementary question, but I’ve finished a large amount of brass prep for my PRS rifle. Is there any downside to priming a bunch of brass and then just leaving them ready to charge and seat projectiles for maybe 6 months? It seems to me the primers are basically open to the environment in the box anyway...

 

[kindabitey]

as long as it's not a very humid environment, you should be fine. I usually prime 4-500 at a time, but they don't get to sit around for that long.

 

[lash]

As long as you store the primed cases in the same cool dry place as you store your other loading supplies, you are fine.

 

[mercervillerental]

Ditto above. If I expect them to sit around for a while I put them in some type of container or ziplock with some silica gel packs.

 

[spife7980]

Yes, primers rot once they are removed from the cardboard and plastic, thats why they can just sit on the shelves for decades but then some how go bad all of the sudden once removed.

 

[lash]

Yes, primers rot once they are removed from the cardboard and plastic, thats why they can just sit on the shelves for decades but then some how go bad all of the sudden once removed.

Yowza!
Brutal!

But, yes.
What he said.

 

[Dthomas3523]

Yes, primers rot once they are removed from the cardboard and plastic, thats why they can just sit on the shelves for decades but then some how go bad all of the sudden once removed.

This is why I hadn’t replied yet. Primers sit for months or years. Nothing magical happens once they are in brass.

 

[Powder_Burns]

Cartridges aren’t hermetically sealed even if the case mouth and primer pocket have sealant on them. Plenty of surplus ammunition pushing close to 100 years is still going bang. You’ll be fine.

 

[TNSleeper99]

Yes, primers rot once they are removed from the cardboard and plastic, thats why they can just sit on the shelves for decades but then some how go bad all of the sudden once removed.

I hope your primers rot!

 

[spife7980]

 

[mscott]

They can sit for years. I bought some primed 9mm brass from a guy that was primed about 10 prior and they all worked without a hickup. They were badly tarnished when I got them so I even tumbled the primed brass before loading. No problems at all.