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Old primers

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mason View Drop Down
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    Posted: November/19/2008 at 21:48
Good evening,

I was an avid reloader until I had kids.

Well 14 years later I broke out all my equipment and realized I had several hundred rounds of .223 and 9-mm pre-primed and ready to load.

Are these 14 year old primed cases usable? If not is it safe to deprime a loaded primer?

It's kinda funny to look at all the brass I have stored in baby but whipe boxes.
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ckk1106 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ckk1106 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/19/2008 at 22:11
Not sure if the 14 year old primers are still good.  Although, to answer your question about depriming live primers, I've heard it is not safe, although I've have deprimed many, many of them without incident.  Big Smile

Edited by ckk1106 - November/19/2008 at 22:13
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Longhunter View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Longhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/19/2008 at 22:53
Load up a few with mild loads, and check it out by shooting them.  That's what I'm about to do with some old primed .357 cases.  If they're still good, you'll be able to use them and save some time at the reloading bench.  
 
I suspect you will find that the primers are still good, unless they've been exposed to moisture or some other contaminant.
 
As for depriming live primers, I wouldn't play that game!  There's too much to lose, and too little to gain.


Edited by Longhunter - November/19/2008 at 22:56
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silver View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/20/2008 at 05:08
Load some and try them.  On paper they should be ok.
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pyro6999 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/20/2008 at 06:22
ive got primers i still use today that are at least 20yrs old, they have been stored in cool dry areas though
They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead"

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God Bless Chris Ledoux
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bigdaddy0381 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/20/2008 at 07:18

Mason,

 

Just load the primed only cases in the gun and pop the primers. Do about 10 or 15 to see. That way if they are bad it will save time on pulling the bullets and powder back out.

If you knock the live primers out wear goggles and ear muff. I have done 1000 or so and had one go off. It will scare you a little but not hurt anything.

 

Let us know how it works out for you

 

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pyro6999 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/20/2008 at 20:33
ive decapped i dont know how many rounds and never had a primer go off, if its a concern to you pull the bullet and fill the case with water and let it sit for a little bit then decap it.
They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead"

343 we will never forget

God Bless Chris Ledoux
"good ride cowboy"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8shots Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/2008 at 05:01
Originally posted by pyro6999 pyro6999 wrote:

ive decapped i dont know how many rounds and never had a primer go off, if its a concern to you pull the bullet and fill the case with water and let it sit for a little bit then decap it.
 
Clever plan there!
 
I would love to hear the end result, as I also often wonder how long primers are good for. Do they just stop going bang one day, or do they only go "half-bang" or what?
 
I have seen old ammo where the primer just goes "no-bang". This is on Norma of about 30 years old.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/2008 at 06:14
usually no bang at all is the end result and that will scare you a little if that day ever happens
They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead"

343 we will never forget

God Bless Chris Ledoux
"good ride cowboy"
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mason View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mason Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/25/2008 at 07:41
Sorry It took so long to get back.

Yesterday I took a few rounds from each box and test fired the primers.

Wow! under my porch roof they were almost too loud for my ears. They
all went "bang" so I am going to proceed to test powder next with a couple loaded rounds.

Thanks to all for the good tips and I'm sure I'll be back with another question as I am re-learning everything.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rquack Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/01/2008 at 10:03
I was in this same position a few years back. I had several hundred 15 + year old CCi BR2 primers and shot them all up. I noted no difference in them from new ones. Same deal with the powder. Had several pounds of rifle and shotgun powder. I just shot it all up and then bought new. In fact, I'm still shooting up some shot gun shells loaded over 20 years ago and they all go boom without fail. Keeping them stored in a dry and cool location has preserved them well. Heck, when I was a kid, I discovered some 40+ year old factory ammo for Gramp's old 35 Rem and it shot just fine too.

Good shooting.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8shots Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/02/2008 at 00:53
This cannot be said of all ammo. My dad had some 30 year odd Norma rounds. He would aim at a kudu and click, next round, click, then next BOOM.
He insisted to keep them and work his way through them. When he passed away I pulled them all and reloaded them.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/02/2008 at 09:08
did those norma rounds have cordite powder in them?? hell that ammo would be what, 60-70yrs old today if you had it?? plus back then they didnt use primer sealant in factory ammo like they do today

Edited by pyro6999 - December/02/2008 at 09:08
They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead"

343 we will never forget

God Bless Chris Ledoux
"good ride cowboy"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/27/2008 at 14:50
Storage would be the primary concern. If they were kept in a cool, dry place there's no reason not to load them up as some plinking rounds with cheap bullets and a lower charge. I bought a couple hundred pieces of LC 90 and 94 .308 brass at an estate sale and only noticed after I got home that 100 or so were primed. I loaded them light and had no problems. However, I keep that brass segregated and will continue to load light with it and examine it closely. Reason: I have no idea how many times it has been fired. Given that it is mil-surp, chances are just once. But chances are not something to take lightly with shooting. I won't buy used brass again.

The oldest stuff I have around is HXP '62 .30-06 and it has never misfired and has behaved the same ballistically as newer HXP. I keep it in the basement where it never gets over 65 or lower than 40 (even with recent sub-zero temps outside).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rifle looney Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/27/2008 at 16:51
I wish I could add some insight to this discussion but I can not ,except done all of the above it all works .
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jsethmor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/18/2009 at 00:14
As long as they have been stored away in a low humidty enviroment they should be fine.
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mason View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mason Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/19/2009 at 21:36
I must be honest.   My my entire kit sat in a cardboard box from 1998 to
2006 when I brought it indoors as I thought I would never use it again. Anyway the primers and powder shot fine. I did not notice a difference to the new stuff. My garage goes from dry to damp every time it rains hard or when frost goes out through the floor in the Spring. Only a little spot rust on the press ram and case timmer that is gone now.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/20/2009 at 01:55
I deprimed a live primer about a month ago and the bitch went off. Then I started thinking about how many pounds of powder were sitting nearby. No more depriming live primers for me.

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