Storing primer

[Stockrex]

So how are you guys storing your primer?
I got a bit carried away when I found CCIs on sale.

[Egg726]

Plastic ammo can with rubber gasket around the lid and a small bag of desiccant to control moisture. Keep it in a cool, dark and locked place.

[Robinhood]

Tried vacuuming packing them one time. It ruined the boxes.

[Rick_W]

Sitting on the shelf or in an old microfiche/card-catalog cabinet I have dedicated to primers, brass, bullets (unloaded) & dies.

[Stockrex]

ok dry boxes with some desiccant it is. Thanks,

[tufrthnails]

Okay so I have never thought twice about this. How long will primers last in there factory packaging before they start having issues? I just keep mine on the shelf in the shop in the factory packages. Do I need to start putting them in Ammo cans? I have a few.

[Stockrex]

cabelas, gander all keep their primer on the shelf,

[earl39]

Okay so I have never thought twice about this. How long will primers last in there factory packaging before they start having issues? I just keep mine on the shelf in the shop in the factory packages. Do I need to start putting them in Ammo cans? I have a few.

At room temperature they should outlast even our kids as long as they stay dry.

[DrThunder88]

cabelas, gander all keep their primer on the shelf,

They might have higher turnover than your average reloader!

[Stockrex]

They might have higher turnover than your average reloader!

in my office it is 40 to 50 % humidity during wet season and in winter it is around 25%
leaving them outside is prudent?

[DrThunder88]

No idea. I was just pointing out that primers would stay on a reloader's shelf far longer than they would on a retailer's. If it's climate controlled where the primers are stored I don't know if there's any benefit to be gained from sealing them up other than protection from incidental spoilage.

[GaCop]

I store mine in a desk drawer in my "man cave". I'm using an old government desk I picked up for a song for my reloading. I do use a dehumidifier as the humidity in Georgia can be really bad.

[foxx]

Yeah, for long term storage in my basement I store them in Zip lock bags with desiccants inside dry boxes.

Maybe take a small box of each variety out and leave on the bench, but the rest are stored for the long haul as dry as possible. I have NO idea if it really matters or not.

[earl39]

Well for the record i have tried the oil and water test for 24 hours and even tho i only used one primer for each i believe it showed a standard. Submerged for 24 hours and then placed in a piece of brass both fired just fine. It takes a good bit to kill a primer. Primers are tough.

Only tried it with Wolf large rifle primers. YMMV

[Stork]

Just as a point of interest, I began working at a nice sporting goods store in 1976. One of the prior sales people had grossly over purchased a large quantity of Federal 215's. A large enough quantity that in the 14 years I worked there, we never ordered any, and there was quite a few cartons left when I departed. All the primers were stored on top of the steam pipes (asbestos wrapped of course) in the basement. I bought 5000 before I left there, and there was still a few cases left, for the outrageous price of $6.90 a thousand. I'm still using the last of them and have yet to have a primer failure.

In my experience, primers are pretty tough. I've had a couple of dud's over the last few decades and several hundred thousand rounds, but never one of those 215's. It's always been a primer of current manufacture by a US company. I have no experience with any primers from offshore, they may or may not be more sensitive.
Al

[Stockrex]

Well for the record i have tried the oil and water test for 24 hours and even tho i only used one primer for each i believe it showed a standard. Submerged for 24 hours and then placed in a piece of brass both fired just fine. It takes a good bit to kill a primer. Primers are tough.

Only tried it with Wolf large rifle primers. YMMV

nice,
good info guys, I will leave them in the original boxes high on my selves.

Thanks,

[Stockrex]

Just as a point of interest, I began working at a nice sporting goods store in 1976. One of the prior sales people had grossly over purchased a large quantity of Federal 215's. A large enough quantity that in the 14 years I worked there, we never ordered any, and there was quite a few cartons left when I departed. All the primers were stored on top of the steam pipes (asbestos wrapped of course) in the basement. I bought 5000 before I left there, and there was still a few cases left, for the outrageous price of $6.90 a thousand. I'm still using the last of them and have yet to have a primer failure.

In my experience, primers are pretty tough. I've had a couple of dud's over the last few decades and several hundred thousand rounds, but never one of those 215's. It's always been a primer of current manufacture by a US company. I have no experience with any primers from offshore, they may or may not be more sensitive.
Al

So around 20 years back primers were $6.90/1k?

[Stork]

Stockrex,

I bought them a year or three before I left the store. 25-28 yrs ago.

That was my cost with an employee discount. IIRC they retailed for 9.50 or 9.98/thousand.
Al

[devildogandboy]

i keep my extras in the old surplus ammo cans with the rubber gasket and throw some small packs of desiccant inside. still good after all these years!

Bruce