How do yall store your primers. I have been putting mine ina drawer, in my house,which has central heat and air. I went to the range, and had two primers fail to fire. Have had these primers about a year. CCI large rifle. Firing pin dinged the primer good. Any ideas?
How to store primers
- Thread starter tggdeer
- Start date
- Status
Greetings,
When the primer shortage began, I was so fond of my primers that I stored them under my pillow...
Seriously, I store them in my garage into a cabinet into their original packaging.
The temperature goes from 40 to 85.
If you have failure to detonate, it may be light strike or the primer is not seated enough. I am sure there are other reasons people will tell you here.
Thank you
When the primer shortage began, I was so fond of my primers that I stored them under my pillow...
Seriously, I store them in my garage into a cabinet into their original packaging.
The temperature goes from 40 to 85.
If you have failure to detonate, it may be light strike or the primer is not seated enough. I am sure there are other reasons people will tell you here.
Thank you
W.E.G.
Member
The misfires are more likely a rifle issue, or an ammo-assembly issue, than a primer-storage issue.
Show me the thread where the guys are posting about how a whole batch of primers "gone bad" just sitting around.
Never seen one.
Show me the thread where the guys are posting about how a whole batch of primers "gone bad" just sitting around.
Never seen one.
Kernel
Member
I store my primers in old .50 cal ammo cans. Beefy constrution that's both air & water tight. $5 to $10 per can at most gun shows.
BADUNAME37
Member
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2008
- Messages
- 4,434
Store in DRY place, preferably in the OEM packaging.
My reloading equipment is in my basement which is totally dry, however, during the several summer months, the entire house gets a lot of humidity in it, so I run a dehumidifier into a floor drain non-stop from about May to September or October.
As soon as I see any condensation on cold water piping, the dehumidifier goes on for the summer - as I have a lot of $$$ worth of construction, electrician and plumbing tools down there - not to mention all my reloading equipment. Not one tool that I store in my basement is rusted, in any way, shape or form!
It is important to keep your windows and doors closed. Any humid air entering the cool(er) basement will result in condensation on anything down there that is below dew point temperature, which can be as high as 50 - 60 degrees F in the dead of summer. Some people think opening a basement window vent or door will help to dry out a damp basement. WRONG. This will only work if the outside air happens to be less humid than the existing air in your basement, which, during summer months is not very frequently at all.
My reloading equipment is in my basement which is totally dry, however, during the several summer months, the entire house gets a lot of humidity in it, so I run a dehumidifier into a floor drain non-stop from about May to September or October.
As soon as I see any condensation on cold water piping, the dehumidifier goes on for the summer - as I have a lot of $$$ worth of construction, electrician and plumbing tools down there - not to mention all my reloading equipment. Not one tool that I store in my basement is rusted, in any way, shape or form!
It is important to keep your windows and doors closed. Any humid air entering the cool(er) basement will result in condensation on anything down there that is below dew point temperature, which can be as high as 50 - 60 degrees F in the dead of summer. Some people think opening a basement window vent or door will help to dry out a damp basement. WRONG. This will only work if the outside air happens to be less humid than the existing air in your basement, which, during summer months is not very frequently at all.
amlevin
Member
Over the last 30 years I have just stored my primers wherever I had space. Didn't pay much attention to humidity, temperature, etc, just avoided extemes. Have had up to 20,000 primers around at a given time. I live in Washington State so humidity is just a fact of life. Our Temps don't get too high but some of my loaded ammo has sat in the car, in full sun, and temps have gone over 120 degrees. None of the primers failed when they were shot in competition later the same day.
I have found most of my primer failures to be caused not by environmental conditions when they were stored but mechanical issues when they were installed.
Damage while seating can cause them to fail without question.
Common sense says primers should be stored where they don't get wet or contaminated. Also should be kept from sources of ignition like heat sources (things hotter than you would want to touch), and impact (like objects falling on them). Other than that they are pretty durable. For me, I can count my primer failures on both sets of fingers and that is from over 100,000 rounds of reloaded ammo (Pistol, Shotgun, and Rifle).
I have found most of my primer failures to be caused not by environmental conditions when they were stored but mechanical issues when they were installed.
Damage while seating can cause them to fail without question.
Common sense says primers should be stored where they don't get wet or contaminated. Also should be kept from sources of ignition like heat sources (things hotter than you would want to touch), and impact (like objects falling on them). Other than that they are pretty durable. For me, I can count my primer failures on both sets of fingers and that is from over 100,000 rounds of reloaded ammo (Pistol, Shotgun, and Rifle).
ReloaderFred
Member
My practice is similar to amlevin's, though my round count is over 750,000 and climbing, and I've been reloading for 47 years.
Always leave the primers in their original packaging. I normally have around 100,000 primers in stock at any one time, so they sit on shelves in my shop, just like they would in a store. My shop very seldom gets over 70 degrees, and is normally in the 60 degree range (I love the coast!) I've never had a primer go bad from storage, and as mentioned by several posters, it's usually a case of not fully seating the primer that causes one to not go off the first time. I've recently loaded primers from the 1970's (Winchester Small Pistol Magnum) and every one of them worked as designed.
Hope this helps.
Fred
Always leave the primers in their original packaging. I normally have around 100,000 primers in stock at any one time, so they sit on shelves in my shop, just like they would in a store. My shop very seldom gets over 70 degrees, and is normally in the 60 degree range (I love the coast!) I've never had a primer go bad from storage, and as mentioned by several posters, it's usually a case of not fully seating the primer that causes one to not go off the first time. I've recently loaded primers from the 1970's (Winchester Small Pistol Magnum) and every one of them worked as designed.
Hope this helps.
Fred
10xforever
Member
My reloading area is in the basement and i keep my powder and primers in the same area.
in summer i have a dehumidifier plugged in connected to a floor drain. Plus i have a small fan that runs all the time aimed at the powder and primers stored in their original containers.
The fan alone would be enough but i have a lot of tools and reloading equipment nearby so the dehumidifier runs and is set to 40% and comes on automatically if humidity goes above that setting.
I use to keep the powder and primers in my gun safe upstairs but the safe is not good as it does not meet the requirements in case of a fire.
The powder needs a container that will allow escape of pressure and a safe is not good for that reason.
in summer i have a dehumidifier plugged in connected to a floor drain. Plus i have a small fan that runs all the time aimed at the powder and primers stored in their original containers.
The fan alone would be enough but i have a lot of tools and reloading equipment nearby so the dehumidifier runs and is set to 40% and comes on automatically if humidity goes above that setting.
I use to keep the powder and primers in my gun safe upstairs but the safe is not good as it does not meet the requirements in case of a fire.
The powder needs a container that will allow escape of pressure and a safe is not good for that reason.
Walmart sells a cheap plastic, very wide mouth square storage container for $1.88. Round cap, screw top. I can get a box or two of primers in each, and i screw them shut. If any of the chemicals in the primer are slowly vaporizing this will allow the chemicals to equillibrate at their vapor pressure, rather than jsut continuing to vaporize away. I have no idea if this theoretical concern is of any practical significance. I've read that I should not be storing many thousands of primers right next to each other....like they are in the store....so maybe I'll buy some more locked storage places to put these containers. But my method certainlyk keeps them from getting water soaked.
I've not have a single primer fail to fire.
I've not have a single primer fail to fire.
Sagetown
Member
As long as they're not under water 
, they'll be good for a long long time in natural hot humid conditions in the summer to fridgid freezing temps in the winter.
, they'll be good for a long long time in natural hot humid conditions in the summer to fridgid freezing temps in the winter.bomb dropper
Member
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2009
- Messages
- 134
I store mine in a shoe box sized plastic container from the dollar store (I stocked up on them and keep all kinds of stuff in) but what I was going to get at was I got about 6lbs of powder and 1500 mixed primers (large, small, cci, winchester) that where stored in a wooden box in a trailer for over 30 years, Ive shot a few hundred of the primers and about half the powder and no problems.
ReloaderFred
Member
sgtzach,
I was probably an E-5 at 29 Palms before you were born.........
Semper Fi back to you.
Fred
I was probably an E-5 at 29 Palms before you were born.........
Semper Fi back to you.
Fred
@reloaderfred--
you're a Marine??! If I thought I liked THR before...i was a 0351 2005-2009..1 to iraq, I MEU and 1 to afgahnistan...so you mind telling me about the "Old Corps"?
PS.. 29palms is by far the hottest place i have been...it was 130 in ramadi getting in firefights damn near daily and i was glad that i wasn't at the " 29 stumps"
you're a Marine??! If I thought I liked THR before...i was a 0351 2005-2009..1 to iraq, I MEU and 1 to afgahnistan...so you mind telling me about the "Old Corps"?
PS.. 29palms is by far the hottest place i have been...it was 130 in ramadi getting in firefights damn near daily and i was glad that i wasn't at the " 29 stumps"
bomb dropper
Member
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2009
- Messages
- 134
After leaving Tun tavern the first Marine walked to the harbor and waited aboard a boat for further orders, After a few hours passed another new Marine walked up and set down by his new brother and said so tell me about this Marine thing. The first devil looked at him and said boy you don't know **** about the old corps.
Esprit De Corps gents
Esprit De Corps gents
Rokman
Member
In original package, placed inside of a plastic ammo storage box from Academy, which is stored in a closet inside my house.
ReloaderFred
Member
sgtzach,
I sent you a PM so we don't hijack the thread.
Fred
I sent you a PM so we don't hijack the thread.
Fred
snuffy
Member
My primers are stored all over the place, where ever there's space on a shelf, or in a drawer. Oh, and in their original containers. They DO NOTneed any special containers, or protection from anything we humans can tolerate.
The packaging is plenty of protection from whatever might harm them. Including something dropping on a box! Unless of course, you're talking about a very heavy, hard object, from a substantial height, that MIGHT pop a few.
The active propellant pellet/compound is sealed under a lacquer film that seals out humidity and MOST solvents.
If seated with the anvil tight against the bottom of the pocket, they'll fire every time. If you don't seat it right, you'll encounter a no-fire situation. IF the primer pellet is still intact after being hit but not firing, a second hit MAY fire it.
Sometimes a firing pin hit on a high primer cracks the pellet/primer compound and knocks the anvil into the primer pocket so it can't be where it should be to cause the primer compound to detonate. To work properly, the primer compound HAS to be trapped between the cup and anvil, with the anvil solidly on the bottom of the pocket. Then get hit HARD by the firing pin.
The packaging is plenty of protection from whatever might harm them. Including something dropping on a box! Unless of course, you're talking about a very heavy, hard object, from a substantial height, that MIGHT pop a few.
The active propellant pellet/compound is sealed under a lacquer film that seals out humidity and MOST solvents.
If seated with the anvil tight against the bottom of the pocket, they'll fire every time. If you don't seat it right, you'll encounter a no-fire situation. IF the primer pellet is still intact after being hit but not firing, a second hit MAY fire it.
Sometimes a firing pin hit on a high primer cracks the pellet/primer compound and knocks the anvil into the primer pocket so it can't be where it should be to cause the primer compound to detonate. To work properly, the primer compound HAS to be trapped between the cup and anvil, with the anvil solidly on the bottom of the pocket. Then get hit HARD by the firing pin.
Jesse Heywood
Member
I keep mine in ammo cans. Always in their original packaging. My only problem is I have more ammo cans that need filled.
snuffy
Member
Doug b says-
So just what is going to make them "POP" off? Being cautious and careful is fine, but being paranoid is useless.
Primers will sit where ever they are left for decades with absolutely no problems. They cannot fire themselves!
I still have primers I bought in the early seventies. They have NOT "popped off" by themselves! and they are still as good as the day they were made, sitting on a shelf in my loading room.
So just what is going to make them "POP" off? Being cautious and careful is fine, but being paranoid is useless.
Primers will sit where ever they are left for decades with absolutely no problems. They cannot fire themselves!
I still have primers I bought in the early seventies. They have NOT "popped off" by themselves! and they are still as good as the day they were made, sitting on a shelf in my loading room.
Jefferson Herb
Member
Primers
I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy,after a year or so,I just found FEDERAL Small Rifle MATCH primers.They cost 50.00 a 1,000,but at least they were on the shelf;and I did'nt buy them all. BHP,they're at w&w eka ca
I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy,after a year or so,I just found FEDERAL Small Rifle MATCH primers.They cost 50.00 a 1,000,but at least they were on the shelf;and I did'nt buy them all. BHP,they're at w&w eka ca
- Status
