Is it ok to prime a bunch of brass and store it?

[dmftoy1]

The reason I'm asking is that I tend to do things in batches at night. (resize/deprime a batch one night, clean a batch another night, inspect/sort another night, etc). I was thinking that I might just reprime all my brass after inspecting it but I wasn't sure if it would be bad to have that brass sitting around in ziplock bags for months or years until i used it? (I'd like to load say 20 rounds here and 20 rounds there, but maybe clean/prime 200 or 300 rounds at a time)

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Have a good one,
Dave

 

[Wildalaska]

If packed in an continer to keep the dust off and stored right, shouldnt hurt

Wildtheysellprimedbrassyes?Alaska

 

[dmftoy1]

I was thinking I could put it in unsealed ziplock bags in a 50 cal ammo can with a little dessicant?

Regards,
Dave

 

[taliv]

depending on where you live, i don't even think you'd need that. primers are shipped/stored in cardboard boxes taht are certainly not airtight.

 

[rick_reno]

I was thinking I could put it in unsealed ziplock bags in a 50 cal ammo can with a little dessicant?

Leave the dessicant out, they could get too dry.

 

[tc300mag1]

Not a prob i prime and leave them all the time i prime them put them in the 50 round boxes they would go in when loaded

 

[photo_guy]

It should be OK. You can buy new brass primed for you and I don't think they do much special just ship it to you in a cardboard box. If your thinking weeks or months it likely won't be an issue. Years....maybe you'd want to put it in a sealed container.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I've been doing it for decades. I've used brass as long as five years after priming it with no problems. I see no difference between keeping primers in factory containers, which aren't air-tight, and keeping them in cartridge cases in plastic bags.

 

[JerryM]

I also have been doing it for many years. I just put it in the boxes it came in, or in a coffee can and put the lid on. Some I have now have been primed for at least three years.

Before I went to progressive reloaders I primed a lot of them and had them ready to load.
Of course, with a progressive loader, it is not advantage to size and prime ahead of time.

Jerry

 

[jerryd]

I usually prime up about 500 to a 1000 and leave them in cardboard boxes till im ready to load, just make sure its not damp or too hot!

 

[Hkmp5sd]

I've used brass as long as five years after priming it with no problems.

Don't like getting in a rush, eh? I thought I was being lazy just leaving them for a couple of months.

 

[Zeke Menuar]

Much of my Wife's tupperware has mysteriously disappeared, only to reappear in my reloading room holding hundreds primed cases ready to load.

ZM

 

[dmftoy1]

Thanks guys! I now have more things to occupy my time when the in-laws are in town.

Have a good one,
Dave

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

I prime and leave them to sit until I get around to ordering more bullets!

 

[goon]

Yep, I do it all the time.

When I first started reloading I used the components that my dad already had on hand. The primers were over 30 years old. They had been stored in an unheated shed all that time. They all went off just fine.
The only problems I have ever had with reloads were my fault.

 

[WESHOOT2]

widda lid

I store stuff in coffee cans......

 

[stans]

As long as they are kept dry and in a climate controlled environmeny, primed cases should last just as long in storage as primers kept in their original boxes. Ziplock bags or Tupperware type sealable containers are all you need.

 

[ID_shooting]

Said allready, but yup, I do it too. Especially when doin gload dev for a new round or gun, prep about 1000 and then all I worry about is dumping some powder, seat a bullet and away I go...

 

[warddc]

done it for years

I have thousands of brass in many calibers that are cleaned, sized and primed ready to load. I store them in zip lock bags 100 to the bag. I reload in batch because that suits my schedule better. It is very easy to sit in front of the tv at night with a lee easy prime and prime brass.

d.

 

[ftierson]

Yes, it is ok...

 

[Smokey Joe]

Glad to see all these responses! Thought I was the only one that sized/primed a large batch of cases, then loaded small batches.

The only caveat would be to be sure to keep a record with the cases as to which gun they are for, and what load(s) they are sized for, and how many times loaded.

Cigar boxes and ziplock bags work for me, but cigar boxes are getting hard to come by--except as collectibles--so that may have to change.

 

[B36]

Never been a problem for me. Some of my stuff has been primed for 15+ years. Still does fine.