Keeping primed cases on hand

[PhilMc]

I have been keeping a limited supply of cleaned, resized and primed cases in various sizes ready to reload in some of my popular calibers. I do this since I don't prime on my presses and saves time when I want to load say 200 rounds in a given caliber. Do any of you do this?

I tend to store these primed case's in plastic containers for storage untill I use them. Note: I do not store thousands of cases like this. If you do this how do you store them?

 

[rcmodel]

I do.

1 gal clear plastic jugs with screw-on lids.
Or GI ammo boxes.

rc

 

[Schwing]

I don't keep very many primed cases on hand but, when I do, they are just dumped into a Tupperware container.

 

[ImjinScout85]

Yep I do it all the time and store mine in zip lock freezer bags. I find it easier and faster for me when I want to load some ammo up.

 

[345 DeSoto]

I have hundreds. Each different caliber in it's own GI ammo can...

 

[jwrowland77]

Yep. Sure do. It saved time when I need to load up some match ammo for sure

 

[carbine85]

Yep, sure do. I have .223, .308, 9mm, 7.62 x 54R, 30.06 all ready go. I seal them in plastic containers or plastic bags.

 

[hanno]

Keep mine in the large plastic pretzel jugs. Each jug has a label with the primer brand. When it is time to reload, I just need to powder drop, bullet seat and crimp. Been doing it this way for years.

 

[Lj1941]

I keep several hundred of my most popular calibers primed and ready to load. I use polymer coffee cans separated by head stamps and primers. 45ACP & 9x19 are my most popular. The rest are kept in coffee cans tumbled and ready to size, decap & prime.

 

[oneounceload]

I do it on my press as it is a single stage and things are done in batches

 

[moxie]

I do. They don't really need to be kept in sealed containers. Think about it. Primers come packaged in an unsealed cardboard box. Nothing about the primer changes during the priming process. They are the same little devils stuck in the bottom of a case as they were resting in a plastic nest in the cardboard box. No difference. But, it never hurts to seal things up either. Keeps dust and spiders out, if nothing else.

 

[vaalpens]

Yes I do. By caliber, all contained inside ziplock bags labeled with the date, headstamp, primer, origin and belled for information if it has been belled. I normally have 50 prepared cases per bag since I do batch loading. All ziplock bags goes inside a plastic container.

 

[Salmoneye]

Yup...

 

[PhilMc]

Thanks for all the responses gentlemen.

 

[Walkalong]

I have 100 .222 Mag cases I primed about 20+ years ago. I have .50 .35 Remington cases primed and ready. I have 1000 9MM cases I primed about 15+ years ago. Same for a few other things. Ready to load at a moments notice if I need them. Otherwise I just keep cycling my range fodder batches.

Even my range stuff gets sized and primed before it is loaded. It might sit a day, or it might sit a month.

 

[cfullgraf]

I tend to store these primed case's in plastic containers for storage untill I use them. Note: I do not store thousands of cases like this. If you do this how do you store them?

There is no problem storing primed cases.

But, I don't. Mostly it is because for some reason I may not load a particular cartridge for a while, maybe years. It would be a shame to tie up perfectly good primers that could be used elsewhere.

When I load a small batch of cartridges, 100-200 or so, I prime them as part of the reloading session. When I do a large batch, 500-1000 cartridges or so, I will have a priming session a day or two before I do the reloading.

 

[edleit]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=9681195&postcount=7
Folgers cans (270 cup size) 500 9mm in box inserts per can.
Snap on lids keep them clean & dry.

 

[rskent]

Absolutely, for pistol keep them in square plastic storage boxes from walmart. For rifle I keep them in plastic ammo boxes from midway.
I just prep the brass when I get free time and load them up when I get low on ammo. Works for me.

 

[Potatohead]

Ive got 2-3000 9mm cases primed and ready, stored in tupperware.

 

[JimKirk]

I sure do ... I have quite a few boxes of my four hunting calibers primed and ready either in a factory box that I picked up or some of the plastic MTM type boxes... My pistol/revolver brass is primed and in the 50 round plastic ammo boxes... My AR brass is either loaded ammo or primed brass in my favorite type container(I used to use plastic coffee cans) the square plastic peanut jars with the screw on lids ... I eat lots of peanuts now... each jar will hold a couple hundred or more .223 brass or ammo....

 

[RainDodger]

I store virtually all of my cases sized and primed, ready for loading - even the pistol cases that I load on a Dillon progressive. I don't prime on my presses.

If I don't store them in GI ammo cans, I like those gargantuan plastic mayonnaise jugs you see at Costco. They're something like 15 or 16" high and about 8" in diameter or so. If you visit some sandwich shops like Jimmy Johns or some burger places, they throw them out by the hundred. Get there before the garbage guy does and you're golden.

 

[Drail]

I store primed cases 100 in a heavy duty baggie in G.I. ammo cans.

 

[J_McLeod]

I do prime on the press, but I keep a few primed cases around so that i can get all the dies adjusted on a live case before filling the primer tube.

 

[dirtman]

yup.... a few 1000's 45, 9mm but not anywhere near that many rifle.....

 

[rondog]

Yup.





I ran across a guy selling hardware drawers that had been cycled out of Home Depot stores, replaced with fresh, new models. These make AWESOME storage drawers for all my bullets, cases, primers, dies, tools, holsters, cleaning stuff, all kinds of things. Got 11 in the reloading room, 11 more in the garage full of a zillion things.