Tell me about these old primers

[H1500308]

My father found 2000 of these Winchester 120M primers today. I reload and he asked me if I wanted to use them. Can someone give some info on the vintage and quality of these primers. Also, are they corrosive? They're packed in a cardboard box with wooden inserts in the individual 100pc trays.

I'm pretty sure they will work just fine. They've been stored in an ammo can for years and the cardboard box shows no sign of moisture. Do they have any collectible value or should I just shoot them?

Thanks.

 

[jcwit]

I'll venture to say they'll go bang just fine. Forgot to see if they were non-corrosive, being Winchester that equates to Staynless or something like that, I believe my spelling is off.

 

[CZDave]

I found this on gunbroker.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=225827452#PIC

You may be able to find out more from this guy.

 

[Doug b]

I believe the non corrosive primers said staynless nonmercuric primers on the box in a yellow label.

 

[TonyT]

The ca. 1960'S Winchester designation for their large rifle primers was No. 8 1/2 - 120. If you go back farther in time I believe Western had one of the numbers and Winchester the other. The only corrosive W-W primers would have to have been made ca WWI - I dounbt these are that old.

 

[Doug b]

I have a box of factory Win.Western 30-06 target rounds from the late 40's early 50's labeled corrosive mercuric primers.I'm told these were the preferred primers for target shooters of the era as they were a more consistant ignition.

 

[medalguy]

The Dept of the Army contract date on the box is 36. That's 1936. The numbers read like this:
DA = Dept of the Army
36 = year the contract was awarded
038 = probably the office placing the order
ORD 5477 = ordnance order number

They may have been manufactured that year or the following year as normally military contracts run for 1-2 years. I'd be willing to bet these are corrosive. However the good news is that they might be worth far more to a collector than as shooting primers. That's an interesting sale linked to on Gunbroker. I wonder how the seller shipped them to the successful buyer? Only a certified shipper can ship hazmat items. We mere mortals can't do it legally.