2400 old primers-are they any good?

[spispeza]

was given 2 vitamin bottles of small,large pistol primers.thet were sealed with tin foil under the caps.will they be safe to use.i did try some in empty cases ,they did fire.but im worried about them not liting the powder,gettting a bullet stuck in the barel.thanks

[Graybeard]

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

NEVER EVER mess with primers that haven't been properly stored. Taking them out of their factory containers means improper storage. No way I'd use them in my loads.

[MickinColo]

Don’t use them! Fill those bottles up with light oil like WD-40, let them sock for a day and throw them away.

[Patriot_1776]

Graybeard and MickinColo are absolutely correct.  If I were you, I would ditch them all.  For one thing, you can't really know what kind of primers they are.  There may be magnum primers mixed in with standards; there could also be rifle primers mixed with pistol primers.  The list can go on with possibilities. :eek:  

-Patriot

[rickyp]

The one thing I would do with them is:

Take some old handgun cases and use the primers for wax bullet loads or some of the plastic / rubber bullets and cases.

This will help with trigger control and breathing. but in no was shape or form would I use them with any powder

[Redhawk1]

I would not use them in my reloading, not even for plinking. Spray them down with WD40 and seal them back up and dispose of them.  

[Racepres]

I wholeheartedly agree w/ using them ONLY for plastic/rubber/wax bullets and I would not be afraid to use em for fireforming (NON-Bulleted), as I detest the fireforming as a wasteful chore .. but necessary for alot of my preferred chamberings.... I also would not consider "real" loads with them for any reason.... Marty

[Patriot_1776]

...using them ONLY for plastic/rubber/wax bullets...

I was thinking about suggesting that myself.  But I wasn't really sure whether spispeza was into that kind of stuff or not.  My other reason, is I would be concerned that those "unknown" primers might inadvertently find their way into primers he would use for general reloading.  But, if it they are kept carefully separated from all other reloading components, then yes, I'd say it would be good to put them to such use.  OR, you could just save 'em for making July 4th (or New Years) noisemakers.  Just prime an empty case, and they sure make a bang.  Just my thoughts though. :wink:

 
-Patriot

[Racepres]

I dig it.... 4th of July noisemakers!!!! Heck if fireforming is worth it, then a little old fashioned fun has to be ...... the berries.... Marty

[ricciardelli]

Oh boy!

Here I go...

I'm going to disagree with everyone on this.

If you are loading light to middle of the road loads, and loading just for fun shooting, go ahead and use them.  Now, if you are one who believes that all data in the reloading manuals (and on my pages) is 65% reduced...then you are going to have a problem.

For all practical purposes, for tin can killing, it really makes no differenece if they are rifle, or pistol, or magnum or regular, as long as they are the right diameter.

How old is "old"?  I have some primers from the late '60's and early '70's that are still totally reliable.

[jerkface11]

Of course they could be corrosive......

[MickinColo]

I don’t make “can plinking” mystery loads for any of my guns. I find the advice of using unidentified primes, powders, and bullets less than good practice. They most likely will work without any harm in the scenarios proposed. But what if?

As for my guns, I load them to “walk and Talk”. I practice with no less than 75% of their potential. I wouldn’t load with an unidentified primer.

[Don Fischer]

I'd get rid of them just because I don't know what they are. Probally they'll fire but 5 different rounds may have 5 different primer's. The problem is the way they have been stored and you don't know what they are. I would spray them with oil and get rid of them.

Speaking of old primers, I've got a whole bunch of FA 45 30-06 primed cases. Original primed cases. Not gonna use the primer's, may be corosive, don't know. Old isn't bad, I've also got about 15,000 Herter 120 primer's that are great, about 4000 Speer primer's and a few Western 8 1/2 improved primer's. They all work fine.

[MickinColo]

Old primers are not necessarily bad or a problem. Old primers placed in a vitamin bottle and identified as 2400?

2400 what?

[spispeza]

thanks to all that replyed.they are 1200 in each bottle marked sepeately smalland large pistol

[Racepres]

I'll settle this just send 'em to me. I'll even pay the frt!!!! Got some ideas.. If I have a problem I promise not to whine!!!    Marty

[Patriot_1776]

MickinColo wrote:

I find the advice of using unidentified primers...less than good practice

I agree with that wholeheartedly.  I also have to say even though there are some who have used different "power" primers, such as using rifle primers in pistols, etc., without problems is not an indicator that it is safe.  IMO, that is just asking for trouble under certain circumstances.  Thanks for the letting me know about them working just fine in your firearms.  But I'll just stick with using primers suggested (and recommended!) by the reloading manuals that have the proper machines to regulate safe, and maximum possible operating pressures.  I hope no one takes what I say as offensive or of a "flaming" nature, as I don't intend that to be the case.


Racepres wrote:

I'll settle this just send 'em to me. I'll even pay the frt!!!! Got some ideas.. If I have a problem I promise not to whine!!!

Gee.... You must be really desperate to put together some noisemakers for the 4th of July and possibly New Years, right? :-D  

 
-Patriot

[Redhawk1]

Oh boy!

Here I go...

I'm going to disagree with everyone on this.

If you are loading light to middle of the road loads, and loading just for fun shooting, go ahead and use them.  Now, if you are one who believes that all data in the reloading manuals (and on my pages) is 65% reduced...then you are going to have a problem.

For all practical purposes, for tin can killing, it really makes no differenece if they are rifle, or pistol, or magnum or regular, as long as they are the right diameter.

How old is "old"?  I have some primers from the late '60's and early '70's that are still totally reliable.

I think you may be right about them working, but if they did not work, and some do not go off. Then I would have to pull the bullets and re- reload them, if there is such a word. :-D  I would not use them at all. JMHO.

[glock29]

Hey Mick....
What is this no "mystery loads" for plinking business  
 :roll: I ALWAYS enjoy a good "mystery load" :roll: ...NOT !

In all seriousness, I'd probably use them for plastic/rubber/wax bullet no-powder indoor plinking revolver loads, but nothing more !
Better to err on the side of safety than possible (even if improbable) danger.
If I was not one to use for plastic bullet loads, I'd load them up in cases & pop them off without bullets in the empty cases.
Used primers are considered 'normal' garbage in my area, UNUSED primers (even soaked in oil) are considered hazardous waste and LEGALLY must be disposed of accordingly.

[Curtis]

Don't overlook the fact that primers stored "en masse" are very dangerous because if dropped they could detonate in a chain reaction.  Primers are packaged the way they are to prevent this chain reaction from happening.

I am of the camp that says deactivate them with oil, but for the reason that they are not safe to have around, not because I would not use them in plinking loads or whatever.

Curtis

[rickyp]

I got an idea!!!!
Take them to a safe range put them out at about 200 yards. Then load up a nice tracer round and put it trough the middle of that jar.

[Don Fischer]

No no rickyp. Put them in a can and do it. Do it to a jar and you'll never get all the glass up!