Primers, maintaining their integrity & what are others doing?

[Alibiiv]

Second time I posted this, hope it goes through this time? Just curious about what others thoughts are about primers, what you like, why and how do you store them? It seems like primers are taken for granted. We read posts about barrel twists, bedding, bullet seating, the best bullets and the best brass, but never really too much about primers. It almost appears that primers are taken for granted. But.....without a good primer one can have the best of what I just listed, there will be only one thing that you will have, "a fail to fire"!!

I know that this seems quite basic, however what I have learned about reloading from this forum and that is there's nothing basic when it comes to precision reloading; and.....there's always something to learn. I preferably like either "CCI" or "Federal" large rifle, magnum primers. I know there's some debate as to whether regular primers or magnum primers are better for reloading rifle cartridges, I have had good luck with the magnum primers. Presently my primers are stored in an old ammo can with a toggle clamp on it, I question how good the rubber gasket is and if there's not something better to keep them in?

 

[Dosh]

Keeping them dry and at a constant temperature is about all to store them. I buy by the 1000's and vacuum seal the boxes. Only pull a hundred or two out when I need them. Living here in Az, they stay fairly dry and are stored in the AC as well.

 

[Left Hand Dave]

I have another question. We have all read that heat degrades powder and primers. Do cold temperatures harm them in any way? By cold lets say down to 0. I was wondering because my basement get to 80 degrees in the winter so I thought maybe I should store them in the garage.

 

[Dosh]

80 degrees won't hurt them. Perhaps 90-95+ constantly. Moisture would be a larger concern.

 

[ShtrRdy]

I have some CCI primers that I bought in the 70's and had to store them in a garage for 15 years. The temps in the garage probably swung from -20 to 110. The humidity is on the low side. I've been using them for practice loads and have not had any problems,.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I have done several tests with the EXACT load development with just changing primers, nothing else.
There is ALMOST always ONE primer that shoots really tight groups.
This is NOT always the primer/type you expect either.
I have 2 loads in 25-06 that showed much tighter groups with ONE brand of MAGNUM primer.
I have a few loads in a few MAGNUM cartridges that preferred NORMAL primers over MAGNUM primers.
The same is true in my 222, a couple of loads preferred a MAGNUM primer over a NORMAL primer.
I have tested normal/magnum primers side by side fir at least a decade now, and only in a few cases did no single primer brand or type give the smallest group.
My 6.5x47 shows NO PREFERENCE for either in ALL loads I have tested, BUT, it only uses SR primed brass.

Whether this is the deviding factor, I do not know conclusively.

My primers are stored just like my powder, in an old cooler.

Cheers.

 

[Alibiiv]

I have done several tests with the EXACT load development with just changing primers, nothing else.
There is ALMOST always ONE primer that shoots really tight groups.
This is NOT always the primer/type you expect either.
I have 2 loads in 25-06 that showed much tighter groups with ONE brand of MAGNUM primer.
I have a few loads in a few MAGNUM cartridges that preferred NORMAL primers over MAGNUM primers.
The same is true in my 222, a couple of loads preferred a MAGNUM primer over a NORMAL primer.
I have tested normal/magnum primers side by side fir at least a decade now, and only in a few cases did no single primer brand or type give the smallest group.
My 6.5x47 shows NO PREFERENCE for either in ALL loads I have tested, BUT, it only uses SR primed brass.

Whether this is the deviding factor, I do not know conclusively.

My primers are stored just like my powder, in an old cooler.

Cheers.

Thank you for the tip on the cooler, never thought about storing the primers in one; great idea. I store my powder on a shelf in my basement, it is always cool and dry as I have a dehumidifier running down there. As I wrote in the original OP, I store my primers in an old ammunition can and I am not too confident about the integrity of the rubber gasket on the lid; it looks okay, but.........

I've never thought about magnum/non-magnum "primers" affecting groups. I have read that magnum/non-magnum primers can affect velocity positively or negatively with a load, but never groups. It does make sense, I will try doing some testing with my loads. I do have a relatively good assortment of primers due to the shortage we had a few years ago. This is exactly the type of information that I was hoping to get from this thread. Thanks

 

[J E Custom]

Second time I posted this, hope it goes through this time? Just curious about what others thoughts are about primers, what you like, why and how do you store them? It seems like primers are taken for granted. We read posts about barrel twists, bedding, bullet seating, the best bullets and the best brass, but never really too much about primers. It almost appears that primers are taken for granted. But.....without a good primer one can have the best of what I just listed, there will be only one thing that you will have, "a fail to fire"!!

I know that this seems quite basic, however what I have learned about reloading from this forum and that is there's nothing basic when it comes to precision reloading; and.....there's always something to learn. I preferably like either "CCI" or "Federal" large rifle, magnum primers. I know there's some debate as to whether regular primers or magnum primers are better for reloading rifle cartridges, I have had good luck with the magnum primers. Presently my primers are stored in an old ammo can with a toggle clamp on it, I question how good the rubber gasket is and if there's not something better to keep them in?

For primer storage, I like the new small plastic ammo cans because they don't sweat with sudden temperature changes. I also but the silica jell packets and place one in each can with the primers. These have moisture indicators on each package the monitor moisture content and can be re charged/dried if they change color. They have three indicators and the first is as bought dry. They are sealed in moisture proof packages, the second is to let you know there it some moisture present.
the third tells you that they need to be replaced or re dried in the oven.

Hear is the ammo cans I like to use for primers. https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/plano-131200-box-ammo-can#repChildCatid=3094006

Hear are some of the packets. https://www.deltaadsorbents.com/silica-gel-packets

So far, I have not had to dry any of the packets, so the plastic cans have been working in this high humidity environment. I even left one of the packets out and it went bad over night.

Primer storage is very important as you said and improper storage can undo all of that expert cartridge re loading we try to do. After all, it all starts with the primer strike.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Alibiiv]

For primer storage, I like the new small plastic ammo cans because they don't sweat with sudden temperature changes. I also but the silica jell packets and place one in each can with the primers. These have moisture indicators on each package the monitor moisture content and can be re charged/dried if they change color. They have three indicators and the first is as bought dry. They are sealed in moisture proof packages, the second is to let you know there it some moisture present.
the third tells you that they need to be replaced or re dried in the oven.

Hear is the ammo cans I like to use for primers. https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/plano-131200-box-ammo-can#repChildCatid=3094006

Hear are some of the packets. https://www.deltaadsorbents.com/silica-gel-packets

So far, I have not had to dry any of the packets, so the plastic cans have been working in this high humidity environment. I even left one of the packets out and it went bad over night.

Primer storage is very important as you said and improper storage can undo all of that expert cartridge re loading we try to do. After all, it all starts with the primer strike.

J E CUSTOM

Never thought about the silica gel packs, that's a great idea. They will keep the primers dry, and they will also serve as a system check to let me know whether the gasket on the container is working properly. I also ordered some Plano ammo boxes, one for each of the primer bricks that I have on hand; small pistol, large pistol and large rifle primers.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Keeping them dry and at a constant temperature is about all to store them. I buy by the 1000's and vacuum seal the boxes. Only pull a hundred or two out when I need them. Living here in Az, they stay fairly dry and are stored in the AC as well.

I would like to add that a CONSTANT temp is far more important than the actual temp.
Cool temps seem to have less of an effect on powder or primers degrading, so I aim for around 10-15 degrees C.

Cheers.

 

[Mike AVM]

Silica gel packs in ammo cans. I keep mine in a 50% controlled humidity room though I realize that may not be an option for everyone.

 

[stljc2]

Heck...maybe I'm just lucky or something but I'm shooting WLR's I've had since 1994 and they never have failed me. Nothing special, as far as storage goes. Still in original box's (10,000 primers if it were full). It's been inside my house for that long. 1 house didn't have ac but in the upstairs. They were in the basement..no ac but still cooler than the outside. The other has central air but they were in an unheated/ no ac garage for several years. They still go boom every time. Like I said...maybe I'm just lucky. And NO I don't shoot competition ...I just hunt and shoot for fun.

 

[stljc2]

Heck...maybe I'm just lucky or something but I'm shooting WLR's I've had since 1994 and they never have failed me. Nothing special, as far as storage goes. Still in original box's (10,000 primers if it were full). It's been inside my house for that long. 1 house didn't have ac but in the upstairs. They were in the basement..no ac but still cooler than the outside. The other has central air but they were in an unheated/ no ac garage for several years. They still go boom every time. Like I said...maybe I'm just lucky. And NO I don't shoot competition ...I just hunt and shoot for fun.

 

[IUWG1]

My basement is air conditioned. I use sealed plastic containers similar to Tupperware. I put a piece of gypsum board (drywall free from construction sites) about 4" x 4" that I have dried in an old crock pot. I also use the crock pot on warm to dry my wet tumbled brass, takes about an hour.