How long do primers last if stored well

[Southernsorrow]

I have about 21,000 large pistol primers, leftover from a bulk buy me and my dad did back in 1995~ we bought about 300k of those plus various rifle and magnum primers, they've been kept stored in original boxes and spent their lives in vacuum sealed bags in the gun cabinets which run dehumidifiers. They all look new tbh so I was gonna try and offload them locally as I no longer have any 45acps or really anything that uses large pistol cal primers left (THIS IS NOT A SALE THREAD) I'm asking cause we got several swap shop facebook and local only sale forums here and people buy sell or swap ammo n stuff often... but ...are they good is my main concern.

I'd hate to sell something that turns out to be duds. I guess i could grab a few random samples and pop em in some rifle brass just to see if they go bang? I got rid of all my 45acp reloading gear or I'd of just made some test rounds and borrowed a 1911. The last time i reloaded any of these primers was back in 2013 and made about 20k rounds so its been awhile

 

[Bazoo]

Primers should last indefinitely if stored under cool dry conditions. I know that primers that are over 100 years old are fine when stored in a nice environment.

 

[MarshallDodge]

I'm still loading primers from the 90s and they still shoot like new. They have been stored indoors, in an air conditioned environment.

 

[FLIGHT762]

I'm still loading Small Pistol & Large Rifle primers from the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, 1980's & 1990's. They all go bang. Stored properly, they last many decades.

 

[LV Gun]

I just finished up using primers from my deceased father in law that are 40 years old every one went bang .

 

[johnjohn]

Those things last darn near forever.

 

[EMC45]

I'm shooting primers/powder from the early 60s that still work perfectly. (some of the powder was in brown paper lunch bags too)

 

[Bill M]

I made it through this last "shortage" using small rifle primers purchased in the 90's. My primers are stored in an unheated room in my shop, no problems!
It is annoying seeing the price sticker on the sleeve $13.50 per thousand!

 

[Southernsorrow]

Good to hear, yeah im currently going through any/all my surplus 30-06, 7.62x39,x51,x54r since the the prices atm are crazy and im running out of reload materials for those calibers. Luckily i stocked up about 20k small pistol , 10k small rifle , 4k large rifle before the pandemic when i think they were $23~25 per 1k on cci and win ... I was lookin at them last month (totally oblivious to the price gouging) since im almost out of rifle primers and almost had a stroke lol.... 95.00 for 1k of primers seems a bit insane

Luckily my powder supply is still decent except for my beloved varget that is almost gone other than that Ive got

1/2lb of rl-15
1lb of 4064
1lb n340
2lb Hs-6
5lbs of 8208xbr
6lb cfe pistol

 

[Yankee1986]

Be aware: Your 8208xbr is unobtanium also.

 

[Bill_in_TR]

Sure wish I lived in Louisianna. I could sure use some large pistol primers. Oh well maybe they will show up some day.

But as everyone said as well cared for as yours seem to be they should be fine.

 

[buddyd157]

i keep mine in a sealable tub i got at lowes, it's a Craftsman in fact, and i threw in 2 large desiccant bags as well.

i also run a dehumidifier in the summer time.

 

[Show Me]

On a shelf, till the cows come home.

 

[Laphroaig]

Nothing lasts forever, but primers come darn close.

 

[lightman]

Just about forever. Decades anyway, if stored the way you said.

 

[Reloadron]

I am using primers I bought and had left over from a gun shop my wife and I owned circa early 90s. A variety of brands mostly CCI. They all still function fine. Stored in original containers in a cool dry place.

Ron

 

[hdwhit]

I recently (2019) finished up a stock of primers from the 1981/82 component drought.

Zero failures.

So, my experience is that even after years ofa being stored for decades in a Texas garage for nearly 40 years, they are still good.

 

[FROGO207]

Recently I used up about 2K mixed rilfle/pistol primers that were in the rafters of my grandfathers workshop. It was an unheated uninsulated shop in the state of Maine. The packing even had some water damage on it. Not one of those primers that dated from the 1950's-60's was a dud. Yours are almost new compared. I bet you could swap some for primers you could use and be further ahead than selling them. As stated above wish you were near me. I am down to my last 4K and really need to buy some if they show up at semi reasonable prices.

 

[Bill M]

FROGO207, I had an ammo can full of the old rifle primers I got helping my friends mother clean out a house to sell, they had wooden dividers between the rows! Many had round cups, I remembered I had them when friends were complaining of a LR shortage in the 90's. They said they never had a failure, (and murdered a lot of Prarie dogs!)

 

[Otto]

Non-toxic primers (lead free) have a shorter shelf life than traditional lead styphnate primers. Non-toxic primers also require storage conditions that minimize moisture absorption. CCI puts a shelf life of 5 years on some of their non-toxic ammo. Fortunately, the only company that has sold lead free primers at retail has been Fiocchi. And their new primer plant will be dedicated to such primers.
In general, primers will last a very long time but there are exceptions.