New Project sorting old stuff

[Buzznrose]

So a friend knows I am getting started in reloading and called me on Sunday to come check out his uncle’s reloading stash he inherited and wanted to sell or trade. Friend’s uncle was an engineer and architect, and became an avid shooter and reloader when he retired in his mid 70’s. This box hasn’t been touched in probably 10 years.

So I ended up trading my friend a half case (500 rounds) factory .223 and a case (250) of cheap (pre-Covid) factory 20 gauge target loads for the uncles “box”. Still sorting through it but some of the stuff includes:

- 900 SP primers
- 900 LP primers
- Redding single stage press
- Redding mechanical scale
- Lyman powder thrower
- Hornady .38/357 and .45ACP dies
- RCBS case trimmer and other parts
- a lot of .38 bullets, maybe 2K, mostly lead
- A lot of brass (5,000 pieces easy), mostly .38 but probably 500 of .357 and .45 ACP
- Very little hodgepodge of loaded ammo.

Lots of stuff was stored in plastic bags and glass jars.

I’m currently sorting through stuff and putting empty brass in my vibrating cleaner so I can check it out. I’m also cleaning the equipment and parts. Most everything seems to be in working order but dirty and gummed up.

Some specific questions I have right now:

1. I have a quart mayo jar full of clean and primed .357 brass. Guessing this is 10-15 years old. What should I do with this?

2. What about the boxes of primers? They look decent. Would you trust them? I doubt humidity is an issue as they were largely stored indoors and in an unheated but well ventilated steel building for the last few years. Worth a chance?

some pics below:

 

[Soonerpesek]

1. I have a quart mayo jar full of clean and primed .357 brass. Guessing this is 10-15 years old. What should I do with this?

Take the decapping pin out of your size die, size 'em like normal, load 'em, shoot 'em......

Worth a chance?

Most definitely........

 

[WeekendReloader]

1. Primed brass - visually inspect it for any signs of cracks, etc. Then use it. Primers should be fine.
2. Check for visible signs of corrosion. If they look good, they should be just fine.

 

[Rule3]

Wow, you did good! Take the primed brass out of the glass jar, Just my opinion but I do not like glass containers for any reloading stuff.

As mentioned, take out the decapping pin and load them , shoot them
Not much happens to primers, they are hard to "kill"

 

[Highland Lofts]

You did good on your trade. Happy reloading.

 

[Bearded Phil]

A transaction is never uneven if both parties are satisfied but.... I'd say you got the good end of this one. Congrats!

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

View attachment 1061578 View attachment 1061579 View attachment 1061571 So a friend knows I am getting started in reloading and called me on Sunday to come check out his uncle’s reloading stash he inherited and wanted to sell or trade. Friend’s uncle was an engineer and architect, and became an avid shooter and reloader when he retired in his mid 70’s. This box hasn’t been touched in probably 10 years.

So I ended up trading my friend a half case (500 rounds) factory .223 and a case (250) of cheap (pre-Covid) factory 20 gauge target loads for the uncles “box”. Still sorting through it but some of the stuff includes:

- 900 SP primers
- 900 LP primers
- Redding single stage press
- Redding mechanical scale
- Lyman powder thrower
- Hornady .38/357 and .45ACP dies
- RCBS case trimmer and other parts
- a lot of .38 bullets, maybe 2K, mostly lead
- A lot of brass (5,000 pieces easy), mostly .38 but probably 500 of .357 and .45 ACP
- Very little hodgepodge of loaded ammo.

Lots of stuff was stored in plastic bags and glass jars.

I’m currently sorting through stuff and putting empty brass in my vibrating cleaner so I can check it out. I’m also cleaning the equipment and parts. Most everything seems to be in working order but dirty and gummed up.

Some specific questions I have right now:

1. I have a quart mayo jar full of clean and primed .357 brass. Guessing this is 10-15 years old. What should I do with this?

2. What about the boxes of primers? They look decent. Would you trust them? I doubt humidity is an issue as they were largely stored indoors and in an unheated but well ventilated steel building for the last few years. Worth a chance?

some pics below:

View attachment 1061571 View attachment 1061572 View attachment 1061573 View attachment 1061574 View attachment 1061575 View attachment 1061576 View attachment 1061577

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!

 

[Buzznrose]

Another question…what are these?

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Another question…what are these?

View attachment 1061702

Trimmer pilots.

 

[BigBlue 94]

Id say that box of primers is about 20 years old. I had a bunch of that vintage go off in a shop fire in 2015. They worked just fine... Ever thrown a roll of 10,000 firecrackers into a bonfire?

You did well on the trade!

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Oh and nice deal too congrats.

 

[wcwhitey]

Yea big score! Congrats and thank your friend. You are ready to roll your own!

 

[lightman]

That was a nice trade. If the primed brass and the primers look ok I would trust them.

 

[Archie]

First: Kiss your friend. That was a super trade. At least be kind and sympathetic to him.

Primers. Last so near to forever as to make little difference. If they were exposed to much moisture, they might have some problems. Look at the package and see if there are any water stains. I got some Remington primers in the wooden boxes. So old I couldn't find them (the boxes) on line. All the makers have been using plastic trays since before I started reloading in 1971. Got them in the early 1970s and the story was they belonged to an uncle (of someone) who had them for a long time. They all ignited on command Try one or two in an empty case if you're concerned.

Aside from cracks and impact damage, all the other stuff does not age.
Okay, check for rust and impacts. Any damage will stand out.
The scale and powder thrower need to move freely. You may need to use some penetrating oil and clean the parts a bit. But any damage will be easy to find.

 

[twarr1]

Great deal!
Is the Lyman 55 a 2 or 3 slide model? I love my old Ideal/Lyman 2-slide. It’s a tank and will throw 4.2 gr 700X all day long.
1000 CCI Small Pistol Primers - $16.95! That sounds like a crazy low price today, but it seemed like a lot of $ back in the day!
Every old stash I’ve seen in person (including mine) had a few oddball cartridges that didn’t match any of the equipment or other items. Is that just a characteristic of reloaders?

P.S. The primers are fine. If the brass cups are ok, shoot them!

 

[Bearded Phil]

Every old stash I’ve seen in person (including mine) had a few oddball cartridges that didn’t match any of the equipment or other items. Is that just a characteristic of reloaders?

I'm prone to picking up cases of cartridges that I don't load or shoot to tumble and keep just for the collection. Last one I got that was of interest to me was a 7mm Rem Mag case. Pretty neat.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I keep some casings too. My coolest one to me is a 338 lappula. I have 2 of those. I have a few 50AE too.

 

[Bearded Phil]

I keep some casings too. My coolest one to me is a 338 lappula. I have 2 of those. I have a few 50AE too.

I got some 50 AE too, about 12 of those. Some guys at the range had a Desert Eagle and weren't picking up their brass (to save, they did clean up like nice gents) so I grabbed a handful and asked if I could keep them. They're Starline too, once fired by the look of the ejector marks.

 

[edwardware]

1. I have a quart mayo jar full of clean and primed .357 brass. What should I do with this?
2. What about the boxes of primers?

1. Check to make sure they're sized, then flare and load them.

2. I have bought and used thousands of secondhand primers decades older than those. They're fine, load 'em up.

 

[Reloadron]

1. I have a quart mayo jar full of clean and primed .357 brass. Guessing this is 10-15 years old. What should I do with this?

2. What about the boxes of primers? They look decent. Would you trust them? I doubt humidity is an issue as they were largely stored indoors and in an unheated but well ventilated steel building for the last few years. Worth a chance?

I love easy questions.
1. I would load the .357 brass or if you don't shoot .357 Mag sell it or just send it to me.

2. Those primers should be fine. I have plenty of the same packaging design from early 90s which shoot just fine.

Ron

 

[Buzznrose]

Well, got everything pretty much inventoried. Still have to clean the press and powder measure, but I sprayed it down with Ballistol for now.

Around 1K .45 ACP brass, 50 already primed. Around 2500 .38 brass, couple hundred primed. Around 1200 .357 brass, almost 100 primed. 1K lead WC .38 bullets, 300ish 158 gr FMJ FN. a couple hundred more .38 misc bullets

I was able to send the RCBS scale I just bought back for a refund ($105) and will use the Redding scale I got in the deal. Also got a half dozen shell holders, a couple hundred .308 brass, and some still good gun grease and CLP.

My friend called and said he still owed me one more box that contained manuals and notes from his uncle. May have more brass and whatever else.

It’s been fun sorting things out. Thanks for the help!