Primed Brass Left Out Way Too Long

[Middletown]

I don't recommend this in any way but it happened and I thought some might be interested in the result.

I planned to do some 38 Special testing with different loads in 4 different guns and 5 barrel lengths. Dan Wesson for the 4 and 8 inch. Just some personal fun and I might have posted the results here. Re-sized, trimmed, primed with CCI 500's and placed in loading trays planning on getting back to them in the next couple days. Nothing tragic but I got busy and life and days turned into weeks into months and then into over 7 years. All the time on a shelf in a heated air conditioned house, DFW area humidity.I didn't do any reloading during this time so everything kind of got buried and put away.

I bought a new Ruger PC9 carbine 9mm and wanted a couple loads to try in it I didn't have so I cleared my bench, broke the stuff out and went to work. (Not what this thread is about but very much like and happy with purchase of the carbine.) After loading the 9's I decided to load up 50 of the 38 Specials to see if they would still consistently go bang. 125 grain hard cast lead over 4 grains Tite-Group.

Un-Scientific Results: All shot from same gun (Ruger Security Six in my avatar) and went bang, I could not tell any difference between any of the rounds and I was paying attention. For what it's worth I am pretty sure I have read on here Tite-Group is an easy to ignite powder.

Another thing to mention is a bright red oxide on the inside of a majority of the brass. mostly very light but maybe half a dozen very prominent. I'm setting the prominent ones aside and decide what to do with them last. Anyway, I am loading up the rest of the brass with same powder and bullet combination for range and other play. I am mindful it may take time for the oxide to contaminate the powder. Again just range and play ammo, If I get a dud I will deal with it.

Hope everyone has a great Christmas!

 

[jdsingleshot]

Half of my primers have sat in a wooden chest in the house for more than 40 years. They go bang just the way they did when bought them.

 

[entropy]

I have some .30-06 brass sitting around that is as old as yours, and will probably sit around until I get a .30-06 again. It's in a plastic coffee can. I also have about 800 .45ACP, 500 .223, and 200 .38 Spl. primed in sealed lockable lunch type containers that have been sitting for the last 2 years due to not enough $$ to load center-fire and 12 ga. lately.

 

[LiveLife]

CCI 500 ... over 7 years ... on a shelf in a heated air conditioned house, DFW area humidity.

7 years?

That's nothing for primers made tough to last decades/half century or more from humidity/moisture, temperature extremes of jungle to arctic and punishing shock/vibration from military transport trucks off-road for days/weeks.

The color you see at the bottom of primers is not the color of priming compound, rather moisture barrier/cup and sealant used to protect the priming compound.

 

[gwpercle]

Primers have a long shelf life and no expiration date ...
I'm still using some Alcan Primers I bought inthe 1970's ... they coming in handy in these day's of Not In Stock !
Gary

 

[Blue68f100]

TG is know to scorch the brass the reason for the ring. Primers last for decades if stored properly as previously said.

 

[Mk-211]

The red on your brass is probably dezincification, you might not want to use it.

https://www.quora.com/What-causes-dezincification-of-brass

 

[hdwhit]

If you search my posts, you will find detailed ones concerning storage of brass, powder and primers for the 15 years I was largely sidelined by Multiple Sclerosis.

Primers seem to be almost immortal. I am still loading and shooting primers that I bought in the 1970's that were stored in an uncooled, unheated garage in the DFW area. No failures so far.

Powder likewise. The only powder to suffer a significant degradation in performance was Green Dot. Everything else was still returning velocities at least 92% of what they were in the early 1990's (when I got my chronograph).

Brass was a different story. Deterioration seemed to depend on how it was stored, but for that analysis, read my old post.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I guess you found out what many of already know, primers are almost indestructible.

Since the primer shortage I broke out some Winchester primers which are in wooden trays. I didn't buy them back then, bought them at a show about 10 years ago. I don't know when they were made but it's been a very very long time since primers were sold in wooden trays. (very good primers BTW)

 

[Riomouse911]

I decap, resize, flare and prime scads of revolver cases when I have time, storing them in plastic sealable Folgers coffee containers until I pull some out to reload.

I think my .44 mag and .45 Colt primed cases are at least six years old, as I can’t remember when I last primed a batch of either. All have gone bang when fired.



My other calibers get shot more often, they all have been primed in the last year or two.



Store them well and they really can go a loooong time on the shelves.

Stay safe.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

7 years?

That's nothing for primers made tough to last decades/half century or more from humidity/moisture, temperature extremes of jungle to arctic and punishing shock/vibration from military transport trucks off-road for days/weeks.

The color you see at the bottom of primers is not the color of priming compound, rather moisture barrier/cup and sealant used to protect the priming compound.

The only thing - other than penetrating oils -that I have experience with killing primers is salt water. A buddy whose house in JAX was flooded by storm surge. He gave me a few bricks of Federal SP - the sleeves were stuck together, cardboard rotted, the brass was corroded and still about half went bang. The other half were just eaten away to the point where I couldn’t get them to seat. I hit a few of those with a decapper and the priming compound was covered in verdigris. They were dudded so it’s probably a good thing they caved instead of seating.

 

[bigpower491]

I've got quite a few old ones myself. CCI450s, they've been lighting off big charges of 296 without issue when called upon. The price tag on em reads $1.99......

 

[Engineer1911]

I finally ran out of 1996 loaded 223 ammo this summer. The prairie dogs didn't care about case shine, load data, or rifle selection. All their deaths were glorious, at least to the ranchers.

 

[Seedy Character]

I decap, resize, flare and prime scads of revolver cases when I have time, storing them in plastic sealable Folgers coffee containers until I pull some out to reload.

I think my .44 mag and .45 Colt primed cases are at least six years old, as I can’t remember when I last primed a batch of either. All have gone bang when fired.

View attachment 1120687View attachment 1120688

My other calibers get shot more often, they all have been primed in the last year or two.

View attachment 1120689

Store them well and they really can go a loooong time on the shelves.

Stay safe.

^^^^^^^ this

Load on a single stage. Deprime and clean when i get in from shooting.
Resize everything, when i have time.
Prime and store in jugs.
Ready to load, grab a jug and load until I'm ready to quit.
1 step at a time.

 

[tmd16556]

I have a good amount of 250 Savage brass that was primed in the 1930s. I suspect they will work fine and intend to load them with light, cast loads for fun some day.

 

[Roc_my_tims]

7 years?

That's nothing for primers made tough to last decades/half century or more from humidity/moisture, temperature extremes of jungle to arctic and punishing shock/vibration from military transport trucks off-road for days/weeks.

The color you see at the bottom of primers is not the color of priming compound, rather moisture barrier/cup and sealant used to protect the priming compound.

Great info and pics thanks

 

[LiveLife]

Great info and pics thanks

You are very welcome.

And FYI, if anyone is thinking about disassembling primers with active priming compound that "detonates" instead of burning like smokeless powder, PLEASE wear proper eye/face protection. I wore safety glasses and full face shield when I was dissecting those active primers to take close up pictures.

These little buggers pack a punch. I tested their explosive power by cooking one "dud" primer inside two stainless bowls on top of gas grill side burner until I heard a "pop" and it left an impressive dent on both bowls! (Anvil feet impression on bottom bowl and impact dent on top bowl)

"Dud" Tula SP primer left anvil feet impression on stainless steel bowl

 

[Middletown]

Thanks All for the replies. I thought they would probably be okay or I wouldn't have loaded 50. I loaded the rest of them yesterday with the same recipe so I have a fair supply of 38 Special target loads.

Thanks again for the replies!

 

[lightman]

I decap, resize, flare and prime scads of revolver cases when I have time, storing them in plastic sealable Folgers coffee containers until I pull some out to reload.

I think my .44 mag and .45 Colt primed cases are at least six years old, as I can’t remember when I last primed a batch of either. All have gone bang when fired.

View attachment 1120687View attachment 1120688

My other calibers get shot more often, they all have been primed in the last year or two.

View attachment 1120689

Store them well and they really can go a loooong time on the shelves.

Stay safe.

What would a reloader do without Folgers?

 

[deadeye dick]

Now you got me thinking; In the mid 60's i did a lot of shotshell loading for trap with paper shells. have some sitting around About 30 209's and 10 boxes of 7 1/2 shotshells. one day i will suit up with armor and shoot some for giggles. After 60 years i bet they go boom

 

[lightman]

I've loaded brass that was primed for much longer than yours has been. But I don't know what has caused the red oxide that you are seeing. Being in a heated and air conditioned environment should make your DFW area humidity a non factor. Mine has also been in a controlled environment.

 

[Middletown]

I also use Folgers and other coffee cans to store brass. Main reason for my post was they were in the open in loading trays for that long. I am glad they are now fully loaded ammo. I have been kicking myself for several years every time I looked at them.

 

[deadeye dick]

I use the clear plastic jugs that nuts come in at Sams club. The screw on tops are big enough to put my hand trhru ands you can see the contents.

 

[FROGO207]

Reloaders are masters at reusing old containers to maximum benefit.
Some years ago when cleaning out my grandfathers workshop (where we reloaded when I was a kid) in behind of a old wooden box of sweaty dynamite I had the honor to remove a year earlier I found an old wooden nail box full of primed 30-30 brass. I eventually brought it home and after using compressed air to remove decades of sawdust and other stuff set up to reload them. They were grungy tarnished brass and the primers had a U stamped in them. Figured they were UMC primers from the 40's that were forgotten up there over time. Loaded the brass with a standard load of 3031 and uesd Laser Cast 170's. All 10 shot OK so I loaded up the rest (about 130 IIRC) they all shot great for plinking loads at the farm the next year and I am still using most of the brass in my mix of lead plinking loads. Think I only had 20 or so split necks in that batch.
So yes, primers are really rugged devices that need to be treated with respect.

 

[Mk-211]

@FROGO207
Your post brought back a story my dad told me, I also heard it from my uncle and a somewhat redacted version from my grandfather.

They were out in the desert exploring, went into an old mine and found a box of dynamite. They shot a couple of the sticks and they went boom.

My dad suggested to just shoot the remainder of the box all at once. So they placed it against the base of hill by the mine and shot it.

The part that always makes me laugh is the story ending the same from all three of them. They remember the dynamite exploding and then running like mad as the hill was coming down on top of them!