Required shelf life for primers

[revolverman357]

When asking for Federal small pistol primers at my local supplier, I was told that small pistol primers are getting hard to come by and that the Government has asked Federal to manufacture it's primers with a shelf life to prevent the hoarding of primers or loaded ammo. When the shelf life is up the primer will not ignite. Has anyone else heard of this or is this guy just starting a rumor to cause panic?

 

[g56]

When the shelf life is up the primer will not ignite. Has anyone else heard of this or is this guy just starting a rumor to cause panic?

I think I smell extremely sleazy sales practices.

 

[Mal H]

revolverman - I think that whoever told you that is full of ... well, let's just say he knows not of which he speaks. The legal implications alone of such an action would be prohibitive.

Besides why ask only Federal, why not ask CCI, Remington, Winchester to do it also?

Every now and then someone hears or reads something that is so unabashedly wrong they actually want to believe it (especially when the evil government is concerned) and so they do and pass it on.

 

[revolverman357]

I don't want to pass on bad information, that's the reason I have asked. It sort of sounded like a conspiracy theory to me, or maybe he likes to tell people this and then give them a "good deal" on some primers that he just happens to have under the table, just don't tell anybody.....
I didn't take him too seriously.

 

[WayneConrad]

revolverman, it's not new. I'm trying to remember where I saw it before. Probably here, but I can't find it with search. In any case, the conclusion was "urban legend." At least, nobody's come up with any evidence to support it, and it's a pretty extraordinary claim, so it's reasonable to discount it.

 

[flutedchamber]

About a month ago, I found some old boxes of primers that I had stored from 1974. They were CCI and Remington, both in lp, sp, lr and sr. I loaded 5 rounds with each primer, and had no problem with hangfire or misfire. I should ad that I store my primers in a cool, dark, dry location in a tupperware airtight container. No problems after almost 32 years. Can't ask for much more than that.

 

[Hazzard]

I've heard this "urban legend" before as well, but I don't think it is based in fact. It does remind me of the expiration date on milk, though..

The Better Half - [looking in the fridge] "Well the milk is out of date today. I'm throwing it out (as she heads to garbage disposal with said milk).

Me - [trying hard to be meek and apologetic in advance] "Honey, there is no timer in the milk that makes it go bad on a certain day. Why don't you check it before you throw it out?".

The Better Half - [looks at me as if I'm an alien as she pours it down the disposal] "What did you say?"

 

[Ditchtiger]

Primer scare

A primer shortage happened back in the early 90''s. They were selling for $40 a thousand before things got straightened out. Shelf life came up then to, the manufactures denied the rumour saying they could not make primers with an experation date and still have a product with consistant ignition. Let's hope prices don't climb again

 

[Crosshair]

Long story short: The primer scare of 94 was a result of higher than normal demand for loaded ammo. Primer makers put component orders on hold while they made more for loaded ammo. Then someone started the rumor about the expiring ammo. It simply can't be done. Primers are made of unstable chemicals and adding anything else would mess with the reliability.

 

[Mal H]

revolverman - To clarify my statement: The "someone" I was referring to in my third paragraph (post #3) was the person at your local supplier, not you. Your serious questioning of his statement here was the proper thing to do.

 

[ReloaderFred]

The source of the primer expiration date question came up during the early years of the Clinton administration (if you can call it that), when the anti-gunners were on a roll and had the support of Clinton and the Democrats. If you think back, you'll remember all the talk about identification taggents in gunpowder, so they could identify each lot and there would of course have been registration of gunpowder sales, with identification of purchasers. At the same time, they proposed a shelf life on primers, but the manufacturers proved to them that it couldn't be done without affecting the reliability of all primers, and the associated liability. It was finally dropped.

Those of you too young to have been involved in reloading then won't know of it, but us older guys remember it well. Those were dark days for shooters.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[revolverman357]

Thanks guys, I won't worry about the situation. I usuall pick up primers when I see them at a good price at gun shows etc.. just to have on hand anyway.
So I am well supplied, but I was talking with some guys at work today and they are talking about a primer and brass shortage due to china buying up metals and such. I tried to dispell this rumor, but they seemed pretty intent on buying up all the primers and brass they can find. I told them doing that will do more to drive up prices than anything. Oh well, what ever trips thier trigger.

 

[Ares45]

I think I smell extremely sleazy sales practices.

I agree. Either that or a complete idiot.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I solved the primer scare for me. I ordered in about 50,000 primers which I will then redistribute to various storage areas to keep inside the fire codes. Nice to have good friends who will store a load of primers and powder for the friendly reloader in the neighborhood.

At currently consumption with my current stash, this should last about 2 years or maybe a bit less.