Tumbled Primers...should I use them or toss them?

[MooseD888]

I finally found the four small pistol primers that I lost the other day. They turned up in my steel pin tumbler at the end of the cycle when I separated the pins from the casing.

Yup. Found them. Wet. Dripping. Still good looking and intact.

I know it's just four SPP but as you know they are somewhat precious nowadays. I don't know what I should do with them...would you load them? If not, why?

 

[Project355]

Even with todays primer situation..... Really? Four primers? Toss em.

 

[troy fairweather]

I'd pop them In a case and fire them off, you know for science.

 

[Demi-human]

Even at 400% market value, that’s 62 cents.

How much cost is the aggravation of a bullet in the barrel throat from a squibbed round? Ending the range session, unlocking the firearm, tapping out the bullet from the bore, and removing the half-burned powder from everywhere.

Unless they flat won’t work. Then you’ve only wasted the time putting them to gather and then taking them back apart...

But, like @troy fairweather, I’d do it for science!
Drying them thoroughly, because the only way for them to actually be “dead” is for them to have been oxidized, burned.

But not under some guise that they are invaluable.
A case is, four, not so much...

 

[edwardware]

Shoot 'em, or you'll never know if they're ok!

Maybe avoid loading your last 4 rounds for the coming Zom-pocalypse. . .

 

[Demi-human]

And hey...

Welcome to the HighRoad.Org, @MooseD888!

It’s nice to have you here!

 

[243winxb]

As a test, dry them in warm 80 degree sunlight for a day. Seat them in empty brass and see if they fire.

If your feeling luck, load powder & bullets.

Primers should fire. But may be weak.

I soaked primers in water for a week. They fired after drying.

steel pin tumbler

May damage the primers??

 

[Ru4real]

Load them up and mix them into your bulk ammo. Ten years from now when you get another misfire just think of the fun cursing Past MooseD888.

 

[NC9mm]

I would put them into my “practice ammo only” which is separate from my match ammo. It will be an interesting experiment.

 

[Walkalong]

They'll probably go off. Primers are tough.

But, like @troy fairweather, I’d do it for science!

Yep.

 

[MooseD888]

I think you guys are right. I’m going to case them with no powder/bullet to see if they go off. I’ll let you guys know.

 

[Johnnyd]

I'd pop them In a case and fire them off, you know for science.

That's what I'd do.

 

[lightman]

I bet they go off but if I loaded them I would keep them separate from my other ammo. I would toss them.

 

[MikeInOr]

I am with Troy above. Put them in an empty case then put the empty case in a gun and pop off the primers as an experiment. Then report your findings back here.

Welcome aboard!

 

[MooseD888]

As an experiment, I put them in cleaned casings with no charge or bullet...didn’t fire.

 

[gunlaw]

Just smack em with a hammer and wait for your ears to stop ringing

 

[Demi-human]

As an experiment, I put them in cleaned casings with no charge or bullet...didn’t fire.

You did completely dry them, correct?
Thanks for the report, or lack of one!

 

[MooseD888]

Yeah, dried them over 3 days. In the tumbler, I had the lime shine, dawn, and car wash and wax. Wondering if that combination neutered the primer...

 

[mokin]

You did completely dry them, correct?
Thanks for the report, or lack of one!

Second this. Thanks for not leaving us hanging.

 

[Demi-human]

Unless the compound has been so dissolved there is no longer enough material to chain react, or it has burned, then it is only desensitized. Upon enough heat or pressure it will oxidize.

Bummer you had an incomplete loading lot of primers. At least they were found without the aid of a carpet sweeper!

Thanks for the fun experiment experience!