Dumb Question...

[Grundy53]

A few months ago I decided to load some .300 win mags. I primed them then something came up (can't recall what it was ) and never got around to loading them. Now I'm looking to finish them but I'm a little worried about the primers. I doubt there is anything wrong with them but I'm a worrier and just envision pulling the trigger on a bull of a lifetime and hearing "click". they have been on a shelf literally right next to where I keep my primers. Just not in the packaging. What do you guys think? Am I worrying about nothing or do you think I shouldn't trust those primers?

 

[Elkman]

Me thinks your worrying about nothing. I commonly prep cases ahead of time. In fact tomorrow I am loading some 308 cases that have been prepped and primed for at least a couple of months. You should be fine!!

 

[DrMike]

Load 'em and fire 'em. They'll work just fine, provided you didn't fill the case with oil or soak them in water or leave them in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour... :grin:

 

[Grundy53]

Thanks guys! I figured I would be alright but if I'm not worrying then there is something wrong... :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Elkman]

Dr. Mike
Load 'em and fire 'em. They'll work just fine, provided you didn't fill the case with oil or soak them in water or leave them in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour

I have a great idea, when you are not chasing game, why don't you test a few like that and let us know how it comes out. ????? It would be really interesting.

 

[DrMike]

Dr. Mike
Load 'em and fire 'em. They'll work just fine, provided you didn't fill the case with oil or soak them in water or leave them in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour

I have a great idea, when you are not chasing game, why don't you test a few like that and let us know how it comes out. ????? It would be really interesting.

Been there, done that, bought the tee-shirt. :shock: If there's a mistake to be made, I've made it.

 

[Elkman]

mike

I can say truthfully I have "not" done any of those to this date. My ooops with primers has been to seat a few upside down, trying to put them into unworked military cases, and last week trying to seat one on top of the other, (twice). I had really thought "none" of the cases had been pre-primed.

 

[truck driver]

Winchester & Remington sell pre primed brass so I would think they should be alright, Just check to make sure nothing fell into the case while on the shelf. I always turn mine up side down or store in a box so nothing can get in the case.

 

[PJGunner]

I have a box of .357 mag. brass with 1,000 primed cases that got lost in the shuffle over 20 years ago. :shock: A while back a friend gave me a box of reloading stuff and said, "I can't find any .357 Mag. ammo can you load me up a box?" I said I could, told him about how the box has been in my shed for a very long time and that they might not go bang. He said, "OK." I stuck a few in my .357 and the primers all fired. soI loaded up a box. Later, at the next class, we teach Hunter education, he said they all fired and that is was some of the most accurate he'd ever shot in his gun.
I remember buying that brass at a gun show at least 20 years ago and resized them, belled the necks for cast bulelt which are all i shoot in my handguns put them in a box to reload when I got time. Way too many other projects and not enough time I guess because there they sat in very hot summers and a few chilly winters and they're still just fine. At least it seems that they are. I'll load them up with plinking rounds. That way if some have gone bad it shouldn't be a big deal. That has to be a classic worst case scenario for primer storage and they still worked.
Paul B.

 

[Wincheringen]

I typically load in big batches, so cases get primed and may sit for years. I know I have a big box of '06 brass that I have siphoned off that was sized, trimmed, and primed years ago. They all go bang just fine.