lifespan for primers ?

G

Greg 79 F150

Guest
Is there a "good" life span for primers that have been stored well and dry ? I was load testing for our first BR match coming up on 2-24, and one of my rounds did not fire. The primer was dented well and the powder charge was o.k. It was the only one of 50 rounds that misfired. ..

I checked the date on the Fed 205M primers and they are 1999 stock. I am almost afraid to use them in a match now. Is there no need to worry here or are my primers passed their prime ?
 
60YO and still going strong

I have some Winchester 115 (large rifle) primers that I bought when I was 17 years old for the .219 Wasp I built. The primers were kept dry and a room temperature. The Wasp still shoots MOA and I have never had a misfire to this day. Don't know what I will do when I run out, Winchester no longer makes a 115. By the way the age here is 76.http://www.benchrest.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif
:)
 
Shooter

Yea right. I have some thats no good. The biggest percent of them are giving me hangfires. And they are in the warm. So now what.
 
I have some Rem's

That came out of an estate that seem to have suffered from time. have had a number of duds with them. to the point that I don't dare use them in a match
 
Primers don't "go bad" like oranges or grapes. 20-30 old military amminition shoots just fine because it's stored correctly.

Double wrap your primers in zip-lock plastic bags and/or air tight GI ammo cans and don't let them lay out on the work bench in the damp basement.

Buy them in bulk from a high volume supplier so you know they haven't been stored in a damp basement or blazing hot shed for years on end at some little country store.
 
I have some RWS large pistol primers stored in my basement which is subjected to some temp swings but not a lot and they are over 30 yrs old - they still go BANG every time.
Would all primers do this - hard to say; but most will work for many, many years.
 
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