Old primers

**Iron Sights** · April 18th, 2009, 12:18 PM

I was lucky to pick-up a press and some dies a few months ago from an old timer that stopped reloading several years ago. I was just going through a box he also gave me and found about 250 primed .357 and 9mm cartidges. When I asked him about them he said they were CCI SP and probably 20 years old. Any thoughts on if they are still good. I don't think my neighbors or the police if I would approve of me trying a few out before I load them.

**JoeWilliams** · April 18th, 2009, 12:35 PM

Not sure I'd trust them... or his memory of what they are. I think I'd fire the primers off, and then reload the brass from scratch.

I don't know for a fact that that is necessary, just what I'd do.

**imashooter2** · April 18th, 2009, 01:09 PM

The primers are probably still good. You have to try hard to kill a modern primer. As for magnum or standard... Load something mid range and you don't have to worry about it.

**762xIan** · April 18th, 2009, 09:52 PM

Load something mid range and you don't have to worry about it.

I agree, primers are getting scarce and pricey also. Make some plinking/practice ammo out of it.

As for age of primers, I did just that with about 500 small pistol primers (remingtons) I found at a yard sale.....the box had a price of 5.99 on it

wonder how old they were? No idea, but they all went bang like they were supposed to.

**wirepuller** · April 18th, 2009, 10:05 PM

If they are just primed cases no one should have a problem with you firing a few, just use ear plugs in your basement, if 10 out of 10 work your good to go

**andrewjs18** · April 19th, 2009, 08:12 AM

I've recently shot .223 reloads that were from 1982. Every one of them functioned just fine.

Primers should be fine for a long long time if they're properly stored (dry and not too hot of a room).

You could always fire a few of casings with the primers in them before dumping powder into the casings.