Wow, I thought it was common NOT to do this...

[jdgabbard]

Sounds like a time bomb to me...

http://youtu.be/RV5FU_Gx1t0

I was under the impression that this WASN'T a good idea. Am I wrong here???

[btroj]

What is wrong with it? They are in the original manufacturer container.

I bet many, many people on the site use ammo cans for primer storage.

[Bret4207]

Jut FYI, many people are still on dial up and a lot of us will not click a link to watch a video and try and figure out what the issue is.

If it's storing primers in ammo cans, been doing it for years and years.

[MarcusT]

Nothing wrong with that. If they were taken out of the packaging and put in an ammo can loose that would be very bad.

[44man]

I agree, I see no problems.

[Rockchucker]

I store all my primers indoors on a shelf, but if I stored them out in the shop I'd store them in an ammo can also.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

I have stored primers in their original box inside of ammo cans for years. I learned the tip from the man that taught me how to reload, he has been doing it for over 20 years without an issue.

[BruceB]

I have worked intimately with explosives for many years (mining), where we use TONS per week.

Every rule that applies in mining or industry has an attached price, which was paid in blood or lives.

The reason that our safety record with explosives is so good is that we follow rules, and PAY ATTENTION.

To all of you that say "No problem!".......when was your last shop fire? How many of your ammo-can primers detonated in your non-existent fire?

The secret to safety with explosives lies in ANTICIPATING the possibilities and taking steps to prevent them.

My primers stay in their original boxes on open shelves. I know too much about explosives to give them a running start at my hide!

[Wayne Smith]

Other than the active use ones in my reloading room my primers are in their cases in a working refrigerator in the garage. Along with my extra powder.

[tomme boy]

Other than the active use ones in my reloading room my primers are in their cases in a working refrigerator in the garage. Along with my extra powder.

Have you ever had any problems storing them this way? I would think they would have problems when you take them out with condensation forming from going from cold to hot. I have problems all the time taking my guns from my air conditioned house out into the heat to shoot.

[randyrat]

I have all mine in ammo cans along with a bag of moisture absorbent. I never knew this could be a problem.
My thought is this; If those ammo cans get to the point they ignite the primers, then the entire house would be way too hot for anyone to be anywhere near the

Those are ammo cans, intended for loaded ammo with primers in them. Do I need to rethink this?

[Jim]

All my primers are in the freezer compartment of my refrigerator-turned-powder magazine.

[mdi]

The problem would be either in case of fire and if the primers ignited, the sealed container would hold pressure until the rupture point, aka "Bomb". Also, there is some belief that if dropped or subject to a severe blow, a primer might ignite causing the other primers to ignite, and again, pressure build up and turning the sealed heavy duty can into a bomb. I have lived in some pretty damp locations (near beach in So. CA and at the super rainy Oregon coast), and have never had a problem with primers not functioning because of moisture in the air or condensation. Actually, I believe today's primers aren't as delicate as some might think. Jes fer grins, spray a primer with WD40, put it in a case anf fire it. More times than not, it'll fire...

[C.F.Plinker]

In 2010 the National Fire Protection Assoc. made several changes to their requirements for storage of primers. These included increasing the number that could be stored in a residence up to 150,000. Does anyone have the complete text of the NFPA storage requirements for smokeless powder, black powder, and primers (NFPA 495-2010) that they could post here?

[BruceB]

[QUOTE= Jes fer grins, spray a primer with WD40, put it in a case anf fire it. More times than not, it'll fire...[/QUOTE]

A few years ago, I performed a primer test for the edification of this Board.

I TOTALLY SUBMERGED groups of Large Pistol primers in baths of WD40, Hoppe's #9, and gun oil....TOTALLY submerged.

I removed a few primers from each bath every 24 hours, primed cases with them, and attempted to fire them in a 1911 pistol.

It took over THREE DAYS before the first one showed any weakening of ignition compared to a clean primer, and five or more days before they were completely dead.

At this same time, I sprayed the heads of a full box of cast-bullet reloads with WD40, to the point that puddles of the liquid were standing on the heads of the cases (bullet-down in the box).

I fired five of these rounds every month until the 50 were exhausted(ten months). EVERY SINGLE ROUND fired normally.

Yes, my concern with ammo-can storage is the fire problem. Yes, the house would be heavily-involved before the primers 'blew', but that doesn't absolve us of a duty to protect the firefighters as much as possible.

[geargnasher]

I never store powder and primer together except for loaded ammunition. Powder stays in an old upright freezer that's turned off, primers are stored in open shelves indoors. The ammo can thing is awfully tempting, but I can't imagine the destruction of 5,000 or more primers going off inside a strong steel box. It's a one and a million chance one would spontaneously detonate without a major heat or impact event, but I'm not going to risk it.

If you want the same level of humidity protection without the danger, good, name-brand freezer bags with a dessicant packet placed inside and the excess air sucked out with a straw iw a good way to store your primers.

Gear

[44man]

The amount of primers in a fire are nothing compared to all else I have. [smilie=s:
My primers are in a metal box but the lid is not locked.
The ammo can is fine if the lid is just shut.
There is a reason the ammo can is used for ammo. Most cook off will be contained.

[zomby woof]

I keep mine in ammo cans.

[Sonnypie]

Store it in a cool dry place... (http://youtu.be/SJNZS5KpU0s)

(You Tube, music.)

I store mine....
well, the way I store mine.
How somebody else does, right or wrong, really has no effect on my life.
Handle your components with respect, and they will work for you.
None of the explosives I have handled in my life ever required refrigeration. Not dynamite; not fused, percussion, or electric primers; nor any powders.
The only guy I knew who died in an explosion was because he was smoking in a mine and a pocket of methane went off. (That was the report of MSA)
That was after he had been warned about smoking underground. He made a bad choice. :violin:

So far, I've made good choices. I hope you do, too.

[jdgabbard]

I have worked intimately with explosives for many years (mining), where we use TONS per week.

Every rule that applies in mining or industry has an attached price, which was paid in blood or lives.

The reason that our safety record with explosives is so good is that we follow rules, and PAY ATTENTION.

To all of you that say "No problem!".......when was your last shop fire? How many of your ammo-can primers detonated in your non-existent fire?

The secret to safety with explosives lies in ANTICIPATING the possibilities and taking steps to prevent them.

My primers stay in their original boxes on open shelves. I know too much about explosives to give them a running start at my hide!

This is exactly the point that I was getting at. Just because it hasn't happened to you, doesn't mean that it wont. And I have heard of stories of ammo cans of primers detonating. It is just that, a bomb...

And Bruce, I'm aware that SOME people still have dial up. But the video was being used as a reference to show that the gentleman was promoting the use of it.

[dbarnhart]

The funniest thing I saw was a craigslist ad in which a guy was trying to sell a 2 liter pepsi bottle that was about 1/3 full of loose primers.

[jdgabbard]

Sounds like a great deal!!!! lol

[Bret4207]

I have worked intimately with explosives for many years (mining), where we use TONS per week.

Every rule that applies in mining or industry has an attached price, which was paid in blood or lives.

The reason that our safety record with explosives is so good is that we follow rules, and PAY ATTENTION.

To all of you that say "No problem!".......when was your last shop fire? How many of your ammo-can primers detonated in your non-existent fire?

The secret to safety with explosives lies in ANTICIPATING the possibilities and taking steps to prevent them.

My primers stay in their original boxes on open shelves. I know too much about explosives to give them a running start at my hide!

Bruce, the down side to that is moisture. In my case I'd have bad primers. Instead I have primers from the mid-70's that are still in good shape. I guess we all have to take a risk on something.

[Wayne Smith]

Have you ever had any problems storing them this way? I would think they would have problems when you take them out with condensation forming from going from cold to hot. I have problems all the time taking my guns from my air conditioned house out into the heat to shoot.

No problems so far. They all go BANG.

[L Erie Caster]

Countless times ammo cans with live ammo in them, have been involved in fires in tanks, trucks, jeeps, and ships during WWII, Korea, and so forth and no one has reported an explosion. The cans are designed to let the pressure escape through the seal, thus avoiding any chance of excessive pressure buildup. I think it should be OK to store primers in them.

[220swiftfn]

Store it in a cool dry place... (http://youtu.be/SJNZS5KpU0s)

(You Tube, music.)

I store mine....
well, the way I store mine.



So you're sayin' that you store 'em where the sun don't shine?




:kidding::kidding::kidding:



Just thought that funny.........



Dan

[XWrench3]

my primers it on an opens shelf, 20 feet from my powders, that also sit on an open shelf. everything i have inb the way of ammo reserves is in one corner of the basement. if we ever have a major fire, i will tell the fire chief (obviously if i am around) to keep his men away from that area as much as possible. i do not stock pile any huge amounts anyway. but i want no one hurt for any reason. firemen and women have families also. and at the end of the day, they need to go home to them safe and sound.

[BruceB]

Y'know what, gang.....

Rather than gum this around until we get sick of it, how's about a small experiment?

What we need is someone with a few thousand suspect primers which could be placed in an ammo can.

said can could then be placed in a hot fire, and we will SEE what happens. Obviously, photos would be highly desirable.

Volunteers?

[warf73]

Y'know what, gang.....

Rather than gum this around until we get sick of it, how's about a small experiment?

What we need is someone with a few thousand suspect primers which could be placed in an ammo can.

said can could then be placed in a hot fire, and we will SEE what happens. Obviously, photos would be highly desirable.

Volunteers?

Someone donate the primers, I'll provide the ammo can and fire. I'll video the results for all to see.

Warf

[warf73]

I'm betting my video camera and tripod the gasket on the ammo can will melt away well before the primers go off. Resulting in the primers cooking off with lid being loose not allowing the pressure to build up for an explosion.

Warf

[jdgabbard]

AMMO in a can, is different from PRIMERS in a can. Anybody else here recall the story of the worker who was beebopping around the factory with the bucket of primers??? If my memory serves me correctly, it didn't end well for him.

[mdi]

My take on anything on youtube; be very suspicious of all videos as anybody can post a video on youtube and be an "expert"...

[btroj]

Bruce, ifi have a fire in the house then my primers going off in an ammo can is the least of my worries. The powder on the shelves would have already added to the inferno.

I store my primers in the original boxes in either a drawer or on a shelf. I load in the basement and the room is dry.

[Tatume]

The NRA once published a safety notice about storing powder or primers in ammo cans. They recommended using an ammo can, not to keep moisture away, but as a containment device. The rubber gasket should be removed to allow gasses to vent if there was a fire.

[1Shirt]

I like Bruces idea, however, am to cheap to expend that amount of primers for the test. Maybe somebody could convince Rem, or Win, or CCI, or Fed, etc. to try it as a research project.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[Doby45]

This is one of those situations where, if you are uncomfortable with it, don't do it. If you ARE comfortable with it, go right ahead. There is no right or wrong and there is no point arguing the possabilities. I keep my primers on a shelf INSIDE my safe and my powder is on top of said safe.

[fredj338]

I just don't crank the lid tight, set it loose. If there is a fire, enclosed priemrs in a metal box will not be good.

[nanuk]

Yes, my concern with ammo-can storage is the fire problem. Yes, the house would be heavily-involved before the primers 'blew', but that doesn't absolve us of a duty to protect the firefighters as much as possible.




in a community I lived in, a friend was a Volunteer Firefighter.

during a house fire, a 1 lb can of powder let go (the homeowner reloaded 303Brit so probably a medium speed powder), and blew a whole wall out of the outside, the wall landing near some Personel.

if they had been next to the wall attempting ingress or something, it could have caused injury/death.

the only thing I "Store" in the house is my furnace oil, 250gal at a time!

[Bad Water Bill]

All I can add uis that I have several bricks of CCI large rifle primers that were purchased in the mid 60s. they have been stored in a wooden drawer within about 25 feet of 40+ tropical fish tanks (all breeding and raising KILLIFISH) for many years. The primers still go BANG every time I reload with primers from those original 40+ year old boxes.

Do not sell the potency of primers short.

My powder is stored in ABANDONED refrigerators that have been lined with 3/4" plywood lining on ALL six sides.