storing primed brass

[txkeeter]

anyone prime brass and then store it until ready to load

[gnostic]

Coffee cans, I store my loaded ammo in them as well....

[OS OK]

No. But if I did…I'd use a quality 'zip-lock' baggie.
I store all my brass that way after being de-primed and cleaned…they stay in the 'shiny' condition so I assume that means the baggies would protect the primers from the environmental elements the same way.
Call me old fashioned but…something compels me to leave the primers in factory containers until I need them.

[Dusty Bannister]

I have read of folks breaking down loaded rounds so they could use the primers and powder for a different caliber. Seems to be a waste of time to prime ahead of need. But this may not meet your requirements.

[matrixcs]

Lots of 100 round plastic ammo boxes with primed 45colt,45acp,9mm,223,300blk and 22tcm just waiting....
Hand primed while watching tv..

[mdi]

I have hundreds of primed cases in my shop. I normally keep them in Tupperware type containers (4"x4"x4 cubes w/snap on lids). Some smaller runs will be stored in zip-lok bags. For larger rifle brass I often use larger containers or plastic shoe boxes. I batch load mostly on my Lee turret press and process the brass (all kinds; pistol, revolver, bottle neck) up to the point of only needing powder and bullet. When I don't have a load in mind, or have a bunch of reloads on hand, I can get some brass ready. It keeps me "in touch" with reloading and I enjoy the process...

[Don Fischer]

I've got several hundred FA 49 primed case's around here. They have all worked fine so far. Why would storing them in the case bother them? They will either be in the box they came in of whatever else you choose to store them in. I've got a lot of stored case's in zip lock type freezer bags, works fine. I tried using one of those vacume sealer's. Every one of them leaked air in.

[44man]

I like to prepare fired brass and drop them back in my MTM boxes and they do fine for years and years but my basement is dry. Looked at the gauge and have 34% right now after all the rains and heat.

[OS OK]

I've got several hundred FA 49 primed case's around here. They have all worked fine so far. Why would storing them in the case bother them? They will either be in the box they came in of whatever else you choose to store them in. I've got a lot of stored case's in zip lock type freezer bags, works fine. I tried using one of those vacume sealer's. Every one of them leaked air in.

Can't say for sure…only speculation. Since they are considered explosive and that 'dust' is the thing that will usually get you in trouble, I want to disturb them as little as possible. Carefully handling them as I prime, cleaning the bench and priming tool so dust won't accumulate, I figure that after priming and loading the round any dusting that might occur from rough handling or whatever would be contained within the round, would never cause any problems.
Storing them in original containers won't protect them from the environmental changes unless you try to store them in a large container that is sealed…but…you can't do that without violating federal storage regulations and having one large bomb. So, that's out of the question. They do have some kind of coating that is suppose to protect them from moisture to some extent though.
I really dunnoh?
Call me old fashioned but…something compels me to leave the primers in factory containers until I need them.

[44man]

It takes a lot of abuse to harm a primer, they are coated. A plastic bag is good too. Sealed can works.
Depends on conditions you have. Powder will degrade faster.

[williamwaco]

Yes.

clear plastic plastic boxes.


like these

http://www.containerstore.com/s/closet/storage-boxes-bins/view-all/our-clear-storage-boxes/123d?productId=10000166&green=6738692E-CA9A-5896-9F58-7EE351034754

[gwpercle]

Actually that's how I keep most of my brass. All sized , primed and ready for me to drop a charge and seat a boolit.
Saves time when I want to reload a box or two.
Gary

[Echo]

Pringle containers for 38's, 45's, & 223's. Labeled - I is tumbled, II is sized and expanded (if necessary), III is primed & ready.

[GONRA]

GONRA sez just make SURE your store primed cases, primers, powder, ammo
in a nice dry dehumidified air conditioned environment.
(Remember, DEHUMIDIFIED means that WATER IS ACTUALLY REMOVED
from the air and drained away in some fashion. NOT a “heated electric wand”.)

[Tom W.]

Looks like I'm SOL. I have a shed out back that is my reloading area. I have a small a.c. and portable heater and load when I get the notion. Don't have any problem with cold, but some days it takes several hours to cool it enough to be bearable.

[dale2242]

I never prime my brass before I am ready to load it.
I feel it presents a chance to get them contaminated.
Maybe it`s just me. Prolly being too anal.
I do, however, prep my brass ahead of time for loading.
I clean, size, deprime, and expand the case mouth.
I can then prime, powder and seat boolits when I am ready to load....dale

[lightman]

I usually don't but I currently have a large quanity of 45 brass primed and waiting on me to cast enough bullets to load it. If I did it regularly I would label it with the type primer and be mindful of the enviroment that it is stored in.

[44man]

What is the difference if a primer is in the case or the box?

[mdi]

I'm seeing a bit of over reacting for primer storage. Primers aren't a delicate a some think. Just last month I did an "experiment". I had several primers, mixed size and mfg., that were found on the floor or on my bench (mebbe 6) over a period of mebbe a year. I didn't want to trash them and they weren't going into my brass recycling bucket so I dropped them in a cup and poured a bit of mineral spirits in on top of them. Forgot about them for mebbe a week or 10 days and the MS had evaporated. "Hmmm, would these still pop?" seated a large primer (pistol or rifle?) in a .44 Magnum case an loaded it into my SBH. It went bang! "dusting" may be of concern to some but try this. Put a few, mebbe 3 or 4 into a paper envelope, move it around for a few days (Lightly shake, turn over, invert, etc. but not hard enough to pop one. Don't bang the envelope on the bench), then open the envelope and check for dark residue/dusting. If any it'll show up against the white paper. I've never seen any...

I have been processing my brass up to the point of just needing powder and storing the primed cases in plastic bags or plastic sandwich containers (Oh no! Not plastic static electricity generating containers!) for prolly 25 years and never see any dusting, nor degrading of the primers (no loss of velocity nor duds). Also I reloaded in a tin shed in So. CA near the Pacific (from upper 30s to 100+ degrees and usually humid) for several years then indoors to an air conditioned house to So. Oregon (rainy wet most of the time, near the Pacific).

Not telling anybody how to handle their components, just sharing my experiences...

[robg]

Free Tupperware type boxes ,like to load in stages size and trim one night, expand and prime ,then fill and seat ,box up . I use a wamadet single stage press.

[Blackwater]

Some are mighty cautious about having primed brass around but it's never bothered me. I've had many thousands of rounds of primed brass through the years, and just kept it in appropriately sized pasteboard boxes. Never had a problem, but always knew what I was dealing with and treated them accordingly. If loaded ammo is as safe as we've all proven it to be, I see no problem at all with the safety of having lots of primed brass about. Used to try to keep all my brass sized, primed and expanded, so I could just walk in, set my measure and go right into loading. Never quite managed to do that, actually, but I gave it a good try.

[Cherokee]

I process all brass in my possession thru trimming (as needed) and expanding for bullets. I prime cases as I watch TV in the evening. All storage is in 30 and 50 Cal GI ammo cans in an air conditioned basement workshop. When I'm ready to load a batch, I dump them in the 650 and go to town. Yes, I hand prime rather than use the 650...I like the feel of fully seating the primer and making sure it's below flush. I just shot some loads using CCI LR primers from a green box...meaning they were about 40 years old.

[GONRA]

GONRA does same thing as Blackwater above.
Also cheeps out (as usual) - use plastic Large Mouth Peanut Butter Jars
to store everything - including Primed Ready-to-Load cartridge cases.

[Mk42gunner]

Wow, it took 22 posts to finally get to someone that also uses GI ammo cans. I normally load rifles in 20, 50 or 100 round lots; but handgun ammo gets loaded in bulk-packed ammo can sized lots. Since I retired and do most of my loading on a single stage now, usually do the depriming cleaning sizing and expanding before I prime, then the cases can set in the ammo can until I am ready to load.

My take on storing primed brass is that it isn't unsafe, the factories used to sell primed brass in fifty round boxes.

I do wish I had grabbed a few more ammo cans cheap when I had the chance, but I will make do with what I have.

Robert

[Spruce]

Just wondering, how the brass manufactures store they primed brass. I still see primed brass advertized. Maybe in the plastic bags by lot size.

[JimB..]

I was once told that the residential storage limits for bulk primers do not apply to primed brass nor to loaded ammo. I don't know and I'm sure not asking my insurance guy!

[bangerjim]

Lots of them in quantity 50 each in standard plastic ammo boxes. Stack very well. Easy to lable with my Brother lable maker. Easy to pick up when I am loading.....better than coffee cans or ammo cans.

banger

[kentuckyshooter]

Since im running a single stage press i do things in batches. Unused primers are stored in cactory containers. In use primers are handled by the box of 100 in the aproperate tray for my prime on press set up. I use the plastic ammo box trays for loading blocks. I have my system of oreianting the case a certin way so i know at a glance what stage of loading each block is at. That being said. Any storage of primed unloaded brass is done in these plastic loading blocks. For compleated rounds i have moved to coffee cans with a free to me decandesent pack i pick up from the dumpster at work put in. Is my method a best pratice for reloading. Depends on who you ask. But hay it works for me.

[DiamondD]

My dad got me in the habit years ago of batch processing brass and having it primed and ready to drop powder, bullet when I am ready. I keep primed brass in large plastic jugs with screw on lids.

[dale2242]

44man, Do it your way.
I`m not trying to tell anyone how to do it.
I store my primers in a dryer, cooler place than my brass.
We have very high humidity here in winter.
Like I said, maybe I`m just being anal....dale

[Paper Puncher]

My preferred storage container is a GI ammo can. They stack well and are easy to arrange. I have used many a coffee can as the price was right.

[aephilli822]

... the residential storage limits for bulk primers ....

whose limits? State, Federal, Fire Code, Insurance? Who says how much you can have? and what is the number?

[OS OK]

I'd start looking here..List of NFPA codes & standards (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjg2NqBmJvNAhVYVWMKHWheAXkQjBAINzAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nfpa.org%2Fcodes-and-standards%2Fall-codes-and-standards%2Flist-of-codes-and-standards&usg=AFQjCNEuHECRt8MQeKorQeCJqMs3Xx6UqA&sig2=YW5ajzyM3HmvO7HDgh863A)
These standards can be modified by state and local codes but they cannot be overridden and made less stringent.

[Geezer in NH]

NFPA is a non gov entity .gov can do anything it wants ,insurance companies use the most stringent written thing it can if it means denying a claim.

[runfiverun]

the NFPA recommendations are pretty much universally accepted code.
for stuff like fire sprinklers and fire extinguishers their 'recommendations' are on the state tests.
and you study the various sections of their recommendations for the test to get your Journey mans card.
you also have to adhere to the NFPA rules on Air Force/Army bases and in ATK's [Alliant technologies you know Federal and Lake City munitions] facilities.
it don't get any more government than that.

[OS OK]

"Uh..ooH, I think that I've had an intervention!"

[Doggonekid]

It is pretty dry around here so I don't worry about the humidity. I like to have my brass ready for quick loads. I store them cleaned primed and flared in Costcos nut jars with the screw on lid. They never sit for more that a month or so and I use them. The good old days when I bought brass they use to come primed. I thought the biggest reason you don't see them primed anymore is because it is cheeper. I like the idea of GI ammo cans but all my ammo can are full of my raw cast bullets.

[GONRA]

GONRA suggests one just uses Common Sence and store accordingly...
>>> DRY & COOL <<<.

[DLCTEX]

I got a bargain in primers a number of years ago due to no one wanting to bid on a large box containing primers that had been stored in a farm shed for about 12 years. I bought the lot of thousands of lr primers for $2. I was the only bidder on them at the auction. Every primer has gone bang when called upon. They had endured heat above 100* and cold into minus figures.

[luvtn]

Yep, I prime my prepared brass, and store in the plastic MTM boxes. All powder, ammo, etc is in an temperature controlled environment.
Luvtn

[Victor N TN]

I've been told I tend to over think things. But I store all primers in a 30 cal ammo can. The individual boxes are inside a zip lock bag. The can itself has a few of the little desiccant bags, or baked dry sidewalk chalk inside.

[Shottist]

I put the ZipLoc freezer bags of primed brass in 50-caliber ammo cans (with labels). Works great and is really sealed.

[victorfox]

well I don't handload metallic and play only with .410 brass so I usually prime a full box and then load as I find time... Naturally I have little time and not much ammo... I don't thibk its a good idea to keep them primed a lot of time things can happen like moisture oxides etc... I generally follow the same routine of priming only a box of shells a time then load in sequence. Otherwise primers sit in the original pack.