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Thread: Vintage Primers

  1. #1
    Boolit Master

    avogunner's Avatar
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    Vintage Primers

    I picked up a bunch of primers recently at an estate sale. By "bunch" I mean over 2k of various types. Over half were of this vintage. I see no reason not to use them either...

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  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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  3. #3
    DOR RED BEAR's Avatar
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    I HAVE USED SOME VERY OLD PRIMERS WITHOUT ANY problems. I HAVE MORE PROBLEMS WITH CHEAP ONES THAN OLD ones.

  4. #4
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    Load a couple primers from each batch into empty cases and try them in your backyard before you load live ammo. (they sound like a cap gun)

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    I bought some Winchester small rifle primers in the wooden tray in the 1970s. Was told folks used them to substitute for small pistol primers in WWII. I have used most of them and have yet to have any not fire. Was told on this forum that there is no collector value for the primers but maybe the empty boxes?
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  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Do these primers have any collector value or do I just use them? The trays are sealed and would have to be cut to open them.Click image for larger version. 

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  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    I have much older Rem primers that have no collector value... some folks are interested in the packaging, however... you can send that via USPS, unlike the primers... I'd shoot 'em.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master OS OK's Avatar
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    These came via an estate sale too through my smith...I went in last Tuesday to p/u 1K LRP's and came out with 23.4K LRP's instead. Lucky day.

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  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Nice find. Congratulations. Yes do use the primers up. Save the boxes as those may have collector value. Basically a old primer looks like a new primer so one cannot tell old from new. Thus not much value to the primers, but they likely still work just fine.

  10. #10
    Boolit Mold
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    I am, of necessity, an expert in equating lot numbers to the day of production. I am very interested in what lot numbers are on your Federal primers.

  11. #11
    Boolit Bub
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    I have maybe 30-40 primers left in my last box of Winchester-Western Staynless primers out of a brick I bought in 2003 at yard sale. Can't remember a single misfire out of these from time I bought them to last week's shooting. Always heard primers need a little humidity to function.

  12. #12
    Boolit Bub
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    I'm using yellow staynless primers right now I will keep the cartons when done I have green rem .308s and 30 40's with ammo

  13. #13
    Boolit Master

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    Just as a follow up....I've finished using up these old primers and didn't have 1 FTF! The Winchester LR (yellow box 8 1/2 X 120) did seem to be a tighter fit when seating than anything else I've used. Would anyone know if there was a dimension change over the years?
    Semper Fi

  14. #14
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    I'm going through these primers, and like avo, had no FTF. I like the compact boxes


  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    Yes indeed those smaller primer boxes were much more convenient to use , &
    I don't feel any safer using the bigger supposedly safer primer boxes that replaced them .

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy
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    l have a brick of Super Vel Small Pistol. Very compact pkgng too. Like virtually all Super Vel components, no telling who made them.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check