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Thread: Vintage Primers Collectible?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master

    Rattlesnake Charlie's Avatar
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    Vintage Primers Collectible?

    My friend stumbled into some vintage Remington small rifle primers that come in a wooden tray. Are they worth anything to collectors, or should he just continue to shoot them up?

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  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    At today's prices all primers are collectible,,,,
    I would shoot them and maybe save the packaging for sale or trade at a gunshow.

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    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    ^^^ This^^^
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  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I don’t think the primers are collectible but I for one would want the box. As well as an old Winchester box, be pretty neat to display.

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    Boolit Master Sasquatch-1's Avatar
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    I have a couple of small rifle and about 8 large rifle just like those with the primers. got them with some other stuff I picked up a few years ago. I don't know what they are worth but they are neat to talk about.
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  6. #6
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    This brick of Remington #2 primers "for black powder" was in a box of stuff I won at an estate auction a few years ago. I tried to sell it off back then (for $15) but had no takers. Maybe I didn't reach a wide enough audience but the lack of response back then makes me question if there is any collector value. Times change though so maybe now?
    Semper Fi

  7. #7
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    My similar vintage Winchester primers went BANG! quite nicely.

    But I did keep the boxes for conversation starters at the gun club.

    Unfortunately it got comments from some of the younger guys that ran to the "WOW, you're THAT old?"

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Charlie View Post
    My friend stumbled into some vintage Remington small rifle primers that come in a wooden tray. Are they worth anything to collectors, or should he just continue to shoot them up?

    Click image for larger version. 

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    I got two of those still I bought in 1978. Thats when they are from. I used newer stock instead and the years roll by.
    “You should tell someone what you know. There should be a history, so that men can learn from it.

    He smiled. “Men do not learn from history. Each generation believes itself brighter than the last, each believes it can survive the mistakes of the older ones. Each discovers each old thing and they throw up their hands and say ‘See! Look what I have found! Look upon what I know!’ And each believes it is something new.

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  9. #9
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    I'd save the box as a novelty, and use up the primers themselves.
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  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I've never heard anything much about collecting primers but I would keep a few of those full boxes just for the cool factor.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master



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    Quote Originally Posted by Pipefitter View Post
    At today's prices all primers are collectible,,,,
    I would shoot them and maybe save the packaging for sale or trade at a gunshow.
    I hear that BUT, as a vintage .22 box collector, if the original correct contents aren’t with the box it really tanks the value.

    I won a half dozen “wooden tray” boxes at auction a few years back dating somewhere around the 1930’s and one was_not complete and I was curious so I primed a couple of cases and by golly they went bang just like new.

    Art
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  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    I have some primers that I think would be collectables.

    I have two Frankford Arsenal 1880's tins of black powder primers. Each tin holds 500 primers. One is full and the other has seven missing.

    The cans are like the ones that Hornady used to use for gas checks.

    The tins are 3 inches in diameter with a screw on lid and 2 3/4 inches deep containing several layers of individual primers. There is a piece of cloth between each layer of primers and a string up through the middle to pull the layers up when needed. The tins I have do not have any labels left on them anymore.

    The information I found about them states that are to be used in 45 caliber, shotgun and 30 caliber gallery practice ammunition.
    NRA Endowment Member

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    Never had any luck selling old primers. Have been given a few thousand over the years, shot them up, they all went bang. For some reason people are skeptical of using them. Kept a few of the boxes for the "cool" factor.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master

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    I used to buy them when I found a tin that I didn't already have but only if in immaculate condition and never paid more than $4-$5 for any of them I bought. Unless the tins were embossed they need the label to be of much interest to a serious collector. As far as using them, they are corrosive and many are odd sized and won't likely fit modern cases.
    Grumpy Old Man With A Gun....... Do Not Touch !!

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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