I have a yellow box of 1000 Winchester 'Staynless' primers in the original box and tray packaging. No apparent dirt, stains or damage. These are identified as 'Olin Winchester Western' Marked "K-4009P - No. 8-1/2 - 120 1000 large rifle primers". Am I safe in assuming that these are equivalent to standard WW large rifle primers for use in reloading?

Also have some boxes of Remington 9-1/2 Large rifle and Magnum Rifle primers, as well as a few boxes of CCI N0. 200 Large Rifle and No. 250 Magnum Large Rifle primers. These are probably
20 to 25 years old.

Thanks.

AT

I wouldn’t assume that they are the same.

I would treat it like changing brand of primers for the older Winchester ones.

The Remington and CCI are still using the same nomenclature and I would treat them as a new lot of the same primers.

Depending on how they were stored, they should function just fine.

I’ve used some shotgun components that my dad brought in the late 50’s. All worked despite some suboptimal storage.

More than likely fine, depending of course on how they were stored. Use 'em for target shoots, I would use new/current production for hunting ammo.

I agree with Craigsters advice.
I have a brick of old Norma Hotflash primers, at least 20 years old. I load only barrel fouling and plinking rounds with these. They have always gone "bang".

25 year old components are new to me; I use ones much older than that without regard to vintage. Never an issue.

Load and shoot them

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
25 year old components are new to me; I use ones much older than that without regard to vintage. Never an issue.

X2 I still have bricks(that's 1000 for you youngsters) with $4.99 in sharpie for the price tag have yet to have an issue!!

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
25 year old components are new to me; I use ones much older than that without regard to vintage. Never an issue.

Exactly!

Thanks to you all.

AT

when you get some that are domed and come in wooden trays marked 21 cents, then maybe I'd worry some.
or not.
I just used up the last 300 of those I had and they all worked just fine.

I've never had a negative issue with "old" primers. Availability these days is of more concern.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:
Load and shoot them

Agree.

I recently used CCI 200s from the '60s, no problem.

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by NormanConquest:
I've never had a negative issue with "old" primers. Availability these days is of more concern.

That's what I have been thinking... use what I have and don't chase after unobtainium.

Thanks again to all who commented.

AT

Good advice from all, should be fine if stored correctly. Use them as you would when changing any primer especially one that is old, work your load back up.

Steve........

IF you're concerned about 'em.
Just use them for plinkers.

I have some from the '50's in the OLD
wood trays yet, might be 30,000 of 'em.

For about 20 years I left my loading stuff
in a wood box under Dad's outside garage
bench. When I got back to reloading again.
They ALL fired just fine.

Here it gets over 105F and down to -30 many
years. that was an adobe garage without heat.

Don't worry about 'em. After what mine have
been thru and still work fine I'll never care
again. unless they'd get wet.

George

One time, just for shits and grins, I soaked some primers in water overnite. Took 'em out and let them dry for a day or two, loaded them. Most (90% +/-) still worked.

And if you're still worried about moisture, just do what we used to with our stamps, keep them in a container with rice.

I knew a guy a few years older who panicked when the 1968 GCA went into effect and bought thousands of primers, mostly RWS Sinoxid LR primers. Long story short, I inherited them around 1980-ish and although I have by now loaded all of them I still have lots of unfired ammunition loaded with them. Such ammunition fires dependably, shoots to the same point of impact, and chronographs exactly the same as it did fifty years ago.

There you go; the proof is in the performance.

quote:

Originally posted by NormanConquest:
And if you're still worried about moisture, just do what we used to with our stamps, keep them in a container with rice.

Or desiccant pacs.

In the early 90's I worked part-time in a local gun-shop.

At some stage a water-pipe in the basement safe started leaking. It was only discovered after some time. What soaked up the water was a stack of boxes of Federal small pistol primers. The leak had remained un-detected so long that the lower boxes had gone quite mouldy.

The company handed the primers out to the employees (it was company policy that all sales staff be active in some form of competitive shooting, and most were active in Bianchi Cup, so we were all shooters). I still have some of it, and none of them have ever failed to go bang.

I have some 20 year old CCI primers and used them this summer on rockchucks and they were fine, no misfires. Changed the POI about two inches, but not sure that was the primer, as guns can change POI for a number of reasons, I just moved the POI back to zero and the 222 is holding its POI from that change about 6 months ago..I load up 20 and give them a try and go from there.