Store primers

Coop · Apr 4, 2025

I just finished loading up a batch of 9MM pistol (using small pistol primers of course). Now I would like to load some 5.56 NATO. Does anyone have a good method for storing the leftover pistol primers? I know putting them in a jar is asking for trouble.

Thanks in advance for any help!

dennishoddy · Apr 4, 2025

Primers are sealed very well. I just leave them in the factory packaging and store them in my reloading cabinet.
I've shot some 20 year old primers that have been stored that way.

red442joe · Apr 4, 2025

I have kept all the primer trays from my reloading...
Yeah, yeah...
Put your primers back in a sleeve/tray.

Joe

Coop · Apr 5, 2025

red442joe said:
I have kept all the primer trays from my reloading...
Yeah, yeah...
Put your primers back in a sleeve/tray.

Joe

This seems like a good solution. But Federal primers go in the sleeves sideways. I will quit whining and put them back in the box. Thanks for answering my question.

Coop

CECannonJr · Apr 5, 2025

I store my primers in sealed ammo cans in the original packaging. For good measure, I throw in a couple of desiccant packs. Probably overkill, but it makes me feel better, after all, nowadays, they are a bit of an investment.

Bob Lee · Apr 5, 2025

CECannonJr said:
I store my primers in sealed ammo cans in the original packaging. For good measure, I throw in a couple of desiccant packs. Probably overkill, but it makes me feel better, after all, nowadays, they are a bit of an investment.

Great idea, I never considered doing that. Thank's for the tip. I'n gonna try it!

dennishoddy · Apr 5, 2025

What is the current primer pricing? I got caught in the primer shortage during the clinton years without any.
Learned my lesson. I keep a minimum stock of 10K of each size I use. When stock gets down to 10K, I'll buy a few thousand, but my shooting has slowed down considerably since we are on the road in the RV all the time.

Mike A · Apr 6, 2025

dennishoddy said:
What is the current primer pricing?

I bought enough in Y2K @ $6.00 a thousand to last a very long time. Mostly Federal gold & Remington large & small.

Primers

Reloading Superstore for Primers, Powder and all reloading components. CCI Primers, Remington Primers, Winchester Primers, Federal Primers, Cheddite Primers

www.powdervalley.com

Bob Lee · Apr 6, 2025

Mike A said:
I bought enough in Y2K @ $6.00 a thousand to last a very long time. Mostly Federal gold & Remington large & small.

Primers

Reloading Superstore for Primers, Powder and all reloading components. CCI Primers, Remington Primers, Winchester Primers, Federal Primers, Cheddite Primers

www.powdervalley.com

A very wise man you are!

CECannonJr · Apr 6, 2025

dennishoddy said:
What is the current primer pricing? I got caught in the primer shortage during the clinton years without any.
Learned my lesson. I keep a minimum stock of 10K of each size I use. When stock gets down to 10K, I'll buy a few thousand, but my shooting has slowed down considerably since we are on the road in the RV all the time.

80 to 100 bucks per brick, plus hazmat and shipping if bought online. Off brand imported primers are less, but the tariffs may change that.

joepistol · Apr 7, 2025

" Does anyone have a good method for storing the leftover pistol primers ? "...
I've stored loose primers in a variety of ways.. I usually would return extra, loose primers to the pkg. they came in..
unless I've thrown it away & don't feel like fishing out out of the trash can.. ( who knows what might be in there ?)

I ve put primers in small paper envelopes, smal plastic bags, & even dumped them in a plastic drawer, where I keep my reloading bench stash of primers.
I have a small clear plastic cabinet, with clear plastic drawers. Each drawer will hold 3 trays ( of 100) of primers. I have 6 drawers, so Have a drawer for SPP, LPP, SRP, & LRP's.. I keep magnum primers elsewhere, as I don't use 'em often. A few loose primers can be found in each of those drawers.

Never had an issue with primers going bad..had some I loaded recently that I'd bought back in the 80's.. LRP's as I rarely shot ( or had need to load LR cases)
All worked fine. Started going thru them quickly when I got a M1A, and even faster when I got an AR-10

Ever heard of Alcan primers ? I either bought or was given some Alcan LPP's.. loaded them in 45's..all worked fine, despite their age & ? storage history.
Never heard of Alcan ?, ..from a net post, " Alcan was bought by S&W/Fiocchi in the 70s and they discontinued the Alcan name by 1980.

Anyone looking for cheap primers might try the American Reloading website,... they may have the lowest primer prices you'll find.
Many of these bargain priced primers are foreign.. my experience is they work as well as CCI, Win., Fed.or any other brand.
I used Fiocchi ( years ago) when they were the only SPP I could find. Tried Tula / Wolf primers ( Russian) again, when primers were hard to find.. no issues with either. Lastly, I tried some Ginex LRP's, as they were the only LRP's I could find, & still cost $120/K when I bought them..

a bonus is the American Reloading's prices almost always include hazmat & shipping fees, which is a big savings.

Ordered from them many times, & never had an issue with the order or products I received.

Bob Lee · Apr 7, 2025

joepistol said:
" Does anyone have a good method for storing the leftover pistol primers ? "...
I've stored loose primers in a variety of ways.. I usually would return extra, loose primers to the pkg. they came in..
unless I've thrown it away & don't feel like fishing out out of the trash can.. ( who knows what might be in there ?)

I ve put primers in small paper envelopes, smal plastic bags, & even dumped them in a plastic drawer, where I keep my reloading bench stash of primers.
I have a small clear plastic cabinet, with clear plastic drawers. Each drawer will hold 3 trays ( of 100) of primers. I have 6 drawers, so Have a drawer for SPP, LPP, SRP, & LRP's.. I keep magnum primers elsewhere, as I don't use 'em often. A few loose primers can be found in each of those drawers.

Never had an issue with primers going bad..had some I loaded recently that I'd bought back in the 80's.. LRP's as I rarely shot ( or had need to load LR cases)
All worked fine. Started going thru them quickly when I got a M1A, and even faster when I got an AR-10

Ever heard of Alcan primers ? I either bought or was given some Alcan LPP's.. loaded them in 45's..all worked fine, despite their age & ? storage history.
Never heard of Alcan ?, ..from a net post, " Alcan was bought by S&W/Fiocchi in the 70s and they discontinued the Alcan name by 1980.

Anyone looking for cheap primers might try the American Reloading website,... they may have the lowest primer prices you'll find.
Many of these bargain priced primers are foreign.. my experience is they work as well as CCI, Win., Fed.or any other brand.
I used Fiocchi ( years ago) when they were the only SPP I could find. Tried Tula / Wolf primers ( Russian) again, when primers were hard to find.. no issues with either. Lastly, I tried some Ginex LRP's, as they were the only LRP's I could find, & still cost $120/K when I bought them..

a bonus is the American Reloading's prices almost always include hazmat & shipping fees, which is a big savings.
Ordered from them many times, & never had an issue with the order or products I received.

Great information thank you

spt_1955 · Apr 15, 2025

Store them in their original packaging if you must but I never have to do that. If for some reason I am changing my press over to .223 or .45ACP I just load the remaining primers and store the ammo. I have never had an issue storing ammo and if I expect to store them for more than a year I throw a desiccant pack in.

As far as storing primers I have reloaded with primers well over 20 years old and have never had an issue. FYI I store my primers in a gun safe and they all have some sort of dehumidifier in them. Don't forget that cardboard is in and of itself a mild desiccant. If the box is not soft from absorbed moisture the primers should be fine.