More of Dad's old stuff..primed cases...any good?

Airweight38 · 11-03-2008, 05:44 PM

This time, it's a can of ~200 .38 casings. Yay. I'm guessing these are probably ~30 years old.

I dumped the whole tub into my tumbler and let them clean up for about 3 hours. I started sifting them and discovered...holy cow! These have unused primers!

So any obvious concern is walnut grounds in my flash holes. Given that I am meticulous about making sure these don't look blocked (pen light and paperclip, anyone?), are there any other issues to look out for?

I'm guessing since primers last forever that I'm okay using these. It just makes me sick to think of punching them out if they're perfectly good.

Logic tells me, I could make a dozen minimum loads in them just to see what happens, but I thought I'd pick the brains of the more knowledgeable community before I took matters into my own hands.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

/Jason

jimkim · 11-03-2008, 05:55 PM

Every now and then I find a box I didn't know I had. I prime a few cases and throw them in my revolver(just the case no bullets) and test them. The older primers didn't have the sealants that the new ones have they could have been contaminated.

gandog56 · 11-03-2008, 06:08 PM

Put a few of the non-loaded cases in a revolver and see if they fire. As long as they haven't been stored in large temperature and humidity extremes they may still be good.

DaTeacha · 11-04-2008, 11:32 AM

Even if you somehow got a bit of walnut hull jammed in a flash hole, you shouldn't have a major problem unless you're using compressed loads. The primer should just blow the hull into the powder mix as it burns. Whether the hull burns or not, the total mass of ejecta wouldn't be outrageously high so you probably wouldn't even know it was there. I would pop a few with no powder to see if they light off, then load the rest with light loads and have some fun.

tracer · 11-04-2008, 01:38 PM

ANd remember if it didn't feel right or you didn't see the bullet hit the backstop or target STOP and check the barrel for the bullet. Take a rod to clear the squib, it can save the day.

Airweight38 · 11-04-2008, 08:34 PM

I just fired a few off in the basement. Wow! That's a lot of bang and fire for such an innocuous looking little thing. Way louder than I expected. I'm guessing these still work.

And I have a new respect for small pistol primers.

jimkim · 11-04-2008, 08:40 PM

Hahahaha!!! They are loud. Aren't they? They are way louder than a cap pistol.

toolman · 11-04-2008, 08:43 PM

The primers are the most dangerous component in the reloading process.

11-03-2008, 05:44 PM	#1
Airweight38 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Kansas City Posts: 327	More of Dad's old stuff..primed cases...any good? This time, it's a can of ~200 .38 casings. Yay. I'm guessing these are probably ~30 years old. I dumped the whole tub into my tumbler and let them clean up for about 3 hours. I started sifting them and discovered...holy cow! These have unused primers! So any obvious concern is walnut grounds in my flash holes. Given that I am meticulous about making sure these don't look blocked (pen light and paperclip, anyone?), are there any other issues to look out for? I'm guessing since primers last forever that I'm okay using these. It just makes me sick to think of punching them out if they're perfectly good. Logic tells me, I could make a dozen minimum loads in them just to see what happens, but I thought I'd pick the brains of the more knowledgeable community before I took matters into my own hands. Any thoughts? Thanks, /Jason __________________ I'll keep my freedom, guns and money. You can keep the "Change."

11-03-2008, 05:55 PM	#2
jimkim Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Near the Little Ocmulgee river in GA Posts: 4,683 Blog Entries: 18	Every now and then I find a box I didn't know I had. I prime a few cases and throw them in my revolver(just the case no bullets) and test them. The older primers didn't have the sealants that the new ones have they could have been contaminated. __________________ The bigger the government, the smaller the individual. I'm on Facebook. Jim Kimmons

11-03-2008, 06:08 PM	#3
gandog56 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Montgomery, IL. Posts: 13,954	Put a few of the non-loaded cases in a revolver and see if they fire. As long as they haven't been stored in large temperature and humidity extremes they may still be good. __________________ People think I'm paranoid because I own guns. If I own guns, what do I have to be paranoid about?

11-04-2008, 11:32 AM	#4
DaTeacha Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: near Funk, Ohio Posts: 3,889	Even if you somehow got a bit of walnut hull jammed in a flash hole, you shouldn't have a major problem unless you're using compressed loads. The primer should just blow the hull into the powder mix as it burns. Whether the hull burns or not, the total mass of ejecta wouldn't be outrageously high so you probably wouldn't even know it was there. I would pop a few with no powder to see if they light off, then load the rest with light loads and have some fun. __________________ Teach NRA -- If you're reading this, you should be a member. United, We Stand.

11-04-2008, 01:38 PM	#5
tracer Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: LHC AZ Posts: 740	ANd remember if it didn't feel right or you didn't see the bullet hit the backstop or target STOP and check the barrel for the bullet. Take a rod to clear the squib, it can save the day. __________________ IGNORE YOUR RIGHTS AND THEY WILL GO AWAY

11-04-2008, 08:34 PM	#6
Airweight38 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Kansas City Posts: 327	I just fired a few off in the basement. Wow! That's a lot of bang and fire for such an innocuous looking little thing. Way louder than I expected. I'm guessing these still work. And I have a new respect for small pistol primers. __________________ I'll keep my freedom, guns and money. You can keep the "Change."

11-04-2008, 08:40 PM	#7
jimkim Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Near the Little Ocmulgee river in GA Posts: 4,683 Blog Entries: 18	Hahahaha!!! They are loud. Aren't they? They are way louder than a cap pistol. __________________ The bigger the government, the smaller the individual. I'm on Facebook. Jim Kimmons

11-04-2008, 08:43 PM	#8
toolman Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: abilene,tx Posts: 7,374 Blog Entries: 25	The primers are the most dangerous component in the reloading process. __________________ cosmoline is an aphrodisiac!