Do Old Primers Go Bad, Anyone Know?

My dad died in 2001 and my mother last September. My sister and I are cleaning out their house and I found some 209 Nobel Primers that are at least from 2001 and it got me to thinking if they are any good or not. They look fine, they are still in the box so I'll try them but I just wondered what experiences any of you have had.

 

First let me send my condolences. Sorry to hear that.

Kept dry and not exposed to a lot of humidity changes I would think the primers will be fine. I used Feds and Winchesters that were 209's, not even 209A, from the mid 80's and they all worked.

 

A shooting buddy gave me two boxes of Winchester 209 primers that spent a few days under water when his basement flooded.

I took some of the worst looking trays, brushed of the surface corrosion with a scotch bright pad, loaded several into empty hulls and every one of them went off.

I still have not gotten the courage to use them but you never know, times are getting tough.

 

I have loaded primers that were 15+ years old with no problems. If they were kept
dry I see no reason that they would not work. Good luck

 

I may sell them at the 127 garage sale to someone I don't know and will never see again just to be sure.

 

Just load some Remington 209 primer that were left in the primer tray of a PW loader for over 20 years all went bang.

Sgoose

 

Yes, they do have an expiration date.
When you shoot 'em.
I have primers that must be twenty five years old, at least, and they are still ok.
And ammo from the seventies, that also still shoot just fine, primers and all.
Unless they've been subjected to damage, don't sweat it.
Although it wouldn't hurt to try a few of the real old ones before using them to reload.
Just install them in empty cases and fire them in the gun they are intended for.

 

im using 40 year old primers currently. no issue.

 

hidden reached way back in the closet and pulled out some 50 year old primers last weekend. they still have a factory shine to them. outside container box is yellowed and tattered....individual trays are as white as snow. all went bang. and...the powder was even 30 years old too!

sadly, the gun industry and govt has us doing exactly what they want us to do. they have us using up all our hidden and squirreled away supplies, forcing us into begging and fighting for product. they are channeling us to only buy from limited suppliers, that are giving us just enough to keep us from revolting, then they enter in higher sales tax to a decreased number of armed citizens. in comes communism.