Disposing of live primers

[kerplode]

What's the best way to safely dispose of live primers?

I'm getting back into shooting/reloading after about a 10 year break, and I have a ton of old primers and powder that I've decided to scrap. I figure it's better to spend $200 on fresh stuff than blow myself up using old deteriorated crap. Disposing of powder is easy, but I'm not quite sure what to do with the primers. I was thinking about just dumping them all in an old coffee can and soaking them with WD40. Would that be effective? Any other ideas?

TIA!

[Survey Punk]

Trashcan and send 'em off. Actually if not stored under horrid conditions (attic comes to mind) they should be fine. Shoot 'em up!

JB

[Sig220]

The powder will go bad...........I would get rid of that.

I still use my old primers......running 25 years old now and they still go bang!!

I have shot a cow elk, a pig and a doe this year with primers that were all that old.......so if you stored them well.........use them!!

I do!

[kerplode]

All my reloading stuff lives in the basement. It's generally fairly cool down there and there isn't any direct sunlight, but the humidity can be a bit variable.

Some of the powder is starting to get stinky and/or turn funny colors, so to be on the safe side, all the powder goes. I guess the primers could still be OK, though. I may build a few small batches of something to test them out.

So here's another question...Given similar storage conditions, is powder loaded in a cartridge case more stable than powder stored in it's original 1lb jug? In other words, if the powder in the jug is bad, would that same powder in an old reload be questionable as well?

[Azrial]

Yes, Oil will kill them if you do not trust them.

[Sig220]

Originally posted by kerplode

So here's another question...Given similar storage conditions, is powder loaded in a cartridge case more stable than powder stored in it's original 1lb jug? In other words, if the powder in the jug is bad, would that same powder in an old reload be questionable as well?

There may be variables I cannot account for in situations other then my own.

That being said, I believe powder in a cartridge case is more stable...as it is sealed (hopefully) from any air,sunlight, etc. I have reloads that are 30 years old that shoot the same as they did 30 years ago. Not that I went to the extremes of military surplus ammo.......but that ammo is good for many years as well.

I don't "count" on my old reloads in life or death situations........its plinking ammo now.

Powder in cans or jugs is subject to "seepege" of the elements over the years. Some old powder takes on a real nitro smell, in some the grains break down leaving a fine powder along with the grains....some changes colors. In those cases, I pour the powder on my burn pile and fire it off. I would think the worry is that the burn rate would change which could cause unexpected pressure fluctuations. I don't need problems like that!

[ftierson]

Personally, I'd use the primers for plinking loads, assuming that they still consistently go bang. I'm betting that they do...

If you want to get rid of old powder, I'd just recommend spreading it out on your lawn or flowerbeds. Might as well get the fertilizer advantage versus burning it...

I am not necessarily recommending that you do what I'd do with the old powder, but I'd probably load it into plinking loads that I was planning to use up relatively quickly.

Generally speaking, unless the grains are broken or the deterrent coatings are worn off, deteriorating powder burns slower than it did when it was new...

A chronograph check would allow me to shoot it up, assuming that it isn't really far gone. You certainly don't want to get a bullet stuck in the bore or anything.

Then again, I'm really a scrounge when it comes to reloading components...

I hate to see any components go to waste.

:)

Forrest

[ggiilliiee]

a fun way is if they are pistol primers ....we used to load up those rubber bullets in .38 ...load those with just the primer no powder in a wheel gun and shoot ipsc paper indoors (ventilated prefferably...good practice ....


wouldnt recomend this as we did it as dumb kids .but.....we would load up 12 ga. rounds with them (live primers )...instead of shot .....they would make a freekin mess outa whatever you shot with them ...

[DJ]

I'm using primers that I know are 30 years+ old and they all go bang. I bought my uncle a carton of winchester LR primers one time and when he passed away in 1986, I got all of his reloading stuff. I'm still loading ammo with his primers and I still have some of his powder( anyone remember the old Winchester BR powders?) with no problems whatever.
From what I've seen, you really have to work at it to destroy primers. I just hate to see good components go to waste. The powder is another story. You said its getting "Stinky" and turning color. Is it a harsh acrid odor or a "good" solvent like smell? (I love the smell of a new can of powder. Some sniff glue and paint, I sniff gun powder :wink: ) If its a harsh nasty smell it's bad. Also the color change means its breaking down. Again, I have powder thats really old and it still shoots good. I keep mine in the basement, it's relatively cool but the humidity varies. Before you just dump all the powder, smell it. Just because its old it ain't necessarily bad.

[Azrial]

Originally posted by Azrial
Yes, Oil will kill them if you do not trust them. Try it, don't take my word for it. Just let them soak in it for a day or so. It will work. This is why the common advice is not to get WD40 on your ammo when cleaning a gun.

[daschnoz]

:?:?
What about mixing the old powder 50/50 with a new batch of the same powder, assuming it doesn't show obvious signs of break down? Is that a bad idea?
:?:?

[ftierson]

Mixing powders is a job for the powder producers with the appropriate equipment to do it...

Mixing powders is never a great idea for reloaders...

I especially wouldn't mix good and bad powders...

Forrest

[kerplode]

Originally posted by DJ
Is it a harsh acrid odor or a "good" solvent like smell? (I love the smell of a new can of powder. Some sniff glue and paint, I sniff gun powder :wink: ) If its a harsh nasty smell it's bad. Also the color change means its breaking down.
The Unique and 2520 have a harsh acrid odor. The H4895 has a harsh odor plus the grains are turning a pinkish-beige color. One jug of (~3lb) of WC846 smells kinda harsh, but not as bad as the others. The second jug (~4lb) of 846 still mostly smells like solvent. It's probably OK, but I'm still thinking it would be safest to just ditch it all and start fresh.

Thanks for the advice, y'all!

[fire for effect]

Originally posted by Azrial
Yes, Oil will kill them if you do not trust them.

Not always.
I have seen primers that were soaked in oil, dry out and go off. You can always take them to the police department and let them dispose of them.

Also smokless powder is a great fertilizer, with all of the nitrogen in it, so sprinkle it on your lawn and water it in.

[Mebsuta]

Originally posted by kerplode

The Unique and 2520 have a harsh acrid odor. The H4895 has a harsh odor plus the grains are turning a pinkish-beige color. One jug of (~3lb) of WC846 smells kinda harsh, but not as bad as the others. The second jug (~4lb) of 846 still mostly smells like solvent. It's probably OK, but I'm still thinking it would be safest to just ditch it all and start fresh.

Thanks for the advice, y'all!

At this point I would getting rid of the powder using the Forrest method; spread it in your lawn and let it rain. I would hesitate to flare off degraded powder. You never know.