old primers

[miniman]

winchester non mercuric staynless no 115 116 primers look like new very old boxes sill ok to use and what do they fit found grandpas stash but no reloading books .

 

[Olsherm]

Primers are pretty tough I guess. I took a couple of new primers and turned the anvil up and filled them full of Rem oil,left them over night(I was trying to kill them)next day one of them fired however it was weak. I wanted to seat them in brass I had cut the top off of and mount them in grips like the Ruger medallions but I didn't want live primers in there. So I was trying to make them "dud's". I bet the old ones are ok if they have been kept dry?

 

[Rock]

Here is some information regarding your vintage primers:

Large rifle (0.211) Rem. 8 1/2, 9 1/2, Winchester 115, 115 1/2, and 120.
Small rifle (0.175) Rem. 6 1/2 and Winchester 116
Large pistol Rem 2 1/2 and Winchester 111
Small pistol Rem. 1 1/2 and Winchester 108.

This information is from a loading manual from the late thirties, it would be my opinion that although the primers may still be viable regarding their ability to ignite I would be extremely reluctant to use them. Their value would be more important as a great example of vintage components.

 

[miniman]

thanks rock exactly what i needed you helped alot i also found boxes of red jet wax bullets u bore out the flash hole to 7/64 in 38 brass and use a primer these are a blast to shoot these primers look like they came from the 30s the trays that hold thrm are wood and were kept dry and clean.not sure what ill do with them have to think about that. thanks again.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Very occasionally, I'll load one of these just to test. I guess they're around 50 yrs old, (though I remember the ol' man using them) and have been in 120 degree heat and 50 below zero cold...Haven't failed to light off yet! :wink:

PS, not sure how I managed to mirror image the photo! :roll:

 

[cellar701]

This information is from a loading manual from the late thirties, it would be my opinion that although the primers may still be viable regarding their ability to ignite I would be extremely reluctant to use them. Their value would be more important as a great example of vintage components.

+1

Most of the primers will probably still ignite but very doubtful the consistency and reliability will be what a modern reloader would be looking for due to age.

 

[edlmann]

PS, not sure how I managed to mirror image the photo! :roll:

Shot from underneath with the xray camera, no doubt.

 

[Flash]

You might find the cups are somewhat rounded as were the seating stems in presses of that era.

 

[clevor362]

The lead styphenate (spelling?) primer mix doesn't 'go bad'. As in there is not real shelf life for this chemical compound that I know of. But, primer cups can and do get brittle with age due to work hardening of the brass alloy in manufacture and if they do will crack/split along the side when fired. If that happens then a tiny jet of gas will escape onto the recoil shield or bolt face and burn a small pit thereon. I've had it happen. The primers fired just fine but I buried them because of the problems just mentioned. So long as your primers do not crack or split I see no reason you couldn't use them. Like anything primer manufacture got better with practice and I'd not use them unless I ran out of current (last 20 years or so) manufacture because the newer ones will probably be more consistent. In the 'good old days' of primer making the wet mix was distributed into the primer cups by hand and a really good operator could make some fine primers. A not so really good operator, well. For what it's worth primer mix is incredibly powerful and dangerous to work with. Generally when there is an accident involving any significant amount of primer compound and a person there is an empty casket. Regardless of their age they deserve your respect. (Safety plug, no disrespect intended.) All the above IMO.

 

[miniman]

thanks for the info clevor you are right i had no idea how powerful those primers are till i started messing with those wax bullets in the house wife got pissed.with just a small pistol primer those wax bullets go right through a cardboard box and put a dent in the door.i shot about 25 of those and they all shot fine saw no signs of cracks.its amazing to see such old stuff work those wax bullets are alot of fun in the back yard even the wife had fun with them good practice.

 

[edlmann]

thanks for the info clevor you are right i had no idea how powerful those primers are till i started messing with those wax bullets in the house wife got pissed.with just a small pistol primer those wax bullets go right through a cardboard box and put a dent in the door.i shot about 25 of those and they all shot fine saw no signs of cracks.its amazing to see such old stuff work those wax bullets are alot of fun in the back yard even the wife had fun with them good practice.

Years ago my Dad made up practice loads for the .45 with primers and paraffin for a projectile. Dented the sheetrock at the end of the hall and caused a quick fix before Mom got home. :oops: