Wet Primers

USMC EOD · January 31, 2013, 08:38 PM

I just received 5000 large pistol match primers in the mail today (I know they are hard to come by lately, but I managed to order some), but when I opened the package, one end of the box was slightly damp, and it seems the box was very wet at one time. I checked the inner container, and one of the boxes of 1000 was mostly dry, but the cardboard had a feel that it had been waterlogged at some point. After cardboard dries, it has a flimsy look and feel to it. My question is: Does anyone know how water might affect the primers in this box? At this point I don't think they will send me more primers, because I don't think there are any more to send. So what do ya'll think?

GeauxTide · January 31, 2013, 08:44 PM

Primers aren't waterproof. RMA, if possible.

LE-28 · January 31, 2013, 08:50 PM

Actually they will dry out. Just set them up somewhere for about a week in a warm dry place, (don't put them in a flippen oven) and they will dry out just fine and work. You don't need to throw them out.

snuffy · January 31, 2013, 09:21 PM

Quote:

I just received 5000 large pistol match primers in the mail today (I know they are hard to come by lately, but I managed to order some),

Large pistol MATCH? Never heard of a large pistol match primer before, who makes them?

You got primers in USPS mail? If so, somebody broke a bunch of laws sending them! Sorry for the nit-pickin, I just wanted to clarify.

As for the possibly wet primers, they WILL dry out just fine.

USMC EOD · January 31, 2013, 09:33 PM

It was UPS, not USPS. They are made by Federal #150M. I got them from MidwayUSA.

GP100man · January 31, 2013, 10:37 PM

Do an experiment , put 10 in water for 24hrs. then remove em pat dry ,then seat em & fire em in your fire arm .

How many did`nt fire ????

radom · February 1, 2013, 06:14 AM

If you look at a primer they have sealent in there and are fairly water proof. One of the inventions from the 1840s. Water proof caps.

snuffy · February 1, 2013, 08:24 AM

The oft repeated question about how difficult it is to kill primers is repeated every-so-often.

One test I saw, a guy took every brand of primer he could get his hands on, dunked them in a bunch of different liquids. Water, alcohol, paint thinner WD-40 and so on. After each day he loaded and fired each brand. Some of them survived all liquids, at least partially firing. One brand that was most libel to fail was Federal. Even one day in water killed them, also all the other liquids as well.

I don't think he then let them dry out to see if they re-activated. I remember the test, but not where I saw it.

The primer pellet, the explosive part, is put in wet when they're assembled. Because the wet pellet would stick to the punch that inserts it into the cup, a paper disk goes on top of the pellet. That's what you see under the anvil. Then a coating of lacquer is dripped on the anvil and everything else.

Federal FDGM150M huh? Ya learn something every day! A match large pistol, must be what you'd use for 45 acp target ammo.

Ted D · February 1, 2013, 09:26 AM

I'm a greenhorn at reloading but common sense tells me if you test them in your firearm fire 1 at A time.

Slamfire · February 1, 2013, 10:51 AM

Just let them dry out. Primer compound is kept wet in the factory as you can see in this chart between two primer technologies. You can also see that as primer compound dries out, it gets more sensitive!

Red is 100% go bang, Green is 100% no go bang, and the colors inbetween are percent chance of bang. Moisture is the Y axis and energy impact the X axis.

Another thing about this chart you can see that probablity of ignition is different if you have margin energy impacts. The stuff might go off, might not go off.

Mike / Tx · February 2, 2013, 08:50 AM

Here is a link to some test preformed and on the first page are a couple more links that shed a bit of light on killing primers,
How to Kill a Primer

AL45 · February 2, 2013, 09:05 AM

This is all very interesting. On another forum this subject came up and it was stated by some that merely handling primers with your bare hands would kill the primers due to the moisture on your hands. You seemed to have shot their beliefs down.

USMC EOD · February 2, 2013, 10:09 AM

From what I read, it sounds like they will be okay, but it is still less than ideal that I have to worry about such things with brand new primers. Either way I am going to contact MidwayUSA and at least let them know that this happened, so maybe something similar can be prevented in the future.

wncchester · February 2, 2013, 04:34 PM

"...common sense tells me if you test them in your firearm fire 1 at A time."

What the heck, live dangerously and test fire them 3-4 at a time!

January 31, 2013, 10:37 PM	#6
GP100man Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2007 Location: Tabor City , NC. Posts: 1,969	Do an experiment , put 10 in water for 24hrs. then remove em pat dry ,then seat em & fire em in your fire arm . How many did`nt fire ???? __________________ GP100man

February 1, 2013, 08:24 AM	#8
snuffy Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2001 Location: Oshkosh wi. Posts: 3,055	The oft repeated question about how difficult it is to kill primers is repeated every-so-often. One test I saw, a guy took every brand of primer he could get his hands on, dunked them in a bunch of different liquids. Water, alcohol, paint thinner WD-40 and so on. After each day he loaded and fired each brand. Some of them survived all liquids, at least partially firing. One brand that was most libel to fail was Federal. Even one day in water killed them, also all the other liquids as well. I don't think he then let them dry out to see if they re-activated. I remember the test, but not where I saw it. The primer pellet, the explosive part, is put in wet when they're assembled. Because the wet pellet would stick to the punch that inserts it into the cup, a paper disk goes on top of the pellet. That's what you see under the anvil. Then a coating of lacquer is dripped on the anvil and everything else. Federal FDGM150M huh? Ya learn something every day! A match large pistol, must be what you'd use for 45 acp target ammo. __________________ The more people I meet, the more I love my dog They're going to get their butts kicked over there this election. How come people can't spell and use words correctly?

February 1, 2013, 09:26 AM	#9
Ted D Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Location: Dayton.Ohio Posts: 76	I'm a greenhorn at reloading but common sense tells me if you test them in your firearm fire 1 at A time. __________________ LIFE MEMBER OF THE NRA.GREENHORN RELOADER

February 1, 2013, 10:51 AM	#10
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	Just let them dry out. Primer compound is kept wet in the factory as you can see in this chart between two primer technologies. You can also see that as primer compound dries out, it gets more sensitive! Red is 100% go bang, Green is 100% no go bang, and the colors inbetween are percent chance of bang. Moisture is the Y axis and energy impact the X axis. Another thing about this chart you can see that probablity of ignition is different if you have margin energy impacts. The stuff might go off, might not go off. __________________ If I'm not shooting, I'm reloading.

February 2, 2013, 08:50 AM	#11
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	Here is a link to some test preformed and on the first page are a couple more links that shed a bit of light on killing primers, How to Kill a Primer __________________ LAter, Mike / TX

January 31, 2013, 08:38 PM	#1
USMC EOD Member Join Date: January 6, 2013 Location: Virginia Posts: 60	Wet Primers I just received 5000 large pistol match primers in the mail today (I know they are hard to come by lately, but I managed to order some), but when I opened the package, one end of the box was slightly damp, and it seems the box was very wet at one time. I checked the inner container, and one of the boxes of 1000 was mostly dry, but the cardboard had a feel that it had been waterlogged at some point. After cardboard dries, it has a flimsy look and feel to it. My question is: Does anyone know how water might affect the primers in this box? At this point I don't think they will send me more primers, because I don't think there are any more to send. So what do ya'll think?

January 31, 2013, 08:44 PM	#2
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,423	Primers aren't waterproof. RMA, if possible.

January 31, 2013, 08:50 PM	#3
LE-28 Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2012 Location: North Carolina Posts: 759	Actually they will dry out. Just set them up somewhere for about a week in a warm dry place, (don't put them in a flippen oven) and they will dry out just fine and work. You don't need to throw them out.

January 31, 2013, 09:33 PM	#5
USMC EOD Member Join Date: January 6, 2013 Location: Virginia Posts: 60	It was UPS, not USPS. They are made by Federal #150M. I got them from MidwayUSA.

February 1, 2013, 06:14 AM	#7
radom Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2000 Posts: 1,353	If you look at a primer they have sealent in there and are fairly water proof. One of the inventions from the 1840s. Water proof caps.

February 2, 2013, 09:05 AM	#12
AL45 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2012 Posts: 754	This is all very interesting. On another forum this subject came up and it was stated by some that merely handling primers with your bare hands would kill the primers due to the moisture on your hands. You seemed to have shot their beliefs down.

February 2, 2013, 10:09 AM	#13
USMC EOD Member Join Date: January 6, 2013 Location: Virginia Posts: 60	From what I read, it sounds like they will be okay, but it is still less than ideal that I have to worry about such things with brand new primers. Either way I am going to contact MidwayUSA and at least let them know that this happened, so maybe something similar can be prevented in the future.

February 2, 2013, 04:34 PM	#14
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"...common sense tells me if you test them in your firearm fire 1 at A time." What the heck, live dangerously and test fire them 3-4 at a time!