Priming for next week

somis81 · May 2, 2012, 06:01 PM

Is it OK to prime the cases, keep them in a sealed plastic bag and load powder and bullet a week later?
How long can they be left without powder?

Jerry, new to reloading

Brian Pfleuger · May 2, 2012, 06:03 PM

Yes

Doesn't particularly have to be sealed. The box they come in isn't sealed.

mrawesome22 · May 2, 2012, 06:06 PM

Perfectly fine as long as you keep track of what primer was used.

Sent from my Wildfire S using Tapatalk 2

Don H · May 2, 2012, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by somis81

How long can they be left without powder?

Stored properly, primed cases can be stored for years and/or decades.

AllenJ · May 2, 2012, 06:25 PM

^^^ What he said. Keep them in a cool dry place and you should not have any problems.

dacaur · May 2, 2012, 07:30 PM

I prime all my 9mm cases and keep them in tupperware tubs until I load them... I figure the box they come in isnt sealed, so as far as the primer is concerned, there is no difference if its in a little plastic pocket or a little brass pocket, right?

somis81 · May 2, 2012, 07:53 PM

Thank you all for your reply, I feel much better now.
How about doing the same after loading powder and waiting a week before seating bullets?

Strafer Gott · May 2, 2012, 08:11 PM

No on the powder. Primers okay.

saands · May 2, 2012, 08:36 PM

I would also be more hesitant to leave the powder out for a week. I'd have 2 concerns:
1. Powder is usually stored in a more moisture resistant container ... I'd be worried that humidity might change my powder.
2. Whereas a primer is obviously either in or not in its place, you can have most of the powder in or just the right amount of powder in or too much ... if someone knocks over a case or two and spills it, it might not be obvious if the charge were wrong the next week.

Saands

somis81 · May 2, 2012, 09:01 PM

OK I understand.

What if I slid the powder filled cases on a loading tray into a freezer bag, sealed it and left it on a undisturbed table in a locked shed for a week?

Jerry

dacaur · May 2, 2012, 09:18 PM

well, the question I have is, why?

Whatever the answer, I still wouldn't do it. There is going to be way more air (air=moisture) in a freezer bag than in a powder canister.... Why chance it? With a $25 Lee perfect powder measure, you can fill a loading block worth of cases in just a couple minuets....

dickttx · May 2, 2012, 09:19 PM

What if I slid the powder filled cases on a loading tray into a freezer bag, sealed it and left it on a undisturbed table in a locked shed for a week?

Bad procedure. No way to tell conclusively what powder that was, once it is out of the can or hopper.
I have some 45 ACP brass I primed 40 years ago with the intention of getting right on with the loading. Still haven't.

saands · May 2, 2012, 09:19 PM

Quote:

What if I slid the powder filled cases on a loading tray into a freezer bag, sealed it and left it on a undisturbed table in a locked shed for a week?

In that case, you'd probably be fine ... but the lack of physical control over the process while you're gone still makes me somewhat uneasy. I will add that the one place in my process that I never take a break, however, is between charging cases and seating bullets. I will take a break at almost any other step, but getting a charge screwed up can be a real bad deal ... in terms of safety ... so that is one place where I avoid it.

Saands

m&p45acp10+1 · May 2, 2012, 09:19 PM

It would more than likely not casue any problems. Though it is a risk not realy worth taking. If you are waiting for bullets then wait to charge the cases unitl you have the bullets. Primed brass is fine. I have been shooting some primed brass that my grampa primed to prep in the late 80's. They still shoot just fine.

mrawesome22 · May 2, 2012, 11:05 PM

I wouldn't do the powder thing either. One little bump could spill a grain or so from a case and you'd never know it. Plus moisture contamination and all that. Just a bad idea all the way around in my mind.

Primers are coated in a sealant at the factory. Many people have done many experiments soaking primers in various compounds, and a little reading makes it very clear, it is very hard to deactivate a primer. So prime and let them sit. I have a bunch of primed revolver cases sitting in coffee cans that always go bang when I decide to load some up.

Sent from my Wildfire S using Tapatalk 2

Brian Pfleuger · May 2, 2012, 11:11 PM

I've deleted several unnecessarily impatient, provocative and/or short-fused posts.

Let's try this again, ok?

somis81 · May 2, 2012, 11:23 PM

MROWSME thanks for the reply, good post.
I am a beginner who listened and learned.

Uncle Buck · May 3, 2012, 08:53 AM

The longest I have left powder in a cartridge, with-out seating a bullet was over night, and I do not do it very often. After I charge the cartridge case, I check to make sure there is powder in the case and then I place a bullet over it.

I usually place the bullet with the base up, then when I begin to seat the bullets, I take it out of the case, turn it over and place it in the seating die in the correct position.

I do this because it quickly tells me:

I have already checked that cartridge case.
Nothing has messed with the cartridge.

I have no children or critters that mess with my reloading bench.

I also put a piece of masking tape on the powder throw listing which powder is in it. I only have one can of powder on my reloading bench (The powder I am currently using). I have an index, or recipe card, laying right next to me with the load info on it. If I am working on two loading blocks, I make a second card and place that on top of the loading block that is full and continue on with my second block.

oldpapps · May 3, 2012, 09:58 AM

Looks like this horse has been beaten.

For the record; I bulk load. Ie. I clean/prepare all of one type of brass at one time. Deprime and trim (bottlenecks) and clean again (inside scale flakes off after being sizes and to clean the primer pockets). As I load everything to my standard loads, I prime them all and bag them a hundred to the bag and put the bags in plastic tubs, they stack well. When I get around to charging and seating the bullet, may be months later, the brass is ready to go, all of the dirty work has been done.
I've got bunches of those plastic ice cream tubs stacked on the wall... May need to do some loading. Later

Be safe,

OSOK

May 2, 2012, 06:01 PM	#1
somis81 Junior Member Join Date: April 29, 2012 Posts: 11	Priming for next week Is it OK to prime the cases, keep them in a sealed plastic bag and load powder and bullet a week later? How long can they be left without powder? Jerry, new to reloading

May 2, 2012, 07:53 PM	#7
somis81 Junior Member Join Date: April 29, 2012 Posts: 11	Thanks Thank you all for your reply, I feel much better now. How about doing the same after loading powder and waiting a week before seating bullets?

May 2, 2012, 09:01 PM	#10
somis81 Junior Member Join Date: April 29, 2012 Posts: 11	powder in cases OK I understand. What if I slid the powder filled cases on a loading tray into a freezer bag, sealed it and left it on a undisturbed table in a locked shed for a week? Jerry

May 2, 2012, 09:19 PM	#14
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,947	It would more than likely not casue any problems. Though it is a risk not realy worth taking. If you are waiting for bullets then wait to charge the cases unitl you have the bullets. Primed brass is fine. I have been shooting some primed brass that my grampa primed to prep in the late 80's. They still shoot just fine. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

May 2, 2012, 11:11 PM	#16
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,694	I've deleted several unnecessarily impatient, provocative and/or short-fused posts. Let's try this again, ok? __________________ https://ecommercearms.com I am the owner/operator! Ask me for custom prices! No sales tax outside CO!

May 2, 2012, 06:03 PM	#2
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,694	Yes Doesn't particularly have to be sealed. The box they come in isn't sealed.

May 2, 2012, 06:06 PM	#3
mrawesome22 Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2005 Location: Ohio, Appalachia's foothills. Posts: 3,779	Perfectly fine as long as you keep track of what primer was used. Sent from my Wildfire S using Tapatalk 2

May 2, 2012, 06:25 PM	#5
AllenJ Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2009 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,766	^^^ What he said. Keep them in a cool dry place and you should not have any problems.

May 2, 2012, 07:30 PM	#6
dacaur Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Posts: 733	I prime all my 9mm cases and keep them in tupperware tubs until I load them... I figure the box they come in isnt sealed, so as far as the primer is concerned, there is no difference if its in a little plastic pocket or a little brass pocket, right?

May 2, 2012, 08:11 PM	#8
Strafer Gott Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,315	No on the powder. Primers okay.

May 2, 2012, 08:36 PM	#9
saands Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 1999 Posts: 1,573	I would also be more hesitant to leave the powder out for a week. I'd have 2 concerns: 1. Powder is usually stored in a more moisture resistant container ... I'd be worried that humidity might change my powder. 2. Whereas a primer is obviously either in or not in its place, you can have most of the powder in or just the right amount of powder in or too much ... if someone knocks over a case or two and spills it, it might not be obvious if the charge were wrong the next week. Saands

May 2, 2012, 09:18 PM	#11
dacaur Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Posts: 733	well, the question I have is, why? Whatever the answer, I still wouldn't do it. There is going to be way more air (air=moisture) in a freezer bag than in a powder canister.... Why chance it? With a $25 Lee perfect powder measure, you can fill a loading block worth of cases in just a couple minuets....

May 2, 2012, 09:19 PM	#12
dickttx Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2011 Location: Fort Worth Posts: 500	What if I slid the powder filled cases on a loading tray into a freezer bag, sealed it and left it on a undisturbed table in a locked shed for a week? Bad procedure. No way to tell conclusively what powder that was, once it is out of the can or hopper. I have some 45 ACP brass I primed 40 years ago with the intention of getting right on with the loading. Still haven't.

May 2, 2012, 11:05 PM	#15
mrawesome22 Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2005 Location: Ohio, Appalachia's foothills. Posts: 3,779	I wouldn't do the powder thing either. One little bump could spill a grain or so from a case and you'd never know it. Plus moisture contamination and all that. Just a bad idea all the way around in my mind. Primers are coated in a sealant at the factory. Many people have done many experiments soaking primers in various compounds, and a little reading makes it very clear, it is very hard to deactivate a primer. So prime and let them sit. I have a bunch of primed revolver cases sitting in coffee cans that always go bang when I decide to load some up. Sent from my Wildfire S using Tapatalk 2

May 2, 2012, 11:23 PM	#17
somis81 Junior Member Join Date: April 29, 2012 Posts: 11	MR thanks MROWSME thanks for the reply, good post. I am a beginner who listened and learned.

May 3, 2012, 08:53 AM	#18
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,592	The longest I have left powder in a cartridge, with-out seating a bullet was over night, and I do not do it very often. After I charge the cartridge case, I check to make sure there is powder in the case and then I place a bullet over it. I usually place the bullet with the base up, then when I begin to seat the bullets, I take it out of the case, turn it over and place it in the seating die in the correct position. I do this because it quickly tells me: I have already checked that cartridge case. Nothing has messed with the cartridge. I have no children or critters that mess with my reloading bench. I also put a piece of masking tape on the powder throw listing which powder is in it. I only have one can of powder on my reloading bench (The powder I am currently using). I have an index, or recipe card, laying right next to me with the load info on it. If I am working on two loading blocks, I make a second card and place that on top of the loading block that is full and continue on with my second block.

May 3, 2012, 09:58 AM	#19
oldpapps Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2011 Location: Middle America Posts: 518	Looks like this horse has been beaten. For the record; I bulk load. Ie. I clean/prepare all of one type of brass at one time. Deprime and trim (bottlenecks) and clean again (inside scale flakes off after being sizes and to clean the primer pockets). As I load everything to my standard loads, I prime them all and bag them a hundred to the bag and put the bags in plastic tubs, they stack well. When I get around to charging and seating the bullet, may be months later, the brass is ready to go, all of the dirty work has been done. I've got bunches of those plastic ice cream tubs stacked on the wall... May need to do some loading. Later Be safe, OSOK