How long will it last

kasel · June 5, 2009, 04:30 PM

I have found some CCI small pistol primers that are about 20 years old, do they have a shelf life, also I have some powders, 231, bullseye, unique that have been opened and some used over the years, how long will they last???

Pocketfisherman · June 5, 2009, 04:40 PM

I think the life has a lot to do with how they were stored. Were they protected from excess heat and humidity?

I'd try the anyway. Load up 10 random primers into empty cases and see if they pop when loaded and fired.

Sky Master · June 5, 2009, 05:36 PM

kasel you must have been in my garage, as I found 231, bullseye and unique that was in there for a couple of years. To answer your question, I asked the same question to the folks at Winchester and Hercules.
They both answered, that as long as the powder does not have an acidic smell to it, it is fine to use.

SQUAREKNOT · June 5, 2009, 10:13 PM

Boy what a question to ask me and today no less.
I loaded 100 rounds of .38 spec and 100 rounds of 9mm today using W231 that was dated 1998 (I date everything I buy) The primer-this is no joke were a gift from an 83 year old friend. CCI #500 part of box of 1000 in a small green and white box-no date but I would guess around30-40 years old. They were stored in a wood cabinet. I tried a dozen using the .38 and they worked just fine! HE also gave me 2000 small rifle, 1000 large rifle, 300 large pistol, 2000 small pistol along with a scale and tumbler and a five gallon pail of accessories and bullets.
Try a few but I wouldn't be afraid to try them one little bit.

jtmo3 · June 5, 2009, 10:35 PM

Heck, I've been loading 45 acp and 38 special with 231 that I've had since the early 90's. Shoots great.

John

Johnny Guest · June 5, 2009, 11:04 PM

I've loaded Unique and Bullseye powder older than that. Both were in old-style metal cans which had been opened by the former owner. The colors were from well before Hercules started putting Unique up in mainly yellow containers. This was the packaging I knew from when I began handloading Unique in 1966 or -67. I couldn't tell the difference between .45 ACP loaded with the old powder and those I had loaded with new production Unique. I'll note that I didn't chronograph those loads for comparison, and am just going by "feel" and noise.

Several years ago, a friend gave me a black-and-green checked box of 1000 large pistol primers which were labeled Cascade Cartridge Industries, from before they began using only the abbreviation CCI. I'm sure these primers had been packed in the 1960s sometime. I loaded them in the early 1990s and there wasn't a misfire in the lot.

I'd have some reservations about using powder that had been left in a powder measure for very long. Primer boxes that are stained, or on which the pastboard sleeves have started getting "puffy" probably indicates they've been exposed to some moisture or at least high humidity. If I tested a dozen and they all went BANG, I'd still load them for plinking, but wouldn't use them for loads for hunting or for a match.

Otherwise I'd have no qualms about using the old components.

Good luck to you
Johnny

Steviewonder1 · June 6, 2009, 02:16 PM

I am currently using some 15 year old primers. I stocked to the rafters last time we had this issue (and did the same before the election). They are all Winchester Small and Large Pistol. They have always been stored indoors in conditioned air under the loading bench behind the cabinet doors. I am using only new powder as I shot up all my older stuff. I do put month and year of purchase on the outside box of powder and primers so I can cycle them thru properly.

patriotthad · June 6, 2009, 04:57 PM

I am SURE that the primers and powder you have will not work! Please give them to me so that I can loa....er dispose of them properly.

James R. Burke · June 6, 2009, 08:39 PM

I am sure they are fine. I have some just about the same age that work great.

rogn · June 7, 2009, 08:30 AM

Powders will get a sharp acidic smell and will exibit a brown vapor when deteriorateing, this is readily apappent when openig the container. Fumes are toxic so dont snort it in. Best thing to do is spread it on the lawn on a rainy day and give the grass a boost in nitrogen. Not too much or youmight need to mow when ya oughta be shootin. Dont confuse the solvent smells in good powder which are usually sweeter smelling- like acetone, these are normal part of manufacturing and a good metal container will still retain these solvents for 30 years. The other important thing to remember is that the lot to lot variance may be even greater in some of these geriatric batches of pwder(compared to todays batches). Some of the data reported from older Speer manuals is scary when comparer to tadays loads, apparently some of the older powders are much slower burning, but a lot variance is a lot variance, reduce the customary percentage and work up. Primers on the other hand if made during the modern era of say mid '50's or more recent dont seem to deteriorate if given even moderate care, early ones were oil sensitve but dont seem to bee in the later procuction. Ive fired small amts of 40 years old reloads and have reloaded small amts of 40 year old primers with no missfires or any other abnormalities. Anything much older and bets are off. The newer stuff seemsto last longer. All the caveats about storeage made above are all valid, and better storeage naturally gets better results. Hope I havent talked too much---rogn

June 5, 2009, 04:30 PM	#1
kasel Member Join Date: July 12, 2008 Posts: 20	How long will it last I have found some CCI small pistol primers that are about 20 years old, do they have a shelf life, also I have some powders, 231, bullseye, unique that have been opened and some used over the years, how long will they last???

June 5, 2009, 11:04 PM	#6
Johnny Guest Moderator in Memoriam Join Date: August 28, 1999 Location: North Texas Posts: 4,123	As stated, storage conditions are everything. I've loaded Unique and Bullseye powder older than that. Both were in old-style metal cans which had been opened by the former owner. The colors were from well before Hercules started putting Unique up in mainly yellow containers. This was the packaging I knew from when I began handloading Unique in 1966 or -67. I couldn't tell the difference between .45 ACP loaded with the old powder and those I had loaded with new production Unique. I'll note that I didn't chronograph those loads for comparison, and am just going by "feel" and noise. Several years ago, a friend gave me a black-and-green checked box of 1000 large pistol primers which were labeled Cascade Cartridge Industries, from before they began using only the abbreviation CCI. I'm sure these primers had been packed in the 1960s sometime. I loaded them in the early 1990s and there wasn't a misfire in the lot. I'd have some reservations about using powder that had been left in a powder measure for very long. Primer boxes that are stained, or on which the pastboard sleeves have started getting "puffy" probably indicates they've been exposed to some moisture or at least high humidity. If I tested a dozen and they all went BANG, I'd still load them for plinking, but wouldn't use them for loads for hunting or for a match. Otherwise I'd have no qualms about using the old components. Good luck to you Johnny

June 6, 2009, 02:16 PM	#7
Steviewonder1 Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2009 Location: John's Creek, Georgia Posts: 328	Older Primers I am currently using some 15 year old primers. I stocked to the rafters last time we had this issue (and did the same before the election). They are all Winchester Small and Large Pistol. They have always been stored indoors in conditioned air under the loading bench behind the cabinet doors. I am using only new powder as I shot up all my older stuff. I do put month and year of purchase on the outside box of powder and primers so I can cycle them thru properly.

June 5, 2009, 04:40 PM	#2
Pocketfisherman Member Join Date: June 2, 2009 Location: Central TX Posts: 92	I think the life has a lot to do with how they were stored. Were they protected from excess heat and humidity? I'd try the anyway. Load up 10 random primers into empty cases and see if they pop when loaded and fired.

June 5, 2009, 05:36 PM	#3
Sky Master Senior Member Join Date: May 30, 2009 Posts: 136	kasel you must have been in my garage, as I found 231, bullseye and unique that was in there for a couple of years. To answer your question, I asked the same question to the folks at Winchester and Hercules. They both answered, that as long as the powder does not have an acidic smell to it, it is fine to use.

June 5, 2009, 10:13 PM	#4
SQUAREKNOT Senior Member Join Date: July 16, 2008 Posts: 263	Boy what a question to ask me and today no less. I loaded 100 rounds of .38 spec and 100 rounds of 9mm today using W231 that was dated 1998 (I date everything I buy) The primer-this is no joke were a gift from an 83 year old friend. CCI #500 part of box of 1000 in a small green and white box-no date but I would guess around30-40 years old. They were stored in a wood cabinet. I tried a dozen using the .38 and they worked just fine! HE also gave me 2000 small rifle, 1000 large rifle, 300 large pistol, 2000 small pistol along with a scale and tumbler and a five gallon pail of accessories and bullets. Try a few but I wouldn't be afraid to try them one little bit.

June 5, 2009, 10:35 PM	#5
jtmo3 Member Join Date: March 22, 2007 Posts: 47	Heck, I've been loading 45 acp and 38 special with 231 that I've had since the early 90's. Shoots great. John

June 6, 2009, 04:57 PM	#8
patriotthad Senior Member Join Date: April 26, 2009 Posts: 105	I am SURE that the primers and powder you have will not work! Please give them to me so that I can loa....er dispose of them properly.

June 6, 2009, 08:39 PM	#9
James R. Burke Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2009 Location: U.P. of Mich/Quinnesec Posts: 1,897	I am sure they are fine. I have some just about the same age that work great.

June 7, 2009, 08:30 AM	#10
rogn Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2005 Posts: 203	Powders will get a sharp acidic smell and will exibit a brown vapor when deteriorateing, this is readily apappent when openig the container. Fumes are toxic so dont snort it in. Best thing to do is spread it on the lawn on a rainy day and give the grass a boost in nitrogen. Not too much or youmight need to mow when ya oughta be shootin. Dont confuse the solvent smells in good powder which are usually sweeter smelling- like acetone, these are normal part of manufacturing and a good metal container will still retain these solvents for 30 years. The other important thing to remember is that the lot to lot variance may be even greater in some of these geriatric batches of pwder(compared to todays batches). Some of the data reported from older Speer manuals is scary when comparer to tadays loads, apparently some of the older powders are much slower burning, but a lot variance is a lot variance, reduce the customary percentage and work up. Primers on the other hand if made during the modern era of say mid '50's or more recent dont seem to deteriorate if given even moderate care, early ones were oil sensitve but dont seem to bee in the later procuction. Ive fired small amts of 40 years old reloads and have reloaded small amts of 40 year old primers with no missfires or any other abnormalities. Anything much older and bets are off. The newer stuff seemsto last longer. All the caveats about storeage made above are all valid, and better storeage naturally gets better results. Hope I havent talked too much---rogn