Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Primer storage?

How are y'all storing your primers? I've been using the cheap plastic ammo boxes but would like to find something bigger that can hold the various size bricks from different manufacturers. I try to keep them separated into small pistol, large pistol, large pistol magnum, small rifle and large rifle. That is generally all I use.

Thanks.

I keep mine in ammo cans in a cool, dry place.

That said, a couple of years ago, I found several thousand large rifle primers in my shop. I had bought at a gun show in the early 90's. I am still using them up. It is hot and humid in that shop most of the time. Zero issues with them. So, from my experience, primers are pretty hardy little soldiers and like Timex, they can take a lickin and still keep ticking. I have never had a reloading primer fail in 40 years of handloading. I am sure there will be other opinions. But, to be on the safe side, I do store them in ammo boxes inside the house.

Mine are in a small bar fridge in the garage up against the rear wall that is dug into the hill behind, so no heat from the sun through the wall.

Mine are in a small two drawer metal card file cabinet in my basement that is covered with a dehumidifier..

I'm working my way through a metric sh*t ton of old primers that were stored in an un-climate controlled garage subject to 30-50 years of extremes of heat/cold wet/dry here on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. Nary a failure and no noticeable difference in performance. (The 94 year old guy who provided them was/is a hoarder who ignored the cautionary statements on primer and powder packaging. Now all the stuff is safely ensconced indoors in chests and shelves, subject to normal climate control - why press my luck?)

In my safe. They are worth more than my guns......

In an insulated closet, inside insulated plastic cat sand containers, from Costco. Powder is stored similarly

In their original packaging sitting on shelves inside a cheap pressed wood cabinet in my basement. Each primer type has its own shelf.

Ammo cans inside a gutted out refrigerator. However, I have few trays of primers packaged in wooden slots and cardboard sleeve in my safe. Probably at least from the 50's they still go bang.

Plastic drawers in an area that is cool and dry. Primers will last a very, very long time if stored in a cool dry area

Primers are stored in original packages inside ammo cans with a moisture absorbing packet inside. Outside is labeled as to lg pistol, sm rifle, etc. Cans are kept in the attached garage off of the floor. Powder is kept in original containers and in a plastic industrial trunk, also in garage. Ideally, primers and powder would probably be best stored in a climate controlled area, but there is simply no room available inside my house. While the garage is not heated nor cooled, the temperature does not change that dramatically. It is not like it is a backyard storage building or shed. I store primers and powders separately although admittedly in close proximity.

I keep all mine in original packaging stored in a couple Colman 54-quart ice chest (leaving the drain plug pulled and a couple large silica gel packets inside) and placed in a closet in the coolest part of the house. Do the same with my powder.

Phil

Have 41k in Harbor freight Bauer storage system tool boxes . The boxes are sealed and have desiccant pks in them. Same with my powder and its all in my cool dry basement. Do keep several pounds of powder and a couple hundred primers in my bench cabinet .Will be adding another toolbox to hold the containers that i'm currently working out of. Used ice chest before , the Bauer system stacks and rolls so can move quickly if needed.

Dave284: Warm and dry (never hot or cold!) area of my reloading room!
NEVER store them in garages or store sheds!
I have stories about a friend of mine who did so and had some "misfires" of his own and unhappy gunshow type customers!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

It’s interesting to read of the various methods here! Thanks for sharing.