weak primers

[ballistx]

I just ran across a batch (900 or 1000) 222 cases that I had primed and stashed away many many years ago, then forgot. They have been in an adverse environment for the past 10 years. freezing, possible moisture. I tried firing about a dozen and all fired, but they are weak in comparison to a new primer. Dull pop as compared to a sharp crack.

I have about 5,000 custom bullets made from 22LR casings that I intend to load to practice off hand, etc. shooting.

My choices are to tumble the casings (some are corroded), resize and decap, recap and load with Trail Boss or:

tumble, load with Trail Boss and shoot, knowing that certainly a few will FTF.

Probably the worst case would be a squib load that would not expell the bullet from the barrel.

what has your experience been with weak primers?

 

[ballistx]

follow up

The cases were in a small waste basket. About 600 were in the bottom, unprotected. About 400 were in plastic zip lock bags. The waste basket had been left sitting just inside the south door of the pole barn. The plastic bags on top with some camper jacks on top of that. They had probably been there for about 8 years in Minnesota weather.

I tumbled about 400 of them and loaded 12 with 6 grains of Trail Boss & 53 grain HP. These are 222 brass. Fired them off today.

3 FTF of the 12. The rest went click--pop--bang. They grouped about 1" at 50 yards. I was really quite surprised with the results having been exposed to that harsh an environment for that long.

Now I will deprime and reprime the ones that were exposed. The others should be fine.

 

[Gene]

follow up

The cases were in a small waste basket. About 600 were in the bottom, unprotected. About 400 were in plastic zip lock bags. The waste basket had been left sitting just inside the south door of the pole barn. The plastic bags on top with some camper jacks on top of that. They had probably been there for about 8 years in Minnesota weather.

I tumbled about 400 of them and loaded 12 with 6 grains of Trail Boss & 53 grain HP. These are 222 brass. Fired them off today.

3 FTF of the 12. The rest went click--pop--bang. They grouped about 1" at 50 yards. I was really quite surprised with the results having been exposed to that harsh an environment for that long.

Now I will deprime and reprime the ones that were exposed. The others should be fine.

It sounds like the primers have absorbed moisture. The powder likely has also. Either can reduce the energy of the load, resulting in poor velocity. That is not dangerous. I would be more concerned about corroded brass. Corrosion creates weak spots, and could result in a separation. You do not want brass particles flying toward your face. Throw all of it away, ain't worth the chance.