Are old primers longer lasting than the newer ones

A1BigTuna

I have seen some notes on ammo that indicates "best used by xxxx". Was told that the newer primer manufacturing causes a shorter shelf life. Is that true? If so, maybe we should save our older design primers and use the new stuff for shorter term use, saving the old stuff for..... well you know, when you need it?

charliemeyer007

It's really hard to tell. Could just be a marketing trick to get folks to toss outdated ammo. I think it is doable to limit shelf life of primer but I don't they are yet. It could be wise to save back a thousand older primers.

A1BigTuna

Here is a reply from another forum I posted this question to. It may be in the future? Hard to believe, here is the other post:



Posted August 23, 2011 06:52 PM
I heard something on the newer NT (non toxic) primers do have a shelf life around 3 yrs. I do not recall where I read that. I was going to buy some of the NT when I ran across that info. So I backed out and went with the tried and true.

Took me by surprise since I have been using the old std ones over 30 yrs old on some and they just work. Like Fred said I was not expecting a shelf live on ammo, but I think it's coming.

A1BigTuna

Here is some info on these NT primers (this is on a .45 ACP round), but explains what I was asking about:

Non-Toxic (NT) primers were designed for indoor shooting ranges to minimize lead vapor. Regular primers use a lead base mixture whereas the NT primers do not contain lead.

The flash holes are larger in cases marked "NT" and should not be reloaded with regular primers. The standard flash hole size is set at 5/64" for all US made ammo whereas NT cases have a 3/32" flash hole. Although the size doesn't appear to be much different, the NT flash hole is 30% larger in area. Flash holes are used to regulate how much pressure is applied to a primer when the round is fired. A standard primer is rated for about 40,000 psi chamber pressure so with NT sized flash holes, the max pressure would be lowered to 28,000 psi. No big deal if you are shooting 45 ACPs but it is a big deal with higher pressure rounds such as a 9mm, 38 Super, or 40 S&W where normal operating pressures are 35,000 psi. Unless there have been recent changes, the 45 ACP NT cases use small pistol primers but the regular cases use large pistol primers.

jonk

Well I had some primed brass from pulldown 30-06 ammo dating from the teens... all the primers went bang.

The old mercuric and chlorate corrosive primers are probably more stable than modern styphenate ones, but if kept in a cool dry place, the formulation hasn't changed since non-corrosive primers became commonplace. At least not significantly. For standard new primers, the answer is 'no' if well stored.

The new non toxic ones? No idea.

A1BigTuna

Well it seems we do have a choice, at least for now in the public market. Would be super dumb even for this current gang of law makers to do it to the armed force stuff, but in these days, do we really know?

Rocky Raab

That whole "short shelf life" rumor is completely and utterly BS. No matter WHO tells you otherwise, it's just internet crappola.

buddyb

I am still using some Alcan primers from the 60s.Have not had one fail yet.

A1BigTuna

I too have a lot of old primers that are over 30 years old, the ones I am hearing about are the NT ones that have been made for indoor ranges and people have sent info on how those NT (non toxic) primers may have an effective life of only 3 years. I do not remember where I saw a box with that warning, but did see it. I just wanted to find out more about them so I know what and how to avoid them. I was worried that they might have become a PC thing. Looks like they are nothing to worry about as the cases are stamped with NT and the primer holes are a different size.

v35

A few years back there was talk of designing shelf life into priming to reduce stockpiling of ammo.
It may have been during the Clinton years.