A friend was cleaning out his grandfather’s house and came across some old reloading equipment and components. He knows I reload and gave me a box of stuff, which included 4000 primers. Both the Winchester-Western and the Remington primers have the old wood trays. I’m guessing 50’s or early 60’s vintage. I’m sure they’d be fine to shoot but I think I’ll hang onto them as collector items even though they’re probably worth more as functioning primers in today’s market.

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Free is great.
I use mine.

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Paul
S&WCA #2726

My Dad gave me 2K old CCI SRP. Ive had them go bang every time. Have not seen any difference in accuracy. If their stored correctly I don't think they go bad. Wood primer trays my be suspicious but if they don't look bad, Id try them. I was given a real old pound of Bullseye years ago with a weird clicker type cap. I opened it up and it smelt like fresh new Bulls Eye. The guy who gave it to me was scared to use it. I used to launch 700 HBWC .38's

Run 'em! I wouldn't use them for defense against man or beast, or for a once-in-a-lifetime hunting trip, or in a serious competition. Short of that, rock and roll.

The Remington 6 1/2 is a really mild Small Rifle primer, use it in 22 Hornet, 218, Bee 25-20, 32-20 and the like. I use it in 221 Fireball and 222Rem too. Way under powered for 223 or 30 Carbine with H110 or WW 296! but does work well with ACC Blackout Subsonic 220 grain loads (H 4227)

Ivan

Those are a great.

I'd be torn on what to do with them.

I'd love to have them because of their age and condition.

I'd also want to use them. Handloaders are scroungers, we like to find stuff that we can use!

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

I have inherited thousands of vintage primers over the last 2 years. Many are in box styles and colors that I have never even seen before. So far I have used 2,000 of them with zero failures.

In these times when Primers are incredibly hard to come by I'd simply use them and save the boxes for display. Monetarily they are not worth anymore than new ones, so other than a conversation piece there is no reason not to load them IMO.

From your pictures they look to be in great shape!

I would probably use most most of them especially if in a primer crunch. I would save a few no matter just for display sake and a glimpse at the past.

I still have some primers dating from the 1960s. They remain sure-fire. Back in the days when you could frequently find old primers on gun show tables for a dollar (or less) per pack of one hundred, I would always buy them and accumulated a lot that way. I once bought several thousand Remington LR and SR primers that had to be from around the 1940s and used them all up without problems. The interesting thing about them was that the primers were in wooden trays inside the paper sleeve, not plastic.

I've never seen wooden trays. But like others have said, I would shoot them up and maybe keep a box or two for display.

Not to hijack your thread, but I have a box of 30-30 Silvertips. Should I shoot them or save them?

For Sure keep the primers / wooden tray and cardboard covers ...
I began reloading in 1967 and don't remember buying any new primers in anything but plastic trays .
I'm not sure when , what year, the transformation took place but Plastic sure did take over the primer tray market rather completely .
Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

I'd shoot them up, save the sleeves, and just replace the primers later...

Im glad you posted this statement. I have 2K Remington 6 1/2. I was considering using them for .357 Mag loads. Was advised against it . But if they can run .221 pressure, Im sure there wont be an issue with .357 Mag

It would depend on how old they already are! It would also depend on if you are a collect or or an investor. The ammo shortage probably has the price as just ammo well above their collector value!

Ivan

The old wood trays might be worth holding on to if you are not hurting for primers.

Hold onto them for two years and think about it..................

You did good.

Shoot them, I don't think there is a market for antique primers.

I must say that I have never seen wholesale primer malfunction no matter where they have come from or how they were stored.

While I would never use old and/or gifted Primers for SD, I would not hesitate to use them at the Range or for competition as I've never seen one fail yet!

The Remington 6 1/2 can also work fine as small pistol primers. I have some and am currently loading up target/plinking 9mm using them.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

What a great gift!

I don’t think primers deteriorate significantly with age. In fact, I recently discovered about 2000 primers (Fed SP) I got cheap 30+ years ago because they had been wet and were “unreliable”. I put them on a shelf, and apparently they dried out OK, because I haven’t had a single misfire, using them in 9mm loads for my 639.

Froggie

Use the primers, save the boxes.

Save them for hard times, in case primers REALLY get scarce.

Been given a bunch of freebies too. Always a good thing. I’ve used the ones that I was given but they weren’t that old. Was also given a pair of Dillon 550s by 2 friends. Reloaders and shooters are good people.

there could be a danger of over pressure with old primers I for one would not use them. these can be extremely dangerous. They should be sent to a licensed primer distroyer, I am looking for my license now. these should be sent to me ASAP. I will distroy them one at a time as required by law, these will be loaded into a brass primer distroyer which then goes into a chamber where the primer will be hit with a pin much like being struck by a nail. this will cause the primer to explode thus destroying it.
you know in your heart this is the right thing to do and the right thing to do is not always the easiest thing to do , but it is the right thing to do.
PM me and I will send you my Address.
Thanks for being safe!

Just use them and go on, how many of you still shoot bulk com block copper washed steel 7.62x39 from god knows when in an ak? A bunch is my guess.

Grab a sleeve from each box, load a few starter range loads and try them out, work up from there, or let them sit in the closet. It’d drive me bonkers not knowing if they work.

You can safely use them for .38 Special ammo. They will work very well in that application.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

It might not be ideal, but I ran thousands of 6-1/2s through my M1 carbines and it is still my most accurate load with WC820 and 2400, consistently under 4" at 100yds which I consider pretty good for what it is. The 296 loads were a little behind, but not by much. Using 7-1/2s didn't produce quite as nice a group for me, but once again the difference wasn't huge.

With the shortage they are being pressed into service in a variety of places. They seem to work great in 9mm and 38 super but as many have observed they aren't safe in .223 with an AR platform at least due to the tendency to puncture. That said, I did see them work fine in a SIG 556.