Primer volitility

[Hammer101st]

I had some wlrp primers go bad or get moist one of the 2 i only have a couple hundred left wich would be no big deal in normal time's but we are not in normal times. These primers are what i worked up sometime ago for my 243win pet load and i would like to use them all up before i have to change my load up and Whistle pig season is around the corner and these are hot loads in a 1in 12 barrel that is about shot so i dont want to start load development over in shot barrel untill i can get a new barrel on this fall. So i guess in short what i am asking will primers respond being put in a jar with them decanate packs to dry out!

 

[GLShooter]

From guys that have talked with it getting the priers wet will not kill them. Just let 'em dry out and I suspect they will run as before.

Greg

PS: Primers in a jar is bad ju ju. I've seen pics of that after the glass grenaded into a guy when he dropped it. No bueno.

 

[Hammer101st]

From guys that have talked with it getting the priers wet will not kill them. Just let 'em dry out and I suspect they will run as before.

Greg

PS: Primers in a jar is bad ju ju. I've seen pics of that after the glass grenaded into a guy when he dropped it. No bueno.

Well it dont have to be in jar i was just using that as an example. I was gonna put them in my old safe that i use for other stuff it has 2 golden rods plumbed in so that should be a good start

 

[GLShooter]

Most guys I know don't do anything other than set the primers on a shelf in the reloading room. I've got some from the late 70's that have been stored that way and they still make little groups in the X-ring.

I don't know about storing a lot of explodeables in a safe. Small amounts of primers maybe but I just don't know about what that amount would be. I know I wouldn't put them in an ammo can.

Greg

 

[Webster]

I had some wlrp primers go bad or get moist one of the 2 i only have a couple hundred left wich would be no big deal in normal time's but we are not in normal times. These primers are what i worked up sometime ago for my 243win pet load and i would like to use them all up before i have to change my load up and Whistle pig season is around the corner and these are hot loads in a 1in 12 barrel that is about shot so i dont want to start load development over in shot barrel untill i can get a new barrel on this fall. So i guess in short what i am asking will primers respond being put in a jar with them decanate packs to dry out!

I have weighed descicant

I had some wlrp primers go bad or get moist one of the 2 i only have a couple hundred left wich would be no big deal in normal time's but we are not in normal times. These primers are what i worked up sometime ago for my 243win pet load and i would like to use them all up before i have to change my load up and Whistle pig season is around the corner and these are hot loads in a 1in 12 barrel that is about shot so i dont want to start load development over in shot barrel untill i can get a new barrel on this fall. So i guess in short what i am asking will primers respond being put in a jar with them decanate packs to dry out!

I have weighed desiccant before and after use and after drying in an oven. Left them on my loading bench for several days weighed them, then dried in oven and reweighed them (very little weight change). The fact that they absorb so little water means I won’t use them. You can rejuvenate desiccant by heating. If you use them I would put them thru a drying cycle to make sure they work properly. When you buy them you don't know if they have been laying around for 5 years in the store and not properly sealed.

I think I would lay them out in the sun anvil side up for a few hours. Prime a few cases without powder or bullets and see if they fire properly.

How long do desiccant packs last?
between 1 and 3 years
The life of these bags depends on the environment that they are exposed to, but most desiccant bags last between 1 and 3 years. When silica gel absorbs moisture, it goes from being in an active state to an inactive state. When this happens, it just needs to be reactivated so that it can be used again.

How effective are desiccant packets?
Molecular sieve desiccants have a very strong affinity and a high adsorptive capacity for water in an environment of low water concentration. At 25°C/10%RH, molecular sieves can adsorb water to approximately 14% of their own weight.

How do you dry desiccant?
Heat packets at exactly 245-degrees Fahrenheit for 24 hours. Use an oven thermometer to ensure the temperature does not go over 300-degrees for the free-flowing, or over 245-degrees for the packets. For the color-changing silica gel, heat it at 900 watts in three-minute bursts in the microwave until it turns blue.Mar 13, 2018

Seat the primer to the bottom of the pocket not to some depth.

 

[Hammer101st]

Most guys I know don't do anything other than set the primers on a shelf in the reloading room. I've got some from the late 70's that have been stored that way and they still make little groups in the X-ring.

I don't know about storing a lot of explodeables in a safe. Small amounts of primers maybe but I just don't know about what that amount would be. I know I wouldn't put them in an ammo can.

Greg

You know i did a test on the whole i wouldnt put stuff in a ammo can thing. When i was over in that lovely country they call the middle east 3 freakin times one of are humvee's well i should say many humvee's were destroyed and after they blow they love to burn and burn hot to boy and often we had ammo stored in them and after they burned out we had to go make sure everything was destroyed and everytime those ammo cans were intact burnt to shit but intact we busted one open they all cooked off but the can was intact ive only seen one can blow open and that was a 50 cal can of SLAP rounds. So i have faith

 

[Hammer101st]

I have weighed descicant

I have weighed desiccant before and after use and after drying in an oven. Left them on my loading bench for several days weighed them, then dried in oven and reweighed them (very little weight change). The fact that they absorb so little water means I won’t use them. You can rejuvenate desiccant by heating. If you use them I would put them thru a drying cycle to make sure they work properly. When you buy them you don't know if they have been laying around for 5 years in the store and not properly sealed.

I think I would lay them out in the sun anvil side up for a few hours. Prime a few cases without powder or bullets and see if they fire properly.

How long do desiccant packs last?
between 1 and 3 years
The life of these bags depends on the environment that they are exposed to, but most desiccant bags last between 1 and 3 years. When silica gel absorbs moisture, it goes from being in an active state to an inactive state. When this happens, it just needs to be reactivated so that it can be used again.

How effective are desiccant packets?
Molecular sieve desiccants have a very strong affinity and a high adsorptive capacity for water in an environment of low water concentration. At 25°C/10%RH, molecular sieves can adsorb water to approximately 14% of their own weight.

How do you dry desiccant?
Heat packets at exactly 245-degrees Fahrenheit for 24 hours. Use an oven thermometer to ensure the temperature does not go over 300-degrees for the free-flowing, or over 245-degrees for the packets. For the color-changing silica gel, heat it at 900 watts in three-minute bursts in the microwave until it turns blue.Mar 13, 2018

Seat the primer to the bottom of the pocket not to some depth.

Thanks for the info

 

[Bjl4776]

As a side note I have found federal 210 primers to be extremely close to wlrp if you need a substitute and don’t want to destroy your load

 

[Hammer101st]

As a side note I have found federal 210 primers to be extremely close to wlrp if you need a substitute and don’t want to destroy your load

Hey thanks for the info i have some of them i will have to try them if i cant get these wlrp primers saved

 

[RegionRat]

Were the ones that failed, and these ones you are talking about drying out, all stored the same?

How wet did your failed ones get, and how wet did these ones you are trying to save get?

Are we talking about direct contact with liquid water or just high humidity? How long were they exposed?

 

[Hammer101st]

Were the ones that failed, and these ones you are talking about drying out, all stored the same?

How wet did your failed ones get, and how wet did these ones you are trying to save get?

Are we talking about direct contact with liquid water or just high humidity? How long were they exposed?

Yep thats the million dollar question

 

[RegionRat]

Yikes. If we don't have those answers, you are stuck testing. Bummer.

I have had many friends who suffered storm damage and this type of question came up. Play it safe and I wish you luck.

 

[WyleWD]

I had some wlrp primers go bad or get moist one of the 2 i only have a couple hundred left wich would be no big deal in normal time's but we are not in normal times. These primers are what i worked up sometime ago for my 243win pet load and i would like to use them all up before i have to change my load up and Whistle pig season is around the corner and these are hot loads in a 1in 12 barrel that is about shot so i dont want to start load development over in shot barrel untill i can get a new barrel on this fall. So i guess in short what i am asking will primers respond being put in a jar with them decanate packs to dry out!

Have you called or contacted Winchester directly and asked them your question? I'd be very curious about their response to this issue. WD

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

If you seal them up in a container they will have a hard time drying out. Take the trays out of the cardboard sleeves and set them on a small cookie pan and set them in a sunny window for a couple days. Then just slide the trays back in the sleeves. Done.


Frank