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CCI primers, new & old?

5K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  Show Low 
#1 ·
Been looking around at primers and have seen CCI primers in dark blue boxes with CCI in red letters. I've also seen blue and gray boxes with an orange box with CCI inside in white letters. I'm guessing the blue boxes are new stock and the blue/gray boxes are older. Should I be concerned about buying older primers or are they like powder in that they have a long shelf life?
 
#2 ·
I'm still using primers that I bought in the 80s. They still go bang.
 
#4 ·
If they are on a shelf in the store, they are not old. Buy them if you need them, they will be OK. I don't have any 30 year old primers around here. But I do have some 20 year old primers.
 
#5 ·
I have some CCI shot shell primers which I estimate to be 27 years old and have been stored in my (hot Arizona) garage for most of those years. I still use them for the occasional shot shells I load and even stored improperly they seem to be just fine. They are in a white box with red lettering.
 
#6 ·
As others have said, if they were stored correctly they will be fine. Here is a pic of the CCI primers I use. The ones far left are from 2014, the others I bought from a guy I work with. I'm not sure of the age but the ones far right appear to be the oldest and I didn't hesitate to put them in my hunting ammo.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for all the replies now I can go forth and buy what I see without fear of getting out dated primers. And while I live in Cool Arizona (not meant to be a jab at those who suffer from the intolerable, unbearable heat most of the year) where it gets a little cooler than the hot part, the humidity is VERY low so storage should be optimal.

Looks like it's time to not just order a few thousand primers like I did a few months ago, I think it's time to stock up. I saw that price of $13.95 above, perhaps in 10 years, I'll look at a box of mine and see stickers showing $26.50 and will be glad I don't have to go out and pay $67.50 for a box of 1000..... IF they are still available!
 
#12 ·
...And while I live in Cool Arizona (not meant to be a jab at those who suffer from the intolerable, unbearable heat most of the year) where it gets a little cooler than the hot part, the humidity is VERY low so storage should be optimal...
;)
I very much love your neck of the woods and wish I had a summer home up there. But for now I'll enjoy the wonderful winters and grumble about the summers. At least I got MLB and an indoor AC range to help me make it through the summers.
 
#9 ·
Those on the right - that's the ones I've got. Instead of being in a big tray, with 100 individual pockets, each holding a primer, they are in a smaller tray, divided into ten slots, with each slot holding ten primers sitting on their sides.

I really prefer them. They took up a WHOLE LOT less room.

I think the theory is that if you dropped a box of primers, and one went bang, since the whole row was touching, it would set off the whole row. With the individual pocket-packaging, none of them touch, so only one would pop.

Someone should start a "back to the old tray" movement. Think of all the valuable natural resources being wasted, with the bigger packaging. All that oil, used to make the larger tray, and all them trees, to make the paper for the larger box. :eek:

It's shameful, is what it is. :p
 
#10 ·
I've been handloading hot and heavy since 2005. Only CCI I have ever seen is the current blue box.
 
#15 ·
Stored properly, they'll last for many decades. I too have used plenty that were 30yrs old without any problems or failures. I've also tried some that were 40, 50 and even 60yrs old and they have also worked. There are some in my collection much older than that but, I haven't tested them.
 
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