Storing primed cases?

[awp_101]

Does anyone keep already primed cases on hand or do you generally prime as part of your general reloading routine? This would be for a single stage/manual advance turret, although I suppose the priming station of a progressive could be deactivated?

Since I do priming and powder off press, I'm thinking about priming cases ahead of time and storing them in one of these MTM cases or if I get far enough ahead, one of their ammo cans.

Anything I do will be stored in the man hovel so they will be in a climate controlled, reasonably clean (reasonably) area.

Good idea, bad idea or Good Idea Fairy idea?

[358156hp]

I store processed cases and my primers separately myself. My sole reason is only that I may want to load something different from what I would have previously primed.

I am somewhat obsessed about having cases on hand that are ready to load in anything I may want to load. Lots of cases.....

To give you a straight answer to your question, I would store the primed cases in the same manner I store my primers. Airtight storage, in a temperature controlled area.

[Borderland]

I load on a single stage press and keep 2-3 hundred cases primed and ready to load. I would be better off with a progressive press but just haven't purchased one yet. I sold two progressive shotgun loaders a few years ago. I'll probably load everything I have primed and stop that nonsense. Progressive is the way to load.

[fatdog]

Do it all the time for things I don't load on my Dillon, .45LC destined for black powder, also used for .45-70, .38LC and keep .38 special and .357 primed cases for load development purposes. I keep them on a shelf in big plastic freezer bags in the reloading area. Done so for decades. If it is safe enough climate wise to store the primers you can certainly store primed cases there.

[Tokarev]

My reloading process has evolved over the years. I used to prime and load all at once but now prime 99% of everything off press. It is an extra step but simplifies and speeds up the loading itself by not having to stop every 100 rounds to fill the primer system.

Currently I vibratory tumble rifle cases to get the range dirt off. Then I spray lube and size/deprime. Next they go into the pins and dish soap tumbler to get the remaining grime and case lube off. Once dry they get primed and then put into tubs for storage until loaded.

Pistol brass gets a similar but different process. I decap pistol brass with a universal deprime die and then wet tumble. Once dry I prime and store. I size as part of the loading process by taking the decap rod out of my sizing die.

Again, it is a little extra work but I glance at each case I prime and run a finger over the primer to make sure it is seated and right side up.

For storage I use empty plastic coffee cans with lids, empty cottage cheese containers or, for big quantities, empty laundry soap buckets.

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[Tokarev]

As for storage in a "cool dry place" there doesn't seem to be any real standard for what this means. One person I asked told me it meant don't store underwater or in direct sunlight.

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[Jim Watson]

I have been fortunate, my loading has generally been done in house or a finished shop. So I figure that if I am comfortable, my components are comfortable.

[awp_101]

As for storage in a "cool dry place" there doesn't seem to be any real standard for what this means. One person I asked told me it meant don't store underwater or in direct sunlight.

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[358156hp]

As for storage in a "cool dry place" there doesn't seem to be any real standard for what this means. One person I asked told me it meant don't store underwater or in direct sunlight.

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Okay. For me it means in my dry, climate controlled house. The maximum temperature swing varies from a low of perhaps 60* to a high of perhaps 85*. I don't run humidifiers, or dehumidifiers, but primers are all sealed in airtight containers with O2 absorbers.

[Jamie]

For 9mm I process everything through my old Dillon 550B.

All of my straight walled cases (.32 variations, .38 and .357) get tumbled. a dose of One Shot, deprimed/straightened. reprimed, flared/belled and stored in labeled ziplock bags with "Ready to Load", caliber, and primer brand on the label.

All of my straight wall calibers get loaded on a Lee single stage with those quick change gadgets (they work great!).

My reloading area in downstairs, well lighted, and climate controlled.

I've been loading and trying a variety of powders, primers, and bullets in .32 H&R mag lately and it comes in handy for a quick charge, seat and crimp run.

I've been doing this with straight walled and 5.56 brass for, as mentioned above, a few decades now.

It's a system that has served me well.