Tom357

Peter Piper picked a peck of proper primers....

This may be an idiot question. I'm preparing to acquire or build the things I need to start shotshell reloading, and eventually, pistol and rifle reloading, as well. I've been doing a lot of reading, and also browsing info on the internet. I'm confused about storing primers. I'm told my primer storage location needs to be secure. Needs to use at least one-inch thick wood as insulation from heat. Needs to be lockable. Needs to have adequate venting to prevent gas build-up and needs to have at least one weak wall that will open at very low pressure.

How do YOU store your primers so that they are in a location that can be secured, insulated from heat, ventilated sufficiently to prevent gas/pressure build-up, strong and secure with one or more weak sides that will fail easily and prevent an explosion?

I've seen a lot of photos of peoples' reloading setups. I've seen powder stored in small, portable powder magazines. I've seen powder stored on/above/below the loading bench. I've seen powder stored in shelves, next to the bench. I've seen powder stored in the next room. I've seen plans for vastly oversized powder magazines that will hold well in excess of 50 lbs of powder in a residential situation. If I have the chance to setup exactly how I want to store my powder, how should I store it?

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- Tom
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boscobeans

Primers. Store in original packaging. Off the floor, on shelves or in cabinets away from little fingers and hands, if you have kids around. Most household interior temperatures and humidity don't seem to harm primers. Sure extreme temps and humidity might cause problems but a normal well ventilated space would be fine. Think about what they go through during shipping: hot truck interiors, sitting on doorsteps and getting tossed around in general. Same general rule for powder. I wouldn't store either in any type of insulated chest that could cause any pressure buildup.

I like to keep powder and primers on shelves above the loading area and the heavy stuff a little lower. If you drop a box of 500 bullets or a set of dies, it won't fall on top of a box of primers.

Just my 2 cents.

bosco

Ram Rod

I keep all of my primers in original boxes in sealed ammo cans. I do the same with all of my 1lb containers of powder. Just keep these two items separate.

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Ghuqu2

In my opinion this is a bad idea! We would call this a grenade if something bad happened (direct shock, house fire, etc).

I keep my powder and primers (in original package) in a Rubbermaid cabinet. It has plenty of storage, shelving, lockable and weak enough to vent if bad things occur. I have the 2ft top cabinet supported by a shelving unit and it works great in my loading room. Suncast also makes them and both are available at hardware stores, walmart, etc.

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heylin

I store my primers in orginal boxes with my ammo. Powder I keep in orginal containers in a chilly bin in the garage.

In the event of a house fire I want my powder store to be as far away as possible form any of my escape routes.

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War is not about dying for your country, but making your enemy die for his.
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Tom357

Thanks for sharing your approaches, so far. It's really very helpful for someone starting out. I hope more will share their approaches to storing primers and powder.

The literature all seems to be written from a CYA perspective - your storage should be secure, strong, sturdy and well-insulated from heat, while at the same time well-ventilated (meaning not so well insulated from heat) and weak enough to fail at very low pressures (meaning not so secure, strong or sturdy). Learning how others deal with it, helps.

Then there are the people who brag about laying in well over 10,000 primers, and much more than 16lbs of powder, and the novice can't help but wonder if the guidelines and laws have any practical bearing on reality? Perhaps it really is just a matter of what seems reasonable and convenient to the individual?

__________________
- Tom
You have the power to donate life.

Hamour

An old refrigerator with a gun cabinet de-humidifier makes for a great powder magazine. Most house fires will not get the powder hot enough to ignight stored in this manner.

Primmers in the plastic rubber made boxes and in original containers. Stored in master bedroom closet.

torrejon224

I also keep my primers in the original boxes in GI ammo cans, same with powder and the shed I do all my reloading in has a dehumidifier which was a good investment.

Tubby45

I keep powder in a wooden box on casters. Has 1.5 inch thick walls. Locked lid.

Primers are stored on open shelves.

Usually have about 75-100lbs of powder and 50-75,000 primers on hand.

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sgtD

I keep my primers in their original 100 packs in these containers,
Heritage Mint

becuase, even though I run a dehumidifier down there, I am concerned with damp air in the basement where my gun/reloading room is. The lid clamps down on all four sides like the old grenade type ammo cans and has a rubber o-ring that seals it tight. May be overkill, but they are cheap at Wal-Mart or even the Dollar Tree and it makes me feel better.

As far as powder, it's on a shelf in the original containers.

I keep all loaded ammo in GI ammo cans, except some shotgun ammo is in a wooden crate or on the shelf, . . . or rolling around in the floorboard under the seat of my truck somewhere...

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When you've got 'em by the balls, their hearts & minds will follow. Semper Fi.