Primers getting wet?

**Pappabear** · 02-17-21, 17:55

I have some pistol primers that look to have some "water damage". Some of them look like a touch of white filmy looking stuff on them.

I did a bit of reading and from what I gather is they should be fine. Please don't hit me with, cant be good if you dont know for sure.

Note they are in the original box and are not loaded.

Think they will still work?

PB

**Coal Dragger** · 02-17-21, 19:06

Only one way to find out. Just be careful and make sure you separate all that ammo and mark it as having questionable primers.

You’ve been at this a long time, you know how to use reasonable precautions.

**DG23** · 02-17-21, 19:12

Originally Posted by Pappabear

I have some pistol primers that look to have some "water damage". Some of them look like a touch of white filmy looking stuff on them.

I did a bit of reading and from what I gather is they should be fine. Please don't hit me with, cant be good if you dont know for sure.

Note they are in the original box and are not loaded.

Think they will still work?

PB

Microwave for a bit to dry them out?

(pls take pictures)

Doubt anyone will be able to 'know for sure' without testing them out. You can do that yourself using empty cases and compare to known good primers of the same type.

**taliv** · 02-17-21, 19:24

if it's truly just wet with water, they should be fine when they dry out. however, if something was in the water that left a white film, who knows?

**Pappabear** · 02-17-21, 19:39

I didn't even notice. They just looked old to me. But I didn't bust into them.

**T2C** · 02-17-21, 20:36

I would take one or two out of each 100 pack and test them. I've tested samples of suspect primers by pressing them into .38 Special brass and firing them in a revolver.

**Bimmer** · 02-18-21, 12:37

Originally Posted by T2C

I've tested samples of suspect primers by pressing them into .38 Special brass and firing them in a revolver.

I've done this to test whether I was getting light primer strikes...

It's best to drill out the flashhole, so that the primers don't pop out and jam up your revolver. (Then discard or mark and set aside that brass afterwards.)

**markm** · 02-18-21, 12:52

I've posted this before: Years back some guys over at Arfcom had a thread about making primers inert. The gist of it was that primers are exceedingly difficult to render inert. Even with oils and all kinds of nonsense they were trying.

**T2C** · 02-18-21, 16:00

Originally Posted by Bimmer

I've done this to test whether I was getting light primer strikes...

It's best to drill out the flashhole, so that the primers don't pop out and jam up your revolver. (Then discard or mark and set aside that brass afterwards.)

I've never had a primer back out testing them in a revolver. There is nothing in the brass to contain the pressure when the primer goes off.