Storing primed brass - Long term? Humidity? Issues with storing eventual complete rounds?

[Guest mechanically]

I've collected some brass in various calibers I shoot, and one of my frustration is switching back-and-forth between the calibers I want to load. I seem to spend as much time setting up and breaking down as I do actually loading...

 

So, I had a thought. If I cleaned all the brass I've got laid aside, I could prime all of it and set it aside for future loading. Then, once I had a couple buckets of something, (cleaned, primed, and ready) I could fire up the press and go to town... This would allow me to minimize non-productive labor, and "specialize" in whatever part of the assembly line I'm focusing on at that time.

 

But, this is a long-term project. I might have primed brass sitting around for months. It may also be stored in an attic... :hiding:

 

Should I be worried about primers exposed to this type of storage for a while?

 

If I eventually manufactured the rounds, would their shelf-life be compromised by less than optimal primers because I let them sit?

 

Thanks for your thoughts!

[Guest mechanically]

I should have added; I hand prime brass. Thus, a further attraction is being able to complete this step sitting at the dining room table. (My wife is a remarkable lady...)

 

If I primed in-press, this theoretical process would probably make a lot less sense...

[Garufa]

Just toss them into an ammo can with a good seal and throw in a dessicant pack if you like.

[jeff43]

I have a lot of my .223,.243,30-30,and some other different calibers already resized and primed.I just store them in zip lock bags inside ammo cans, never had a problem.

[gregintenn]

I use the large plasitc coffee cans. I wouldn't store them in the attic unless it's climate controlled.

[Guest mechanically]

I wouldn't store them in the attic unless it's climate controlled.

Other option is the shed... :ugh:

[mikegideon]

Sounds like you need a faster press :)

[gregintenn]

Other option is the shed... :ugh:

Likely better than the attic.

[jeff43]

Attic or shed would be bad unless you have ac in it in the summer.

[TNMTBik3r]

I store primed brass in a plastic container (coffee, ice cream, etc that has an airtight seal, with a homemade desiccant pack thrown in there. I reload in my garage, so the containers are out there in a 3 drawer storage organizer - no issues even with stuff that has set several months.

[battleop]

I use a food sealer to store my brass.  After cleaning it I will throw it in the sealer and suck the air out of the bag so it will stay nice and shinny for a long time.   I don't pre-prime my brass because I use the same primer in multiple calibers so I don't want to tie primers up in a specific round.

[musicman]

I'm the outlier, I guess. I process my brass exactly like the OP is thinking about... I've got open-top buckets of sorted brass in my attached, non-AC'ed garage in all the different stages; dirty, cleaned, deprimed, and primed. I hand-prime while watching TV.

I've been doing it this way for almost a decade now... I know for sure I had thousands of 9,40,38,357, and 44 that sat primed for a nearly 3 year span from late '08 to early '11 where I pretty much stopped shooting and reloading all together due to financial reasons. I started back up and all has been completely fine. I'm still loading through a bucket of 44 mag brass that I know was primed in 2007. Every one goes bang.

Sure, everybody else's suggestions are, I'm positive, safer and smarter than what I do... I just wanted to pipe up and let you know my experience. Whatever you do, have fun!

[Guest mechanically]

 I process my brass exactly like the OP is thinking about...

 

Hey, that's good to hear! Thanks for chiming in!

[gregintenn]

My father has primers that have been stored in an non climate controlled garage since I was a boy (over 30 years ago), and they are still as reliable as when they were new.

 

It gets hot in a garage during a Tennessee summer, but you could boil water in some attics!