Primers After a Hunt

[NorthNJHunter]

If you don't fire your gun after a hunt, what do you do with the primer? I have a Knight Mountaineer with bare primer breech plug. Should I throw the primer out or use it on the next hunt? Thanks.

 

[Smyrnagc]

I reuse them until they are fired. Unless they got wet they are still good to go.

 

[Tannhauser]

Same here. When I unload my centerfire rifle after a hunt I wouldn't toss the cartridge, so no reason to treat a primer much differently.

If it saw significant water/damp/rain during a hunt, I will set the primer aside for range use.

 

[Lee 9]

I take the 209 and put it back in the primer holder I carry in my pocket and put a spent primer in the gun to seal out moisture.

 

[Grouse]

I would not reuse them in a Mountaineer. You should be getting a slight crush on the primer and taking in and out would probably lead to blow back. Just not worth it to me. But you could do it if you wanted to.

 

[Tannhauser]

I would not reuse them in a Mountaineer. You should be getting a slight crush on the primer and taking in and out would probably lead to blow back. Just not worth it to me. But you could do it if you wanted to.

This is actually something I never thought about. I have set up my Acura MR with a primer pocket O-ring so there is a definite crush fit on the primer. I think I'll add an extra empty powder tube to my kit, and cycle loaded but not fired primers into the tube to fire off as primers only for checking my flash channel and fouling the barrel.

 

[NorthNJHunter]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I did have a concern about primer crush. I'm going to use a new primer on every hunt. I don't want to risk getting blowback. I'll use the non fired primers for fouling the barrel, as mentioned.

 

[HC]

Same here

Sent from my ME301T using Tapatalk

 

[Widude]

I've always put them back in rotation to use, never had a problem. I do have a 'primer caddy', and usually keep that in a small plastic baggy.

If there was a 'primer crush' to a certain degree, wouldn't the primer be about the same when loaded a 2nd time? This 2nd time the 'crush' would be about nonexistent(it already happened), leaving the primer snug in place? Anyway, never had a misfire due to it.

 

[long shot]

I've always put them back in rotation to use, never had a problem. I do have a 'primer caddy', and usually keep that in a small plastic baggy.

If there was a 'primer crush' to a certain degree, wouldn't the primer be about the same when loaded a 2nd time? This 2nd time the 'crush' would be about nonexistent(it already happened), leaving the primer snug in place? Anyway, never had a misfire due to it.

I believe you would be correct , be waste of primer not to use

 

[NorthNJHunter]

I've always put them back in rotation to use, never had a problem. I do have a 'primer caddy', and usually keep that in a small plastic baggy.

If there was a 'primer crush' to a certain degree, wouldn't the primer be about the same when loaded a 2nd time? This 2nd time the 'crush' would be about nonexistent(it already happened), leaving the primer snug in place? Anyway, never had a misfire due to it.

That does make sense.

 

[ronlaughlin]

Random thoughts

If one used a primer that was exactly the correct length for the head space of one's rifle, it seems to me it may allow blow by. The pressure of the ignited powder may push soot around the nose of the primer even though it was a perfect fit, because it is a metal to metal contact. Two surfaces of metal touching each other without 'tightness'. Two surfaces of metal contacting each other without 'sealing'.

If the primer is too long for a particular rifle's head space, when the action is closed, the primer is squeezed into the space. This 'marries' the primer to the rifle. This joining of the primer, to the rifle prevents blow by. Crushing the primer is what makes the 'seal'.

Obviously what i am suggesting is, if one replaces a primer, it may leak, because it doesn't 'seal'. It doesn't 'seal', because it doesn't need 'crushed' to close the action, thus there is no marriage of the primer to the rifle.



OK, good night..........................