A long time ago.

[ishootkittens]

A long time ago, I came to this section lookin for a decent six shooter. Well after a bunch of arguing and information gathering, I finally (thanks to whitewolf and others) decided to go with a ruger NM vaquero in 45 long colt. I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you to all those who persuaded me TOWARD ruger. This gun is freaking sturdy as a rock and its nasty accurate. I have recently got into handloading and I have not paid a single dollar for 500 rounds. I got some reloading equipment free from an old man that cant really see to reload anymore and he already had reloading dies for a 45lc and the powder was also given to me by a buddy that bought the wrong kind for his rifle on accident. The lead has been donated by a tire company that lets me have the wheel weights which are made from lead. The cases came from factory ammo that was a gift from my parents...aaaand the primers were given to me by the old man as well. They are OLD primers but I have not had one misfire yet! lol I havent got to come here alot since college started back up, but now that turk season is back.. ill be hanging out here alittle.

[Gatofeo]

"Old" is a relative term when it comes to primers, powder, bullets and cases.
You mentioned you have "old" primers. If you're a college student, that may very well mean that the primers date to the 1980s.
Aw heck, I've still got a few boxes of CCI primers from the early 1970s. Nothing wrong with them. They work just fine.
The biggest problem with primers and powder is how they're stored. If they're kept in a place with low humidity, and temperatures staying within a range of 50 to 75 degrees, they'll keep just fine. I always store my powder, primers and ammo in the spare room, where temperature extremes and humidity are not factors.
But cycle primers and powder through temperature extremes of 10 degrees Fahrenheit (-12 C) and up to 90 F (32 C), and they'll degrade quickly. Throw in high humidity with the heat and they'll degrade even faster.
Keeping ammo in the trunk of the car, or in a shed or garage, exposes it to temperature extremes that break down smokeless powder and primers. Black powder -- the real stuff, not Pyrodex and the like -- is actually quite resistant to temperature changes but loves to soak up moisture from the air.
Keep your powder and primers in a spare room or closet, separated from each other. To prevent humidity from reaching them, store them in a G.I. ammo can with a good, rubber seal around the lid.
If you live in a low-humidity place like I do (the remote desert of northwestern Utah), such precautions against humidity need not be taken.
I have some .45 Long Colt ammo, recently discovered in a drawer, I reloaded in 1976! I know it's been stored in moderate temperatures since it was first created. I have no qualms about shooting it. In fact, I hope to this summer when all this cool weather and strong wind quits!

Welcome to the fascinating world of reloading! The best thing you can do for yourself is to assemble a few good books and reloading manuals. I suggest the Lyman No. 49, Modern Reloading by Richard Lee, Understanding Ballistics by Robert A. Rinker, and the latest manual by Speer. These will be useful books for decades.

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Kittens,

Thanks for the nod. As long as your safe I think you'll have a long life of shooting ahead of you.