Reaper BONES - Primer or Not?

[The Semi-Retired Gamer]

I've been painting Reaper BONES minis for almost two years.  I have yet to use a primer on them because the back of the package states they are "Ready to paint - no priming necessary!" and that "spray primers are NOT recommended for Bones Miniatures.".  I do occasionally find forum threads or blog posts such as this that advocate for using primer in brush on or spray form.  As a general rule, you do NOT want to use just any spray on primer.  The different primers available may share a common label but the ingredients and the mixes of those ingredients are different, along with price.  I'm going to put this to the test on two identical miniatures. I will paint one without using a primer and I will paint the other using a spray on primer from The Army Painter.  I may have some brush on primer available as well.  If I do, then I will add a third miniature using the brush on primer.

[The Semi-Retired Gamer]

Unpainted Miniatures
Before I bought any new miniatures, I browsed my bag of unpainted miniatures. I didn't have two matching or similar single miniatures, but the kobolds I do have come in a pack of six, so I decided to test primer vs. no primer on them.  If it doesn't come out the way I like it, then I can always pick up another pack of six for $6.99 and they're easy to find in the local stores.  Here are the miniatures I am using.

[The Semi-Retired Gamer]

Primed Miniatures
The primer I used was the spray can primer of The Army Painter white.



The kobolds look good after a coat of primer.  I only needed to wait about 30 minutes, but I gave it 6 hours because I had other things to do.



I'll start painting them soon...

[The Semi-Retired Gamer]

Miniatures in Progress
Placeholder to discuss how the paint interacts with the use of primer.  Typically, paint adheres better and will last longer with primer done first.  Is it the same with Reaper BONES?

[The Semi-Retired Gamer]

Completed Miniatures
Placeholder for results.