Gun Questions, shelf life of shotgun shells, skeet shooting?

scottmandue · 09-01-2005, 07:13 AM

Many moons ago I bought a Ithica model 37 and a Star (now Firestar) M40 9mm auto for home defense. I have a couple of boxes of birdshot shells that are probably ten years old, are they too old to use, should I dispose of them and if so how?

My friend who I go shooting with owns his own business can afford one of them fancy eye-talian over under shotguns and thinks I would be embarrassed to take my pump gun to the range (I do have a plug for it). When my uncle was living and we would visit him in Kansas he would take us out to the range and we had a great time... and I believe we used his hunting shotguns (been a long time)... and I was pretty good at it... well impressed my uncle the ex-marine anyway.

Mostly my friend and I go to a indoor range and shoot of our handguns. Love his Colts. 1911, .357, .44, love to have a .357 wheel gun but all i can afford is a Taurus.

comments?

Hugh R · 09-01-2005, 07:21 AM

I don't think that shotgun shells go bad with age, unless they get wet. Take them with you and use them the worst that will happen is they don't fire. If you get a miss fire, count to five before you eject it. Have you shot skeet before? If not shoot directly at the birds at stations 1 and 7, and increase your lead from 1 to 2 feet at stations 2 and 3 and four feet at station 4. Back to 2 and 1 foot at stations 5 and 6, respectively. Its hard to over lead a bird.

competentone · 09-01-2005, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by scottmandue
I have a couple of boxes of birdshot shells that are probably ten years old, are they too old to use, should I dispose of them and if so how?

If the shells have been stored in a cool dry place, they will be fine.

The shelf life of most most ammunition is measured in decades. You can buy surplus ammo from the 1950s (and older) and it will shoot just fine.

Joe

vash · vash's Garage

my stepdad is OCD. he bought enough shotgun shells when a store chain went out of business (gibson's). they sold cheap, and he went from store to store buying them all. we ended up with a small 10x10 room full of the stuff. for 15 years, i have never ever ever paid for shotgun shells. i dont waterfowl so i can still use all the lead shot. i am going pheasant hunting on the 17th so i will be buying my first box in years.

not to hijack, but can anyone tell me about my kleinguenther over and under shotgun?

kycarguy 935 · 09-01-2005, 08:12 AM

Shotgun shells are usually fine if they were kept dry. I have used some 10 year old shells before with no problems. I have a loader and load most of my own shells unless I find them on sale already to go.

id10t · 09-01-2005, 08:23 AM

The shells should be fine.

As to skeet shooting, I held my own wiht the guys shooting very expensive O/Us and high end autos (reminton 1100, browning) usign my $200 mossberg 500 pump gun. Just be sure your action is clean, no feed problems, etc. Oh, and practice with the slide.

Eric 951 · 09-01-2005, 08:33 AM

Are you shooting skeet, trap or sporting clays?
For any of these, a pump is not the ideal gun, mainly because of the tendency to waiver from the target when pumping the action. Sporting Clay courses which feature a timed station where you must reload between shots presents a further challenge when using a pump--that being said, a pump is definately servicable(I used to use a 16 GA Ithaca pump).
Of course, a semi or an O/U-side by side is the best to use, but it doesn't have to be anything fancy. I always use my hunting gun when shooting clays(a 20 GA O/U Ithaca SKB) and I can outscore guys using 7,000-10,000 12 GA Kreighofs and Benellis. It depends on how your gun is choked, and the skill of the shooter.

craigster59 · craigster59's Garage

My Grandfather ALWAYS shot both skeet and trap with a Winchester Model 12. I own pumps, over and unders, side by sides and an auto. To me the gun is the same as the golf club; no matter how much you spend, some can hit 'em and some can't. It all depends on what YOU like to shoot.

scottmandue · 09-01-2005, 09:38 AM

I think most of what I have done with shotgun is trap... the game where the station is low and in front of you and the clay pidgins fly out in all directions from there.
When I bought the Ithica I grabbed four or five boxes of shells and they have been high and dry so they should be okay. I would love to get into the skeet/trap shooting sport but my only shooting buddy is obsessed with fishing so it is hard to get him out shooting (except for handguns that we can take to the local range after work) if I got into the sport I would probably get a two barrel, maybe a side by side because I like retro stuff.

Thanks for your input,
Scott

tabs · 09-01-2005, 10:37 AM

A Winchester Mdl 12...is my last pump gun....

I take that back there still is my Win 97 solid frame Riot gun...but I just don't think of that as a Shotgun...

Jamie79SC · 09-01-2005, 03:27 PM

If I can take my beat-up Rem 870 to the range, you can take anything. Anyone who looks down his nose at you because you don't have a fancy shotgun shouldn't matter to you.

My thinking is shoot the gun you shoot in the field. It's supposed to be practice isn't it?

real550A · real550A's Garage

id10t-
I share your appreciation for the Mossberg 500!
I'd bet my life on mine, and that's more than I'd say for a lot of semi-autos.