Ammo shelf life

peppy · 11-06-2008, 02:45 PM

What is the shelf life of ammo?

Jeff Higgins · 11-06-2008, 02:57 PM

If stored properly, longer than yours. I think the term is "cool, dry place", like most anything else, and it effectively lasts forever. I have fired a good deal of ammunition that was loaded in the 19th century.

I might be leery of steel cased military stuff if I didn't know its history. Some may have been in humid tropical climates, and the steel cases may have unseen corrosion. Brass is not subject to this.

If there is any doubt whatsoever as to its storage and handling history, it is better to be safe and not take any chances. Have a friend shoot a few first.

peppy · 11-06-2008, 03:02 PM

Does the same go for shotgun shells?

azasadny · azasadny's Garage

Yep! Ammo will keep indefinitely if properly stored. Even shotgun shells.

HardDrive · 11-06-2008, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeff higgins

if there is any doubt whatsoever as to its storage and handling history, it is better to be safe and not take any chances. Have a friend shoot a few first.

lol!

scottmandue · 11-06-2008, 04:08 PM

Yes, most definitely... ammo only last a year max.

For your own safety send all your dirty old dangerous ammo to:

Scottmandue
P.O. Box 1234
San Pedro, CA.

We will see that it is disposed of properly.

peppy · 11-06-2008, 04:24 PM

Thanks for the tip about letting a friend fire the first few rounds.

Jim Bremner · 11-06-2008, 09:27 PM

7.62 x 51 and 30/06 maybe a year....If you want it disposed of saftley and it doesn't fit Scotts guns I can help

12 ga will be also allowed

slodave · slodave's Garage

I save those silica packs and use them or various things. I threw a few into my ammo can and all my rounds look like new and most are over 10 yrs old.

on2wheels52 · on2wheels52's Garage

I deal with a few guns for a brother-in-law to test fire, why not let them check the ammo also?
Jim

Ray B · 11-07-2008, 05:02 AM

Just think in terms of the relic hunters who occasionally blow themselves up with Cilil War era stuff.

Jeff Higgins · 11-07-2008, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray B

Just think in terms of the relic hunters who occasionally blow themselves up with Cilil War era stuff.

Those would normally be muzzle loaders, so ammunition storage is not an issue. Overloading, or corrosion to the point of having weakened the barrel, are the two main issues. Ammunition is not.

There were some breech loaders in use then, but the ammunition that survives is in collections, and far too valuable to shoot. One does not just stumble into this stuff; it takes a concerted effort to go find it, and lots of money once you have. That, and none of it was even close to being powerful enough to hunt with. The .56 Spencer and such were horribly anemic rounds.

Ray B · 11-07-2008, 06:26 AM

Hello again Jeff. I was referring to the "shelf life" of powder- black powder in this instance.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/02/national/main4068515.shtml

Jeff Higgins · 11-07-2008, 08:11 AM

I can't get that site to load. It looks like some one blew up a 140 year old cannon of some kind?

HardDrive · 11-07-2008, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray B

Hello again Jeff. I was referring to the "shelf life" of powder- black powder in this instance.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/02/national/main4068515.shtml

Yes, if you try and take apart a 140 year old cannon round in your driveway, you....wait for it..........might blow yourself up.

Jeff Higgins · 11-07-2008, 08:47 AM

O.k., I'm piecing this together (can't read the story). Sounds like some one was trying to disassemble a 140 year old cannon? Or cannon round? Was this one of those old grape shot rounds, with all the little balls inside, meant to burst over the enemy's heads?

There were no fixed cannon shells 140 years ago, so I'm assuming it's not that. That said, anyone who would attempt to disassemble a shell, cartridge, or whatever that is loaded with black powder had better be careful. Regardless of vintage. It's a whole different game than smokeless, and storage (the original question on this thread) has nothing to do with it.

scottmandue · 11-07-2008, 08:52 AM

But seriously... I asked this question a while back... not sure if it was here or on a gun BBS.

The answer was a lot of people are using WWII vintage ammo with no problems.

Ray B · 11-07-2008, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottmandue

But seriously... I asked this question a while back... not sure if it was here or on a gun BBS.

The answer was a lot of people are using WWII vintage ammo with no problems.

True. Although some ammo of that era is corrosive- or at least the priming compound is.

Jeff Higgins · 11-07-2008, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray B

True. Although some ammo of that era is corrosive- or at least the priming compound is.

Not until it's fired. It's non-corrosive until then and perfectly safe in long term storage.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

It's no problem to shoot the corrosive ammo - just make sure you strip down and clean your guns afterwards (the sooner the better). Lots of Russian and eastern bloc stuff from WW2 and shortly thereafter (early cold war, 1950s-1960s) is this way. I own a bunch of it. If the S.H.T.F. I don't think I'm going to care too much in any case.