Shelf life for ammo

[Dan J]

Some of you guys are experts on this

I have a 12 gauge pump next to the back door ( I live out in the woods) it hasn't been fired in a year or so. Remmington ammo

How long would you leave the ammo in there without worrying about it's performance if needed in a hurry? (Zombie's?)

If I ever do need to use it (unlikely)
I'd prefer it didn't mis-fire

[KFC911]

Decades...but go shoot the dang thing on occasion

[John Rogers]

As with most things on the site here you will get a very wide range of opinions and we all know about them? I would suggest since it is a home defense gun I would worry more about the slide and other moving parts getting a bit dusty and collecting dust bunnies. I exercise our 870 once a year just to keep it loose and smooth.

As for ammo, it will last forever unless water gets into the smokeless powder, black on the other hand will dry out and still work. I have shot loads from the 1800's that looked bad as the cases were strange colors and the lead boolits were anodized but they all went bang.

[emcon5]

I regularly shoot surplus Czech surplus that was made in the 1940s (the latest headstamp is 1950). I also shoot some Yugo surplus that has headstamps for 1945.

On edit: the Yugo stuff is what I am shooting here:

[id10t]

I've shot 22 ammo left in my trunk for years.

As long as it isn't soaking in high humidity places, no issues.

But, as said, shoot it occasionally...

[Buckterrier]

Dan I just shot some .44 mag that I reloaded in 1987. I picked up another Model 29. Man did I load them hot!!

[Dan J]

Thanks fella's I had no idea. I dare that chupacabra to come through my yard now

[Buckterrier]

Hey Dan, is this a chupacabra?

[Dan J]

That sure looks like a dog to me

[sammyg2]

I remember one time when Mad Max had some shells that were so old they crumbled in his hand!




It was in a movie so it had to be real.

[John Rogers]

Those shells were affected by radiation.........

[sammyg2]

Stupid radiation!

[Henry Schmidt]

I shot this target last year with ammo I loaded in 1983.
1911, 25 yards, 15 shots, 7 shot mag, 45 seconds

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Henry Schmidt

I shot this target last year with ammo I loaded in 1983.
1911, 25 yards, 15 shots, 7 shot mag, 45 seconds ....
.]

Note to self: Do NOT MESS WITH HENRY!!!

Ya know what I hate about the ammo boxes that I still have from the 70s/80s....seeing the prices I paid back then

[matt711]

Untill 9/11 much of the .50 cal ammo I shot (Army) was produced toward the end of WWII. It worked just fine but was probably stored correctly in a dry environment. We must have produced a whole bunch of this ammo back then.