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View Full Version : Shelf life of ammo



Durlaburban
02-11-2009, 04:45 PM
Does anyone know the general shelf life of a box of 20 ga win. AA? I mean it would be more than say 5 years right?

crashdive123
02-11-2009, 05:22 PM
As long as your ammunition is stored in a cool, dry area free of petroleum products it should last longer than you will. You should be able to shoot it in 10 years, 25 years, 50 years......in the meantime, how about shooting on over to the Introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself. Thanks.

Pal334
02-11-2009, 08:42 PM
Crash hit it on the head, If kept dry and relatively cool, modern ammunition should have virtually an indefinite shelf life (although I am sure there is some sort of an upper limit). Some of the U.S.military ammunition (7.62 mm and .50 cal) I have seen has been 20 plus ( and in at least one case 30years) years old and worked without a hiccup.

Rick
02-11-2009, 08:53 PM
Oddly enough. Most of the brand name military stuff is the same as civilian. Retooling and all. Still, I'm of the dry and cool school along with those guys.

Durlaburban
02-11-2009, 09:24 PM
thanks guys. i was just wondering because i know the old black podwer like in say.. hand grenades, may decompose and ignite. that would not be good for my health lol.

Beans
02-11-2009, 09:50 PM
Black powder can be soaked with water, dried out and it is good to go. The burn rate may change some but it is still usable. From an Ol Blackpowder shooter.

I am not sure hand grenades would be/could be good for your health regardless of how new they are. It would be the fuze that would cause the problem or anything else normal that would set any black powder off.

Durlaburban
02-11-2009, 09:56 PM
i just didnt know cuz ive heard of older cartridges suddenly going off and hand grenades in bed stands turning their owners inside out.

smoke
02-27-2009, 02:52 AM
I have one of the 8mm mausers that I shoot surplus ammo through and some of that stuff is probably ww2 vintage

Pict
02-27-2009, 09:22 AM
I bought a pile of WW2 Sten ammo for my Taurus 9mm once and it all worked fine. Mac

trax
02-27-2009, 06:53 PM
TNT starts to break down with old age and "sweats", liquid nitro-glycerine, becoming very unstable, and it takes it years to happen as far as I know. That's bad news, but has nothing to do with the stuff we use in firearms

tsitenha
02-27-2009, 09:49 PM
used WWI .303 Brit ammo, my shoulder couldn't tell the difference

Sourdough
02-27-2009, 10:26 PM
TNT starts to break down with old age and "sweats", liquid nitro-glycerine, becoming very unstable, and it takes it years to happen as far as I know.


This also happens with some old men: Right Ken..........Rick........:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

superior
03-20-2009, 11:44 AM
I have 303 brit ammo from the '60's. Reliable and very accurate.

SnipAR-10
03-20-2009, 10:22 PM
My father went through the police academy in New Orleans in the 60's. He had a few boxes of their hand loaded practice ammo kept in questionable conditions since then. They were 38spl lead, flat nose. He and I shot them in my backyard actually last year without one failure. Guess that's about 40years.
Some types of ammunition have that lacquer coating, or the red sealant around the neck and primer. Supposed to help, but I don't trust that by itself.
Keep them away from oils and moisture, in a cool place and they will be fine.

SARKY
03-21-2009, 02:05 PM
I store all my ammo the same way the military does, in those metal ammo boxes. it makes it handy to grap and keeps it dry.