Ammo Storage, How long?

[mad mountain mike]

Just wondering how long you can effectively store ammo. I,m finding it a little harder to find 450 Marlin ammo so I am starting to stock pile it a little. I use my 450 as a camp rifle and only put a box of shells through it a year.

[Ryry4]

If it's dry and cool it should be good for 20+ years. I know I've shot 30-06 ammo and shot gun shells that were that old.

[huntinstuff]

I have .22 ammo that is 70 yrs old
3006 that is 50 yrs old

All shoots just fine

Cool and dry. No problem.

[PoppaW]

450 ammo is hard to find because it goes bad fast. You should shoot more to ensure freshness. I only load what i can use the same day. :scared0018:

[mad mountain mike]

Thanks for the info, I figure if all goes well I should have about 25 good years left in me, just need 20 more boxes of shells.:sHa_shakeshout:

[Dean2]

Cool and dry, a hell of a long time. I was shooting some 303 that was over 80 years old and some 25-20 that was loaded some time before 1918. Still goes bang just fine.

[mad mountain mike]

450 ammo is hard to find because it goes bad fast. You should shoot more to ensure freshness. I only load what i can use the same day. :scared0018:

I shoot quite regular just not my 450. Why does 450 ammo go bad quicker than other ammo?

[PoppaW]

I shoot quite regular just not my 450. Why does 450 ammo go bad quicker than other ammo?

I think the bigger bullets let more air into the case while loading.



Not really. Just being a smarty bum:sHa_sarcasticlol:

[wwbirds]

Box of 22 mag we were using last week was labeled Sept 73.
Have shot CAnuck 12 gauge shells and they haven't been made in 30 years and many of the old Dominion 30-06 shells are stil good after 40 + years.
If as mentioned above they are stored in cool dry place I am not sure there is a limit.

[ShawnM]

Cool and dry, a hell of a long time. I was shooting some 303 that was over 80 years old and some 25-20 that was loaded some time before 1918. Still goes bang just fine.

.22-250 before 1918? Strange, it was developed in 1937.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.22-250_Remington

[marlin1]

Box of 22 mag we were using last week was labeled Sept 73.
Have shot CAnuck 12 gauge shells and they haven't been made in 30 years and many of the old Dominion 30-06 shells are stil good after 40 + years.
If as mentioned above they are stored in cool dry place I am not sure there is a limit.

never had any issues except with old Dominion 303 and cases splitting . It still shot ok but the brass was split after firing . Made me nervous

[CalumB]

[QUOTE=ShawnM;1387011].22-250 before 1918? Strange, it was developed in 1937..


He's talking about the 25-20 its as old as the 30-30 but not as popular ammos about as rare as pink dog turds

[ShawnM]

[QUOTE=ShawnM;1387011].22-250 before 1918? Strange, it was developed in 1937..


He's talking about the 25-20 its as old as the 30-30 but not as popular ammos about as rare as pink dog turds

My bad, I misread his original message. Thanks for correcting me.

[Dean2]

.22-250 before 1918? Strange, it was developed in 1937.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.22-250_Remington

Never mind, already corrected, just didn't read down far enough.

[Twisted Canuck]

.22-250 before 1918? Strange, it was developed in 1937.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.22-250_Remington

And it has been doing fine ever since too, come to think of it.....:)

[CaberTosser]

If it's kept nice and dry and stored in a space with consistent temperature it should be great; but additionally I wanted to note that it's also kept still. I noted to some fellows about a .357 magnum that I bought used. The fellow threw in some ammunition, noting that one box was under the seat of the pickup truck for some time. They said to not shoot that ammo as the powder in it could have vibrated from nice large granules into a finer powder, seriously increasing it's burn rate and likely overpressuring. Possible danger arises from old ammo thats been bumped and shaken in a vehicle for eons. Stationary ammo, no problemo.

[jip911]

If it's kept nice and dry and stored in a space with consistent temperature it should be great; but additionally I wanted to note that it's also kept still. I noted to some fellows about a .357 magnum that I bought used. The fellow threw in some ammunition, noting that one box was under the seat of the pickup truck for some time. They said to not shoot that ammo as the powder in it could have vibrated from nice large granules into a finer powder, seriously increasing it's burn rate and likely overpressuring. Possible danger arises from old ammo thats been bumped and shaken in a vehicle for eons. Stationary ammo, no problemo.

From what I've read, this is an old wives tale... There was a debate on this on the "other" gun forum and it was based around tumbling live rounds... One fella put a number of rounds into a tumbler for over a month straight and posted some pics from a microscope of the end result... From what I recall there was very little difference between the controlled rounds (no tumbling) and the ones that were in the tumbler for a month +...

I will see if I can dig out the link...

J

[catnthehat]

In 1967-68 I shot some BP loaded Snider ammo from the 1800's - it worked fine. However, I was not able to sit down comfortably for some time afterwards because said ammo was broken out for a sealed package!!:sign0068:
I still have the bases ( the ammo was paper wrapped cases)
Cat

[fordtruckin]

I remember getting in a new batch of ammo when in Iraq. Cracked open a fresh can of .50cal and the lot number said it was packaged in 1947. Stuff looked as good in 2007 as it did when they put it in the can. Shot great!

[huntinstuff]

In 1967-68 I shot some BP loaded Snider ammo from the 1800's - it worked fine. However, I was not able to sit down comfortably for some time afterwards because said ammo was broken out for a sealed package!!:sign0068:
I still have the bases ( the ammo was paper wrapped cases)
Cat

Hehehehe. Dad's have no sense of humour........
What good is it if ya dont shoot it, dad? Whatcha savin it for? Christmas?

I can just see you cracking that box and firing a few off..... Lol

[Fordpilot83]

used to have a bag of hard points for my grampas 303. they were stamped 1944. shoulda kept em

[catnthehat]

Hehehehe. Dad's have no sense of humour........
What good is it if ya dont shoot it, dad? Whatcha savin it for? Christmas?

I can just see you cracking that box and firing a few off..... Lol

UNBELIEVABLE mayhem was caused to a woodchuck!!:sHa_shakeshout:
Cat

[Big Daddy Badger]

I've shot stuff that was packaged during WWI... no problems.

[SonnyJ]

Once found some old Imperial 12 guage shells,the old purple paper ones.

Paper was all swollen up and the brass was turned green.

I opened them up and the shot was melted down to make fishing jigs.

The powder made a nice display in the campfire..:)

[DaleJ]

In 2003 purchased 5 boxes of Hornaday 308 155 gr match ammo to shoot in a hunter class rifle at a 1000 yd bench rest match. This ammo shot quite well at 1000 yds. The same batch of ammo, in the same rifle, same scope failed to get to the 1000 yd target in 2010. Ammo stored in original packageing, in a heated garage. If the bullets corrosion bonded to the cartridges it should of increased pressure. It did not. Chonograph before and after would tell the story but thats not possible now.

Old ammo that fires shouldn't surprise anyone, but I think it would be foolish to think it was as good as new.

[catnthehat]

In 2003 purchased 5 boxes of Hornaday 308 155 gr match ammo to shoot in a hunter class rifle at a 1000 yd bench rest match. This ammo shot quite well at 1000 yds. The same batch of ammo, in the same rifle, same scope failed to get to the 1000 yd target in 2010. Ammo stored in original packageing, in a heated garage. If the bullets corrosion bonded to the cartridges it should of increased pressure. It did not. Chonograph before and after would tell the story but thats not possible now.

Old ammo that fires shouldn't surprise anyone, but I think it would be foolish to think it was as good as new.

The struff that I have chronographed was alays within spec of what it should have been, even the very old stuff.
Cat

[DaleJ]

The struff that I have chronographed was alays within spec of what it should have been, even the very old stuff.
Cat

That was and still is the only issue I've had with old ammo and "old" doesn't apply to this. Wonder if anyone else has had issues with Horny ammo.

Had it spelled right but spell correct fixed it. Nice!