Old Ammo

[HDoc]

Just (re) discovered20 year old military Ammo storage box with a a few ammo boxes each of good quality ( Federal/Remington) .357,.38, .22LR, .45 ball. Box was sealed and kept in cooler basement for all of the twenty years involved.
Given the price of Ammo these days, I'd love to use it.
What's the consensus on using it for range practice ?

[Bawanna]

I'd use it without reservation. I'd look it over as I load but long as it's not all white or corroded and nasty I'd shoot it. I don't rapid fire any that is questionable. In fact I shoot that real slow.

People bring all kinds of old ammo stuff into the department they don't know what to do with. Anything I know for certain is a factory load from a reputable manufacturer gets disposed of down one of my barrels. If it's dept caliber stuff, namely 45 or 223 and clean it gets used for practice.

If any of it is reloads your uncertain of that I would pull the bullets and start over, unless they are your reloads and your confident they are safe.

[wyntrout]

That stuff should be great. I have ammo that I bought in the 80's like that and it's like new. As long as it's not corroded and the boxes haven't fallen apart from water damage, it should be fine. I store my ammo that way and throw in a few of those beanbag-sized desiccant packs to hold down moisture accumulation.

Every once in a while, you see where "they" have found a warehouse full of military 9mm, or other stuff, from the 60's or 70's. It's for sale cheap and the same cautions apply. Just remember that it depends on how it was stored... extremes of weather can cause deterioration of the powder and some variation between rounds, AND it may be NATO-type stuff... really +P... for military... machine guns and the like. BUT, if it goes bang at the range... cheap range ammo, IF your pistol can handle it safely.

Wynn

[HDoc]

I'd use it without reservation. I'd look it over as I load but long as it's not all white or corroded and nasty I'd shoot it. I don't rapid fire any that is questionable. In fact I shoot that real slow.

People bring all kinds of old ammo stuff into the department they don't know what to do with. Anything I know for certain is a factory load from a reputable manufacturer gets disposed of down one of my barrels. If it's dept caliber stuff, namely 45 or 223 and clean it gets used for practice.

If any of it is reloads your uncertain of that I would pull the bullets and start over, unless they are your reloads and your confident they are safe.

Thanks. I pretty much decided not to use the reloads even though they
are quality department bought target wadcutters (mostly) .38. Besides most of the ranges won't allow them indoors. Last time I bought personal
ammo was 1984. Uncle Sam and local PD provided the rest until I retired.
Why the heck is it so damn expensive now? Gold casings, diamond bullets,
fairy dust lube ?

[wyntrout]

OBAMA!

[CJB]

I've got some WWII era 45acp around and some older 30-06 - both military issue. I've got some CORDITE 303Brit here too. And there's some .244 Remington I've got. Its all old stuff.

The "danger" is excess and prolonged heat during its storage, combined with residual moisture in the cases - even getting through the primer pocket (hence sealed primers).

If you have ammo thats been, say, in an attic in Florida... for 20 years, its not dangerous to shoot, just might not shoot well, or at all. The powder breaks down... self contaminates and becomes pretty well useless.

If your ammo was rather cool, dry... there is no expiration date.

[yqtszhj]

Shoot all the factory stuff

[steve666]

You shouldn't use it!!! Send it to me and I'll dispose of it for you.

[wyntrout]

I agree that disposal is in order... but at a leisurely pace... whenever you feel lkie some target practice.

Wynn