I think that as long as you keep it in a dry location, it will last pretty much forever, especially modern ammo. I have shotgun shells and bullets from the 50's and 60's that
still work fine..
after i posted it i kept being redireted to a page that said something about it being expired and so i posted again then when i finally saw it go through i relized that they all worked
after i posted it i kept being redireted to a page that said something about it being expired and so i posted again then when i finally saw it go through i relized that they all worked
yea that happened to me when I posted " Three Things "
Most ammo, especially brass-cased, will last many decades if kept dry and not exposed to temperature extremes.
A buddy and I have noticed that the yellow-plastic cased Remington 20 gauge shells tend to split after about fifteen years or more. They were kept clean and dry too.
Some of the military 06 ammo my dad bought in the 60s we still shoot today. It was old and corrosive back then. My guess is that it is over 60 years old and still shoots straight. Corrosive as all get out though. Gets old washing out every time we shot it. We used soap and warm water.
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Dedicated to SwedeSteve, Arkansashunter and Ezearln. Rest in peace my friends.
As a retired Gunner's Mate of the U.S. Navy I can without reservation make the following statement having been responsible for the stowage and care of several thousand tons of a wide assortment of ordnance of every desciption over the years.
Modern (smokeless) ammunition if stored correctly has an nearly indefinate shelf life.
Proper storage includes temperature and humidity control, non exposure to direct sunlight (heat) Temperature ranges should not be below freezing nor above 120 deg for any extended period of time (more than 24 continous hours) after handling of individual compnents or cartridges they should be segregated for earlist possible expentiture. I would reccomend the use of military type ammo cans each with a dessicant pouch or two for ammunition intended for long storage.
__________________ "You can have my Freedom when I'm done with it!"
Some of the best shooting .45ACP ammo I have used was dated 1944 on the box. Very corrosive though! I made the mistake of NOT cleaning my barrel for a week once - only once. Took awhile to clean the crud out!
But the stuff outshot NEW Remington/UMC ammo.
I have not kept any modern [smokeless] powder ammo for any length of time [a year or more]. However I have used, without any hesitation twenty/twenty-five year old Black Powder that I had stored in a cool dry enviorment and found no apprecatable decrease in power provided by that powder.
I always wondered how those old sailing ships could be out in the heat and high humidity for years and have powder stored and when they needed it,it worked.They didnt have this modern equipment to check it. sam.
how long will ammo last in my house rimfire, centerfire and shotshell
will it last longer in military style ammo cans verses just sitting on the shelf
thanks
rugernut
Military Ammo cans are great for storage.
Our bunkers were in ground and like a root cellar. We would destroy ammo when it was 20 years old. Then again that was back in the 60s and the 20 year old ammo had a different type of powder that was sustable to a chemical change. Todays powders are more stable.. I have a few tins of 7.62mm from the 60s and I have fired it, there is some variance in Group Patterns as compared to fresh ammo, but would still give a Head shot at 100 plus yards.
Storage is probably the main factor for longtivity.
as long its dry& mild temp should last for several years
I have purchased surplus ammo thats over 60 years old works fine all depends how it's stored! good for target, for self defense or hunting you might want to rotate and use up every few years and replenish your stock as needed?
after i posted it i kept being redireted to a page that said something about it being expired and so i posted again then when i finally saw it go through i relized that they all worked
That happens to me evey time I post a new thread!
Brass cased ammo should last indefiently as long as it is kept dry. Plastic shotshells don't last a long if they encounter any sunlight. Keep It dark and cool (not cold) and it should last for as long as you'll need it to.
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Last edited by andrew cochran; 02-06-2008 at 12:57 PM.
