Shooting old ammo

[N7XW]

Any issue in shooting factory ammo that's 5 years old or so?  Its been kept dry in the original boxes.  Just don't want to waste it but then again don't want to shoot it if there is any chance whatsoever of it causing an issue in a new rifle.  Ammo doesn't usually last more than a couple weeks for me, thus the question.

Thanks.

[carlyoungs]

Ammo kept dry will last a long time.  5 years will be plenty fine. Shoot away.

[Ridgeratt]

I'm going to guess some of the members are younger than this.

https://www.ammogarand.com/m1ganamapanm.html

Still have numerous boxes of match 06. Never had a misfire. 

[Alpine Mojo]

I've shot .303 British surplus WW1 ammo that fed deliciously through a bolt action.

Just keep your powder dry and your head down.  You'll be fine.

[N7XW]

  thanks guys

[biggfish]

If kept dry in good climate controlled environment reloads are  good years later. With primer sealer and a factory crimp die it will last just as long as factory ammo. I recently used up my 10 year old stock of 9mm reloads.

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[Bill W]

I don't consider ammo old until it's about 40 years out.  If it's kept dry and in a temperate location there's no problems.   Today I will be shooting some old shotgun reloads that were assembled in the late 80's right before steel became mandatory for waterfowl.  They should be somewhere around 30 years old.

[Calvin Rayborn]

If slick willy and the libs had gotten their way back in the 90's, you'd be in trouble! 

[CP]

Some older ammo used primers that will leave a residue of corrosive salts behind.  Not really an issue if you clean the gun immediately after shooting.  Other than that the only issues with old ammo would be it fails to fire or squib fires or perhaps it's swollen up such that it won't chamber.

[Curly]

5 yrs isn't old.

[PolarBear]

I have a couple cases of .38 wadcutters from when I shot competitively 30 years ago that still look and shoot fine.  Just keep them in a good dry spot and they will last.  Just check for corrosion or discoloration of the primers.

[CP]

5 yrs isn't old.

 

I have food in my fridge that is older than that.

[bobcat]

I've shot ammo that's 30 years old, 40, maybe even 50 years. No problem.

[boneaddict]

 

[PolarBear]

I think I still have some 50 or 60 year old 30-30 rounds.

[follow maggie]

I’ve shot ammo way older than that. No problems and it was accurate, too

[j_h_nimrod]

I was given my grandfathers M1917 elk rifle with dated boxes of ammo. He would get a new box every season, shoot 1-2 to check zero and then hunt. Most of the boxes had 16-17 rounds left. Dates ranged from 1976-1981. I shot them and they functioned and performed just like new ammo. A few over the chrono clocked right where they should be. I even considered hunting with them before he died but never got a chance. I would not have an issue hunting with them within reasonable ranges for an open sighted, sporterized military rifle.

[wadu1]

Not a problem, the only rounds that have failed to fire for me were some 30-06 dates 1916 and 17. I'm still shooting 45ACP steel cased from 1943 even the tracers still work. I have one or two cans of bore cleaner from the 40's that kills the salts in the old primers. It's not an issue with 30 carbine or 45ACP they had clean primers. 

[h2ofowlr]

Not an issue.  If kept cool and dry it will do just fine.  I still have full ammo cans from 1942 for my M1 grand.  They shoot no different than new stuff.

[Stein]

Man, 5 years "old" is pretty new for me.

I found a couple of rounds of 12 gauge in the bottom of a marsh in the mud under water and tried them just for fun.  They worked fine.  I would have no problem shooting something much, much older than 5 years.

[KFhunter]

I had some Remington core lokt go bad on me, almost got a squib the bullet barely made it 25 yards.  It was kept dry in the house, not sure the age but probably 10 years old.  You can hear and feel bad ammo, sometimes even smell it, if you get one that's off, toss the whole batch.

[N7XW]

Good info, thanks guys.  Has me thinking about the subject though - anyone know if there was a general date range when corrosive primers were phased out?  I still find corrosive ammo when looking for ammo for the SKS.

[C-Money]

During the ammo shortage, I found a brick of Federal .22 ammo out in my shed that had to be 15yo or more. Shot fine!

[Biggerhammer]

SHOOT IT !!!

[carpsniperg2]

  I still have some 4831 that I bought from a friend that is 70+ years old in paper packages, that I still use.

[Biggerhammer]

I still have some 4831 that I bought from a friend that is 70+ years old in paper packages, that I still use.

I was given a 1 gallon fuel can, like the Coleman White gas type cans. Full of 4831 that was 24 years old. Shot it all one summer and everything was good to go.

[JimmyHoffa]

I think I still have some 50 or 60 year old 30-30 rounds.

the old aluminum silver tips, still going strong

[carpsniperg2]

3 brothers got out of service after ww2. all 3 bought I think it was 100lbs each. Pretty cool stuff and makes me smile every time I see the paper sacks.

[Biggerhammer]

Way cool !!!!!😎😎