Ammo Shelf Life

[tony]

My father had some 20 year old .357. The lead was a little corroded (white dusting look) and some corrosion on the primers was turquoise in color. I tried a few. They all fired but some had a distinct "zing" or "whizz" sound. I found on a website that this is a good indication that the ammo is too old and unsafe. I think the sound comes from a low projectile velocity and a round could become stuck in the barrel making a nice surprise for you on the next shot. I had the ammo destroyed.

Tony

[cudalyon]

My father had some 20 year old .357. The lead was a little corroded (white dusting look) and some corrosion on the primers was turquoise in color. I tried a few. They all fired but some had a distinct "zing" or "whizz" sound. I found on a website that this is a good indication that the ammo is too old and unsafe. I think the sound comes from a low projectile velocity and a round could become stuck in the barrel making a nice surprise for you on the next shot. I had the ammo destroyed.

Tony

Good info. I knew it couldn't last for ever, I have just never heard of a way to tell if it was too old.

[snal]

IMHO, vacuum can't be too tight.....how come you cut your's loose?

It was the first stuff that I'd vacuum sealed, not knowing how strong the bags were. This was "loose" ammo, no sharp edges, but it sure would draw the bag in around the individual cartriges very tightly. So tight that I was also afraid the casings might get dented/deformed.

[Big_Saw]

It was the first stuff that I'd vacuum sealed, not knowing how strong the bags were. This was "loose" ammo, no sharp edges, but it sure would draw the bag in around the individual cartriges very tightly. So tight that I was also afraid the casings might get dented/deformed.

gotchya.....I use the little styro pieces that my 9mm comes in....it adds bulk, but no weight to speak of, and it keeps 'em shiny and new.....50 per, and I can fit 3 of 'em side-by-side in a seal bag...;)

[voodoo]

I've been shooting surplus 8mm with headstamps of 1945 for several years, and cant recall a bad round.

[snal]

gotchya.....I use the little styro pieces that my 9mm comes in....it adds bulk, but no weight to speak of, and it keeps 'em shiny and new.....50 per, and I can fit 3 of 'em side-by-side in a seal bag...;)

Great idea! Makes me feel better about saving all those styro blocks! Hornady seems to be the only one that still uses those, or is it Blazer?

[Big_Saw]

Great idea! Makes me feel better about saving all those styro blocks! Hornady seems to be the only one that still uses those, or is it Blazer?

Winchester still uses 'em, too....most of my ammo is Winnie.

You can put three .22 in each 9mm hole, too...

[cudalyon]

Winchester still uses 'em, too....most of my ammo is Winnie.

You can put three .22 in each 9mm hole, too...

I love the CCI boxes for my .22's. I have about 10 of them that I just refill from a brick.

[JerryPt2]

7.62x54 and x39

none of my 7.62x39 is made after 1989 and it shoots well enough, never had a misfire, consistent 4 inch groups at 200 yards; and all of the 7.62x54 that i have is manufactured in either 1945 or 1954-63 and it all fires, and consistently through a scoped m44 puts about a 2.5 inch group at 200 yards, and about a 3 inch group at 325 yards(longest KD range i can access)

[Rustyshakelford]

none of my 7.62x39 is made after 1989 and it shoots well enough, never had a misfire, consistent 4 inch groups at 200 yards; and all of the 7.62x54 that i have is manufactured in either 1945 or 1954-63 and it all fires, and consistently through a scoped m44 puts about a 2.5 inch group at 200 yards, and about a 3 inch group at 325 yards(longest KD range i can access)

Tha 54R is seriously corrosive. They used mercury primers.

[cwconnertx]

I find the shelf life to be pretty poor once fired, even at 700-800 yards they only last a few seconds.

If kept dry and stored good, most ammunition has very long life. But have a little fun and rotate it out at the range!

[JerryPt2]

Not sayin it isint but

I wasnt saying that the mercurial primers werent corrosive, but is there anyone here who dosent give their weapon a thorough cleaning after some range time? run the brush through, then pput a patch on the brush and run it through, and then start oiling it down...another downside to it is the fact that most of it is steel-cased, so its non-reloadable:(, but hey, i paid 55 for a case of 1500 the other day so im alright at the moment

[Death_Hand]

Do they make vac sealers for military ammo cans sizes from 30 cal up to 40mm?

[Skyowl]

Do they make vac sealers for military ammo cans sizes from 30 cal up to 40mm?

While I have sealed some ammo using a Tila Food Saver and regular food saver bags that come with it, most of us, IIRC, simply put the ammo in a USGI ammo can and throw in several dessicant packs to absorb the moisture. As long as the seal is in good shape, you should not have any problems keepings the ammo for several years. That is of course, unless you are storing it underwater.

[Death_Hand]

Thanks i just bought quite a few boxes