ammo question

jb26 · September 7, 2001, 04:11 PM

My father-in-law has some 12 ga ammo from 35-45 years old. I believe that he has kept it in a box at the top of his bedroom closet. He was wondering if it is any good.

1) is it safe to shoot?

2) will it have lost any of it's effectiveness?

If they are ok we are just planning to use them for clays.

Thanks

HondoBWH · September 8, 2001, 12:05 AM

jb:
I'm no authority on the viability of old ammo, but it sounds like you may have some early 60's vintage shells that have the wax paper-type casings. I don't think plastic casings were produced until the mid-sixties if my memory serves me right.
I do know that type of wax paper cased ammo was still safe and effective to shoot twenty years later in the mid-eighties because a local gunshop was selling it cheap by the caseloads at the time. How much difference another twenty years makes I don't know. I would carefully inspect it and get some opinions from some gunshop owners. Good luck!

Dave McC · September 8, 2001, 07:03 AM

Kept cool and dry, ammo lasts a long, long time. Patterns will degrade because the shot will oxidize together, but it can be fired safely.

Before you use it up, you might want to check with any local collectors. A box of Shur Shot from the 30s recently sold near here for $75.

September 7, 2001, 04:11 PM	#1
jb26 Senior Member Join Date: October 5, 2000 Location: NE Illinois Posts: 109	ammo question My father-in-law has some 12 ga ammo from 35-45 years old. I believe that he has kept it in a box at the top of his bedroom closet. He was wondering if it is any good. 1) is it safe to shoot? 2) will it have lost any of it's effectiveness? If they are ok we are just planning to use them for clays. Thanks __________________ -Joe The P6 by any other name is just as sweet. -jb26 (in an obscure reference to the sig 225) ex libertatum et iusticia, pax

September 8, 2001, 12:05 AM	#2
HondoBWH Member Join Date: September 5, 2001 Location: Kenmore, WA Posts: 24	old ammo jb: I'm no authority on the viability of old ammo, but it sounds like you may have some early 60's vintage shells that have the wax paper-type casings. I don't think plastic casings were produced until the mid-sixties if my memory serves me right. I do know that type of wax paper cased ammo was still safe and effective to shoot twenty years later in the mid-eighties because a local gunshop was selling it cheap by the caseloads at the time. How much difference another twenty years makes I don't know. I would carefully inspect it and get some opinions from some gunshop owners. Good luck!

September 8, 2001, 07:03 AM	#3
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Kept cool and dry, ammo lasts a long, long time. Patterns will degrade because the shot will oxidize together, but it can be fired safely. Before you use it up, you might want to check with any local collectors. A box of Shur Shot from the 30s recently sold near here for $75.