disposing of ammo - and shelf life

[Targeter]

I have some old .22 LR shells that I'd rather not fire off in any of my own guns. A buddy's dad gave them to me almost 10 years ago, and they were looking pretty ratty back then. I know how NOT to dispose of them, like a fire or trash compactor, but what is the proper way?

Also, I have some ammo I bought (new) in the mid-90's. All is stored clean and dry in the safe. Remington and Lellier & Bellot .270 win., some UMC 9mm, and 7.62 x 39 from UMC, Lellier & Bellot, Norinco (China North), and some that just says "made in Russia" (from a gun show of course) . And misc .22 LR.

So wadda ya think, is this stuff OK to shoot? (was it ever?) Or should I retire some of it with those old .22 shells? Maybe make a point of firing it all off over the next year or so? It all looks OK to me - on the outside.

I need to get out and do some shooting more often so this doesn't happen any more.

[driftrider]

The centerfire ammo should be completely safe to shoot. As long as the ammo hasn't been stored at extreme temperatures or allowed to corrode/tarnish badly on the outside, there is no reason not to shoot it. I've shot thousands of surplus military rounds that have been as old as the early 1950's and never had a problem.

Mike

[johnch]

The old 22 ammo I would soak it in water for a few weeks and then put it in a dumster for trash pick up.
The center fire ammo should be good for at least 50 years , if kept dry and not stored in high temps.
I just shot up some WWI 45 auto rim that a freinds dad bought surplus years ago , not 1 missfire in 200 rnds.

[HighDesertWolf]

i wouldnt throw any ammo in the trash even if soaked in water, if for some reason the water didnt soak into the cartridge. Out here in arizona the dump uses a incinderary bin to burn trash, i would feel pretty cr@ppy if i read in the paper "sanitary dept employee loses eye while dumping trash containing ammunition into incinderary bin". you know what i mean. I would pull the bullets and dump the powder into a cup of water then throw it all away if you dont have tomany. but if you have a whole bunch i would put them in a paper bag and throw them in a sess pool or bury them in the ground or better yet go buy a cheap used 22 from a pawn shop and shoot them off thats the best way to get rid of ammo.

[jmfa1957]

Water will not necessarily destroy gunpowder or primers, but oil will. The recommended disposal method for primers is to soak them for several days in oil. The problem with your .22 ammo is that it is probably sealed well enough that soaking them in oilo won't gurantee that the oil will get inside. If'n I wuz you, I'd just take it to the range and shoot it. You might also contact your fire department and ask their advice in safely and legally disposing of old ammo.

Properly stored ammo lasts way longer than you might think. I have lots of WWII surplus .303 ammunition, and it shoots just fine. The accuracy may not be what it once was, but in my WWII surplus No. 4 MkII Enfield with open sights and my aging eyes it is hard to tell.

BTW, one way to get rid of old centerfire ammo that you aren't sure of is to use a kinetic bullet puller, knock out the old bullet, dump the powder and burn it. You can then dispose of the primer by the simple expedient of putting it into your weapon, pointing it in a safe direction and pulling the trigger. If the primer is still active, it goes bang and you're done. If it doesn't after a snap or two, soak the primed shell in oil for several days and throw it away with a clear conscience.