shooting old shells?
#1
shooting old shells?
i finally got around to getting my grandpa's 12 ga and he gave me a couple boxes of shells with it, but the shells look kinda old. I'm sure they're at least 10 or so years old, i was wondering if there would be any problems shooting these shells? both boxes are full, and i'd hate to throw them out, and im not sure you can just throw em out. any tips are greatly appreciated. thanks alot!
Schobs
Schobs
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
RE: shooting old shells?
10 years old?
No problem. They'll likely shoot just fine.
Unless ammo is kept in a very humid condition or very warm (hot) it usually ages ok.
I keep all my ammo in miltary ammo cans in a corner of the basement that is kept cool and dry......I have some 8 X 56R ammo that is marked with the year 1936. It goes "boom" everytime.
No problem. They'll likely shoot just fine.
Unless ammo is kept in a very humid condition or very warm (hot) it usually ages ok.
I keep all my ammo in miltary ammo cans in a corner of the basement that is kept cool and dry......I have some 8 X 56R ammo that is marked with the year 1936. It goes "boom" everytime.
#5
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,429
RE: shooting old shells?
ORIGINAL: 8mm/06
I keep all my ammo in miltary ammo cans in a corner of the basement that is kept cool and dry.......
I keep all my ammo in miltary ammo cans in a corner of the basement that is kept cool and dry.......
#6
RE: shooting old shells?
Ammunition burned in cans does not makelike a frag grenade. When rifle ammunition burned in cans the bullets do not even penetrate the cans.
i'm an EOD guy who has burned over two billion rounds of small arms ammunition, much of it in cans.
i'm an EOD guy who has burned over two billion rounds of small arms ammunition, much of it in cans.
#8
RE: shooting old shells?
It just makes anoise like pop corn popping for alittle whileuntil all the ammo inside is burned. It does not all cook off at once. The bullets dent the side of the can when belted ammo is burned.US military ammo cans aresometimes bulged after the ammo inside cooks off. Never saw one that had blown open,they have really good latches.
Powder is a totally different story. If you fill a military ammo can with smokeless rifle powder and heat it the can will blow up. But not in a really violent manner like black powder will. Fast burning pistol powders like Bullseye do blow up something like black powder when heavily confined.Pistol powdersare preferred byidiots who build pipe bombs.
Powder is a totally different story. If you fill a military ammo can with smokeless rifle powder and heat it the can will blow up. But not in a really violent manner like black powder will. Fast burning pistol powders like Bullseye do blow up something like black powder when heavily confined.Pistol powdersare preferred byidiots who build pipe bombs.
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,085
RE: shooting old shells?
Schobs....I assume that the shotgun ammo in question is plastic..??..
Plastic shotshells are quite durable, unless they have been stored under EXTREME conditions...I've shot plenty of older shells, including paper shotshells that were older than ANY plastic ammo and it has detonated just fine... Shoot 'em and enjoy 'em and don't worry about it...
Plastic shotshells are quite durable, unless they have been stored under EXTREME conditions...I've shot plenty of older shells, including paper shotshells that were older than ANY plastic ammo and it has detonated just fine... Shoot 'em and enjoy 'em and don't worry about it...
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
RE: shooting old shells?
Shato, I too have heard of what you explain, but falcon beat me to my answer, but with more detail than i knew of. I have heard more than a few reports about tests of ammo being exposed to high heat and even open flames. It was found to be as falcon reports....no big explosions from ammo being heated or burned. Discharges yes, but no violent explosions.
Now of course I don't want any of my ammo exposed to undue temps, but the ammo cans were created for a reason (every military power has used some form of ammo cans) and they have a strong seal which impedes the collection of moisture.
I'll continue to store ammo in ammo cans until I find some imperical evidence that says it's not good. For now, my own experience is that my ammo all works fine, and the fire thing has been dismissed by a # of studies.
Not sure I want to take my all my cues from the BATF folks anyway.
I don't store my powder in such containers, just my ammo.
Now of course I don't want any of my ammo exposed to undue temps, but the ammo cans were created for a reason (every military power has used some form of ammo cans) and they have a strong seal which impedes the collection of moisture.
I'll continue to store ammo in ammo cans until I find some imperical evidence that says it's not good. For now, my own experience is that my ammo all works fine, and the fire thing has been dismissed by a # of studies.
Not sure I want to take my all my cues from the BATF folks anyway.
I don't store my powder in such containers, just my ammo.