[Sidetracker]

I just bought a Remington 1100 Competition Master for 3-Gun and I have a bunch of old shells I would like to use for practice. The shells range from bird shot up to slugs and are at least 11 years old. Are these shells to old to use safely?

[Will Fennell]

As long as they have been kept dry, they should be fine. Burn'em in practice.

Heck, I killed my first deer with a Peters brand paper-hulled #1 Buckshot, that was MUCH older than I was at the time[I was 8;) ]

[Dave McCracken]

If kept cool and dry, shells last decades. Go ahead and use them up....

[Red Label]

Heck I've got some gunpowder that I bought over 25 years ago for reloading that I'm just finishing up. It's been in the cool and dry and still works great.:)

[Sidetracker]

Thanks for the advice guys. I knew brass cartridges were good for many years (decades) but I wasn't sure about shotshells. I guess I have a lot practice ammo to use up. Yah Hoo!

[Mike Irwin]

I've used some that have been close to 100 years old.

As long as they don't have a lot of smutz on them, and the hull is in good shape, they should be fine.