How long does ammo last?

[ZombieKiller]

I have some ammo that I've had for almost a year now, and don't plan to use it anytime soon. Should I be using them or can I store them up for long periods of time? In the past I just shot all the ammo I bought, but since everyone's buying up ammo and leaving none for me, I want to just save my ammo. Thanks for the fatherly advice.

 

[CoRoMo]

Nobody knows for sure just yet.

So far, ammo has proven to last forever,
but we won't know until we get to the end of forever.

Storing, stockpiling, and maintaining ammo for long periods of time is a good thing when done right.

 

[TexasRifleman]

I have some lovely .30-06 from the 1940's. It's perfectly fine.

I have lots of .308 from the 50's and 60's. All 100%.

How long you planning on storing this ammo?

 

[ZombieKiller]

Til them zombies come!

 

[TexasRifleman]

Til them zombies come!

I think you'll be fine. Your grand kids will have ammo to fend off the zombie hordes if you just store it inside at room temperature

 

[1KPerDay]

Keep it cool and dry and it'll last practically forever.

 

[rondog]

Stored properly, it should definitely outlive you.

 

[chuckusaret]

I fired some .357 that was produced in 1965. No indication of being old when fired.

 

[WardenWolf]

No indication of being old when fired.

You, or the ammo?

Ammo lasts nearly forever if stored properly.

 

[Yosemite**Sam]

The newer handgun ammo with the lead free primers do not have an infinite shelf life. Unless they have changed the priming compounds recently, the primers on non-toxic type ammo will deteriorate over time.

 

[TexasRifleman]

. Unless they have changed the priming compounds recently, the primers on non-toxic type ammo will deteriorate over time.

Wonder how long?

I've heard the same but I have never seen it documented anywhere.

 

[WardenWolf]

I've heard that was only true for the earliest batches. Once they perfected it, it was fully stable.

 

[Average Joe]

Forever

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

The large rifle primers I'm using now are RWS brand (Dynamit Nobel) made in 1973. They work just fine. I bought 2500 at a garage sale many years ago.

My dad's .270 reloads from the 60s still work fine too. And, I use paper hulled 3" lead 4 buck "Rustless" 12 ga shells for coyotes up close. They work fine, in fact, two of them, fired in rapid succession, will set me right down on my behind.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

Until it's shot.

900F

 

[Yosemite**Sam]

I've heard that was only true for the earliest batches. Once they perfected it, it was fully stable.

That may be true. I can tell you that as recent as four to five years ago we were having primer problems with both Win-Clean and Federal Non-Tox ammo. Some of the stuff just wouldn't go bang and we go through large quantities of ammo during the course of a year. I'm not really sure what qualifies as an early batch. The more recent Win-Clean seems to be more reliable. Haven't shot any Federal NT lately.

I guess time will tell.

 

[hadmanysons]

I keep all my ammo in Zip-Loc bags with a bag of desiccant. I also have about 5lbs of desiccant in my gun safe. It makes me feel better about moisture control. They sell it at Gander Mountain in bulk.

 

[SquirrelNuts]

Put it in your will because you will expire before it does if you keep it in a temperature controlled environment and dry.

 

[renegade1alpha]

Store it in ammo cans with desicant packs to absorb any moisture and it will be fine. I shot some 7mm Mauser ammo from 1922 from my old 1895 Chilean Mauser and it shot great!

 

[Just One Shot]

For some strange reason mine doesn't last very long.




























As soon as I pull the trigger it becomes worthless!

 

[TexasRifleman]

Some of the stuff just wouldn't go bang and we go through large quantities of ammo during the course of a year. I'm not really sure what qualifies as an early batch. The more recent Win-Clean seems to be more reliable. Haven't shot any Federal NT lately.

I have never shot the Win Clean but I do shoot the FN 5.7x28 stuff with lead free primers. I've never had any failures at all but there was lots of talk about the compounds breaking down over a shorter time period.

I don't remember seeing anything on it lately so maybe it really has been fixed. Either that or the stuff just isn't old enough yet to start seeing failures.

 

[jackstinson]

Only until I pull the trigger.

 

[richyoung]

It depends on the storage conditions. Cool and dry, without extreme changes in temp, is the best. Navy stored powder for the 16" guns on barges - the powder deteriorated an dbecame inconsistant - leading to accuracy problems with the reactivated battleships, and was one reason for their eventual decommisioning. On the other hand, small arms ammo from WWI has ben successfuly fired, and at least one in Holland, some teenage boys found a B-17 that was shot down into the sea. Exposed by land-reclaimation pumping, the lads cleaned up and oiled some of the .50s and had a merry time blazing away the ammo that had been underwater since WWII.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

I shoot original Swiss Army 10.4 m/m Vetterli (.41 Swiss rimfire) manufactured in the 1870s and 1880s. I shoot 8x56R manufactured anywhere between 1917 and 1938. The stuff lasts, so long as you don't submerge it (or cook it).

 

[Gottahaveone]

I have (most of) a case of these made by Brimingham Metal and Munitions Co Ltd in 1917. You wouldn't believe what a nice sound they make