About 5 years ago I went on a non stop reloading binge and reloaded about 12,000 rounds of varios handgun and rifle rounds I went so far as sealing the primers it must have burnt me out cause I have not reloaded in a few years since ,what do you think the shelf life is ? should I get started again reloading after shooting the old stock or can I depend on them for years to come. I have ww2 45s that still fire but lack power when does that start to happen//jim
shelf life
- Thread starter taxiflyr
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Rottweiler
Member
Keep your ammo in a cool dry environment and it will outlast you. Large temperature swings and humidity are what does all the damage.
I have some WWII vintage .30-06 that goes bang every time when I "test" it every few years. It was apparently stored correctly before I got it and it is still stored that way
I have some WWII vintage .30-06 that goes bang every time when I "test" it every few years. It was apparently stored correctly before I got it and it is still stored that way
Patocazador
Member
I have never experienced many problems with older cartridges shooting OK except for some commercially loaded .38 wadcutters that I bought 4 cases of in the early '70s. Now about 3/50 won't fire. I assume it's the primers. 20 years ago they all went bang.
tightgroup tiger
Member
Yes, you can depend on it for years to come if stored properly. I have ammo I loaded 20 years ago that I wouldn't hessitate to take on a trophy hunt.
hueyville
Member
I still have specialty primers purchased in the 80's that when loaded are 100%. Same for 20 year old powder. All stored temp control in my basement. Some in sealed containers, some just sitting on shelves or on bench. Screw the lid on the powder when you finish loading is about only trick to it.
kerreckt
Member
I have shot .45acp made in 1919 that I found in a barn about 3 years ago with no problems. I probably should have held on to them but couldn't resist the temptation to see if they would all work....they did.
45lcshooter
Member
Ive used powder and primers from the 70's and 80's. All went off. If you store properly, ammo will still go bang for your great grand kids.
Don't waste your time applying sealer to the primers unless you plan to go swimming with your gun. I have cans filled with ammo I loaded in 1990 that is still working 100%. No sealer on any of them. They sat in an unheated garage for years. Midwestern summers and high humidity.
oldpapps
Member
I would agree with what has been posted.... But.
I loaded up some new WW brass .44 mags with 240 grain JHP over my load of W630 back in the mid 80s. Two boxes, 100 rounds, in nice red plastic MTM boxes. Stored away in GI ammo can, cool dry, even temps and all. 61 out of 100 now have vertical splits from the case mouth back a third to a half of the case length.
This is the first (hopefully only) time I have ever seen this. I have other loads from before this load date and none have this problem. I am attributing this to the brass.
I have shot early WWII '06 and it was fine (didn't like the precautionary cleaning that followed but I did it).
I loaded up some new WW brass .44 mags with 240 grain JHP over my load of W630 back in the mid 80s. Two boxes, 100 rounds, in nice red plastic MTM boxes. Stored away in GI ammo can, cool dry, even temps and all. 61 out of 100 now have vertical splits from the case mouth back a third to a half of the case length.
This is the first (hopefully only) time I have ever seen this. I have other loads from before this load date and none have this problem. I am attributing this to the brass.
I have shot early WWII '06 and it was fine (didn't like the precautionary cleaning that followed but I did it).
Still Shooting
Member
Old .270 Reloads
I had several rounds of .270 win that I loaded back in 1982-83. I took them to the range in 2010, and all fired satisfactorily. In fact, my wife put the first 3 rounds into a 1/2" cloverleaf group at 100yds. I had one left over at the end of the afternoon, so when I got home I pulled the bullet (Nosler 150gr. Partition). When the bullet pulled out of the case, you could still smell ether coming off of the powder. No primer sealer, taper crimp, just a normal load. I thought that was pretty good - 27 or 28 years, and still had ether in the powder.
I had several rounds of .270 win that I loaded back in 1982-83. I took them to the range in 2010, and all fired satisfactorily. In fact, my wife put the first 3 rounds into a 1/2" cloverleaf group at 100yds. I had one left over at the end of the afternoon, so when I got home I pulled the bullet (Nosler 150gr. Partition). When the bullet pulled out of the case, you could still smell ether coming off of the powder. No primer sealer, taper crimp, just a normal load. I thought that was pretty good - 27 or 28 years, and still had ether in the powder.
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