Shotgun shell shelf life?

[mr_blove]

How long are shotgun shells good for? A buddy at work says MAYBE 10 years because they are not completely airtight like standard ammo. Canannyone help with this question.


Mods if this is not the correct area please move, I was considering the shotgun or reloading area also.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

It may depend on how and where they are stored, but I've fired ones that are 20 years old without a problem. Utah doesn't have much of a humidty problem.

 

[Rebailey]

Shotgun Shells

I have fired some old brass shells that were 100 years old. I was at a Gun show once when some fool brought in a double shotgun broken down. A lady had some old brass shells on her table. He assembled his shotgun, put in one of the old shells (probably 100 years old) and fired it. Everyone stopped instantly. I saw smoke come out of the ceiling where the round impacted. Scared the **** out of all of us. Luckily he had it pointed up. They called the police and escorted him out of there.

 

[mio]

i bought a .45 "shotgun" at a gunshow back in college. it was smoothbore and came with a handfull of old wooden capped shotshells and a couple cardboard capped.
just for the heck of it i fired off one of the wooden capped shells...it went bang and sprayed the target id set up about 20yrds away.
i then sold off the shells for way more than i paid for the gun. then traded the gun for a 22 that ive had a lot of enjoyment out of.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

I've got some paper 3" Remington buckshot loads made in the 1950s I use for coyotes. Blue hulls, marked "Rustless".

They all go bang.

 

[Sans Authoritas]

Even paper-hulled shells from the 40's will fire. Many of the shells are sealed with wax and even say, "WATERPROOFED."

-Sans Authoritas

 

[bnkrazy]

I've shot paper reloads my great grandfather worked up who knows how many years ago. I'd say 50+ at least. They were stored in the bottom drawer of a file cabinet in a rusty mobile home he used as a shed. If those things will fire (reliably even) you should have no trouble with anything inside of 50yrs of age unless it was stored under water.

 

[alemonkey]

I've shot plastic shells that were probably 20-30 years old. Stored indoors, but in a non-airconditioned house. They went bang just like the new ones.

 

[ZombieHunter]

I remember shooting paper shells 10-15 years ago...applying hindsight those things HAD to be old. I wouldn't use them for SD...but practice, hunting or some non-critical use sure.

 

[mr_blove]

I wouldn't use them for SD...but practice, hunting or some non-critical use sure.
Today 08:49 PM

I am working on my long term stockpile(SHTF) and would like to store some buckshot and slugs. They should be ok if stored in a dry place maybe with some desicant right?

 

[bnkrazy]

Heh, speaking of hunting... The reloads my great grandfather made have been known to take waterfowl at 70+ yds. No, I have never opened one up to see what exactly is in them. Yes, I probably should.

 

[bnkrazy]

I am working on my long term stockpile(SHTF) and would like to store some buckshot and slugs. They should be ok if stored in a dry place maybe with some desicant right?

Current production shells should outlast you and your kids if kept dry. I store mine in .30 and .50 cal ammo cans. I don't use any desiccant, the seals on the can should be fine...but it won't hurt if you want to add it.

 

[ljnowell]

I got my first shotgun when I was 12. I used to go to my grandparents out in the country to shoot and whatnot. My grandpa gave me a bucket of old 12gauge shells to shoot. About half of them were old wax covered paper cases. Every single one of them shot. I wouldnt really worry about it. I wouldnt count on them as a home defense round though, just in case they didnt go bang.

 

[Bazooka Joe71]

Mods if this is not the correct area please move, I was considering the shotgun or reloading area also.

Probably a better place, but to add to everyone else's experiences, my Dad gave me a good amount of some 20+ year old target loads that I use for trap shooting and I have yet to have a problem...It sat in a garage, not in sealed cans, and it gets pretty darn humid around here.

 

[PTK]

I found a partial box of 16ga shells out in the woods, all obviously factory loads. Must've been there a while, but they all went BANG just fine. Kleenbore or somesuch.

 

[hoji]

I am still shooting Federal shells that my dad bought in 1974. Every one has gone bang.

 

[moooose102]

i shot some PAPER HULLED 16 guage shells the past winter, evey one went bang, but some did not function the action (auto loader). i dont know when the quit making paper hulled ammo, but i know it was at least 20 years ago. so, your freinds 10 year life cycle just went out the window with these.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

mr blove, your plan is sound.

Best advice, don't buy ALL from a single manufacturer--mix the stock between solid and well-respected commercial brands.

Shotshells are not waterproof, no. Dry, cool storage out of direct sunlight (UV damages plastic).

 

[MMCSRET]

I am currently shooting my way thru 700 rounds of Kynoch 16 ga. that was produced prior to WW2, Never a misfire and performance is uniformly perfect in my English style Winchester M12.

 

[Wheeler44]

I am currently working my way through some paper shells from the '60s & 70's. A couple have swelled and don't chamber but the ones that do chamber all go bang.

 

[RNB65]

A long, long, long, time.

My dad still has some paper hulled 16ga shells that were manufactured in the late 40's or early 50's. We pull a few out occasionally and shoot them thru my grandfather's ancient single barrel shotty. They shoot fine and will make a real mess out out of a rotten watermelon.

 

[Jst1mr]

Many paper-hulled shells are old, but not all. Can still get new, I believe from Federal(?).

 

[Titan6]

I bought a bunch of old lead #2 Bird shot that had been sitting on the shelves of the old gun shop covered with years of dust since lead was legal for waterfowl (maybe 15 years in my state). I got it in my head one day that it had been sitting there for so long that it might actually have the original price tag on it. It did. Shoots like a charm and makes great rabbit rounds and not too bad HD rounds.