Very Very old ammo, use it or not?

[mesinge2]

Very Very old ammo Update

I was given some old ammo. Most of it is Western ammo with Lubaloy bullets as pictured below.

View attachment 116332
View attachment 116330



The rounds are in this condition (see below):
View attachment 116331



There are 68 rounds of 38 Special (Western, Peters, WRA, R -P), 6 rounds of 38 Special+P with WW on the rim, 16 rounds of 41 Long Colt Westerns, 2 rounds of 45 ACP with Western on the rim, and one 32 WCF (whatever than is?) with REM-UMC on the rim.

My questions are:

What companies are represented here as well as any history?

And should I shoot the 38 and 45 ammo?

Is it safe?


UPDATE
I kept all of the Western 38s and 41 long colts as well as the Peters 38s, but I shot everything else.

I used my 357, just in case earlthegoat2 was right. HE WAS RIGHT!

What ever the 6 rounds of 38 Special+P with WW on the rim were HOT. They felt like my 158gr. Magtech SJSP 357 ammo. But not as hot as 357 Corbon loads.

As for the 2 rounds of 45 ACP, one did not fire right away. I pulled the trigger and it went off like a heartbeat after the hammer fell.

I did not try the other one.

I don't have a .32-20 Winchester so that one 32 WCF round will sit in the box with the 41s.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Those 38s are probably hotter than modern +Ps.

 

[Shweboner]

Id say go for it.

I remember shooting some 8mm stuff made before my mother was born, never had a single problem with it. No slits, cracks bulges in the cases, no cratering or dud primers.

Im sure you will be safe with this stuff. It likely isnt loaded too hot anyway.

Pay attention while shooting just in case, and probably no rapid fire.

 

[mokin]

I'm not up on the historical part of your question but if you try to shoot it, it'll probably go bang. I would not shoot it due to probable collectable value. If you do shoot it beware of hangfires and treat your guns as if you had fired corrosive ammunition.

 

[~SG~]

i'd say keep it, possibly collectable and worth $$ to the right one.
Certainly keep the boxs in good condition, they are great to add to photography that you are going to sepia tone to give that authentic look.

 

[mesinge2]

I found out what the 32 round is from Wikipedi:

The .32-20 Winchester, also known as the .32 WCF, was the first small-game lever-action cartridge that Winchester produced. It was initially introduced as a blackpowder cartridge in 1882 for small-game, varmint hunting, and deer. Colt produced a single-action pistol chambered for this cartridge a few years later. Currently, Black Hills Ammunition sells a 115 FPL cartridge of this caliber.

.32-20 indicating a .32 bullet diameter (hundredths of an inch) and the 20 indicating a standard black powder charge in grains.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Check gunbroker, they often have collectible ammo up, get a ruff idea of what it's worth

 

[03Shadowbob]

I've shot some 45 ball ammo from WW2 and it still fires just like it did back then. I did inspect it before shooting it though so that may be prudent to do.

 

[gwnorth]

As long as it was kept dry and looks clean, I'd say it should be good to go. I've shot ammo that was decades or more old, including some .22 long and lr stuff that was made in the 1920's - it all shot fine.

 

[mesinge2]

I kept all of the Western 38s and 41 long colts as well as the Peters 38s, but I shot everything else.

I used my 357, just in case earlthegoat2 was right. HE WAS RIGHT!

What ever the 6 rounds of 38 Special+P with WW on the rim were HOT. They felt like my 158gr. Magtech SJSP 357 ammo. But not as hot as 357 Corbon loads.

As for the 2 rounds of 45 ACP, one did not fire right away. I pulled the trigger and it went off like a heartbeat after the hammer fell.

I did not try the other one.

I don't have a .32-20 Winchester so that one 32 WCF round will sit in the box with the 41s.

 

[owlhoot]

WRA = Winchester Repeating Arms
R-P = Remington Peters
WW = Winchester Western
UMC = Union Metallic Cartridge Company

 

[Average Joe]

Shoot them, that's what they were made for....

 

[atlanticfire]

Shoot them, that's what they were made for....

I'll second that. Received some ammo from a gunsmith that had been sitting around 50 years. Lots of 45acp, fired it all .....just like gravy.

 

[joe_security]

Keep the packaging.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

The ammo looks to be in fine condition. I have shot much older ammo in my surplus rifles.

 

[7.62 Nato]

Nice find. Be sure to keep the cartridge bowes in good shape.

 

[GunsAreGood]

It should shoot fine but I would hold on to it. If you don't really care about it and just want to know if its safe to shoot than I say after a proper inspection of the rounds go for it.