Shot a box of ammo from 1972

[odyssey1]

From time to time we see posts asking if it's safe to shoot older ammo.  My uncle found a box of remington .38 in his wife's closet.  She passed away a few years ago and he's finally gotten around to cleaning up her closet.  I doubt he'll get rid of anything but I think it's the first time he's even opened up her closet since she passed.


Anyway, he gave them to me.  They looked fine.  It was a new box in a brown paper bag with the original hand written reciept that dated 6/27/72 from an old gun store that had closed many years ago. 

I went to the range a few days ago and shot them through my Ruger Security Six ( too scared to shoot them in the Python, just in case).  They shot just fine.  A little smokey but I think it's because they were lead bullets.

I'm sure others out there have probably shot older ammo than this but I wanted to share in case you were ever leary about a box of ammo you may have uncovered.  Had there been any signs of deterioration of the brass or primer, I never would have shot them.

What's the oldest ammo you've shot?

[Johnny Bravo]

Good to know. Thanks for the post.

[Badgersmilk]

1932 7.62X54  One of the cases split, but no other harm came from firing the stuff.  I guess mercury or something else they used in the primers and powders back then turns into acid with enough time.  I've got all kinds of stuff that shoots good from the 40's.  Mosin Nagant's, Mausers, 'n such. 

[Timothy]

Late 70's while shooting for my Pistol "E" Qual, we used some loaded back in the late 40's and early 50's for practice before using some normal storebought stuff.  Military .45 ACP ball, some of it didn't shoot so good....kinda went "phoooof"...bullet landed about 10 yards downrange, thankfully enough pressure to not cause a squib...

Just a month or so back, I shot up some leftover .22 LR from the early 80's... no problems...

[tombogan03884]

As long as it's stored in a cool dry place time should not effect ammo.

[Sponsor]

[ericire12]

As long as it's stored in a cool dry place time should not effect ammo.

I recently turned down some that were about that old..... and it was mainly because of the fact that it was not stored in a dry environment..... There was some rusting and discoloration and it just looked too iffy for me.

[L.E. Keeney]

I shot some european 11.25 (45 acp) ammo that was apparently military issue. It shot just fine, but was a llittle hot.

[odyssey1]

I recently turned down some that were about that old..... and it was mainly because of the fact that it was not stored in a dry environment..... There was some rusting and discoloration and it just looked too iffy for me.

Had these bullets looked like that, I wouldn't have shot it either. 

In all honesty, I was kind of scared when that first round went off.  I wasn't sure what was going to happen.

[TAB]

there has been muskets that were loaded atleast 150 years with black powder still going bang. 

[ellis4538]

I shot some steel cased .45 ammo from WW2 a while back with no misfires or other problems.

Richard