[Sheldon]

My loaded ammo gets used up within a year generally. I have some components as old as about 10 years. I've always read that if you store them in a cool and dry environment they should last just about indefinetely. I also have read that when powder starts to go bad it will smell sour. It normally smells kinda sweet and like ether.

 

[TangoRomeo]

I have one round of .357 magnum ammo that I loaded on a cold November night in 1965. It's the first round I ever loaded! I was doubly proud, since I had also cast the bullet the night before.

-TR

 

[maxwayne]

I am shooting some factory 9mm that is headstamped 1952. I have shot reloads that I did in the 70's when I first started. They all work fine.

 

[Bompa]

I just used up the last of some canadian 9mm
that was head stamped 42 .. Still shot good..
Great brass also,been reloading some of it
since the late 60's..Never wears out,you just
loose it sooner or later..Same thing with some 45acp brass,headstamped in the 60's and still going strong..Loose more of it now though,old eyes or something..

 

[Walking Point]

.45 auto from the first world war is the oldest I've ever shot.

All of my .458 ammo was loaded in the late 70s, and I just don't shoot it enough to bother with loading it until I finally generate a larger batch of empty cases.

I recently shot up all my .357 ammo that was loaded in 1975 with no problem.

I have some .303 ammo from the 1920s, but the cases and even some of the bullets are in pretty bad shape (corrosion) and I may never shoot them. Had they been stored better I'd be willing to give them a try.

 

[gyp_c]

I still have a few 357s from the 70s and just a few 44s from thye mid-80s...I'll probably not shoot them...Don't care much about the 357s and the 44s were just practice loads...I'll break down the 44s and use 'em for a different load....

Don't usually keep the practice loads. The stiffer ones may stay around for awhile as long as I have the documentation on them...I just don't take any chances on reloads...Too easy to make more...

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>>>>>>>>>>g2<<<<<<<<<<

I Like The Shade Too!

 

[Fred]

Still have about 5 rounds of early 60's vintage .357 Magnum 158 grain Lubaloy ammo, and about half a box of same vintage .22 WMR. Like fine wine, and me, they only get better with age!

------------------
Regards,
AZFred

[This message has been edited by Fred (edited 07-11-2001).]

 

[TrophyShop]

I have 4 sealed boxes of 1962 National Match 30.06 I bought at an auction for my Garand. I probably won't open them because I'm sure they are collectors items.
Also, I have some old paper Remington buckshot 12 ga. shells that I use for coyotes. They still fire fine.
A local pawn shop is selling 1943 headstamped 45 ACP cheap. It supposedly shoots fine but is slightly corrosive, so I won't use it.

 

[Walking Point]

You are correct GUNNER. I've pulled the bullets on a few and found the cordite to be in a near solid form. Kind of gives me a bad feeling when I think of shooting them. Likely I'll end up pulling all the bullets that look decent in order to salvage something from this ammo.

 

[jim LEO]

An old lady once gave me a coffee can full of .45 ACP ball ammo. A lot of it was dated in the early 19-teens and a few were dated 1909! (before the .45 ACP was officially being manufactured)! Instead of keeping them for my collection,like a fool, I shot all of them. They all shot except for a few tracer rounds. I shot a glass whiskey bottle with one of the tracers and it just bounced off and lay on the ground smoking! As this junk was corrosive, I had a tough time cleaning the bore. So...., what's my point? Most ammo will last forever if it is stored correctly, IE: room temperature with not too much humidity. P.S. New powder smells like ether! Bad powder will have a vinegar smell!

[This message has been edited by jim LEO (edited 07-23-2001).]

 

[Chico]

I've got about 50 brass cases dated 1941 and 1942 among the 1,000 rounds of miscellaneous cases I use for practice. They have been fired and reloaded at least 4 times by now.

 

[imashooter2]

I finally finished the last of the .38 wadcutters my Grampa loaded this June. Grampa died in '69 and didn't load for a few years before that. Those are the oldest reloads I've ever shot.

Shot lots of 40's 8mm Mauser.

 

[Tenderfoot]

Just got in a case of .308 yesterday which was marked 1978 haven't tested it yet.
TF


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Tenderfoot,
Will work for brass,lead,steel,iron,wood and etc.