Hello all,

Does ammo have an Expiration date? How old is too old?

Hello all,

Does ammo have an Expiration date? How old is too old?

It expires as soon as you fire it!   

But seriously, I'm good keeping practice ammo for decades in moderate temp and humidity as long as it's kept it in sealed containers.

For self/home defense rounds, they are probably in the gun or at least in mags or a nearby drawer.  Since it's  exposed to more variations in the environment, it's good to rotate that ammo with fresh rounds annually. 

Take the old to the range as an ongoing verification it still cycles in your gun, then replace it with new factory ammo.

That's how I do things.  I'm sure others might have differing opinions/practices.

Too old to me is when it's corroded or in the case of .22, the projectiles are loose in the cartridge.

Aloha!   

I'm still shooting ammo that was manufactured in the 1930s.  That's over 80 years old, and still going BANG!

But seriously, I'm good keeping practice ammo for decades in moderate temp and humidity as long as it's kept it in sealed containers.

For self/home defense rounds, they are probably in the gun or at least in mags or a nearby drawer.  Since it's  exposed to more variations in the environment, it's good to rotate that ammo with fresh rounds annually. 

Take the old to the range as an ongoing verification it still cycles in your gun, then replace it with new factory ammo.

That's how I do things.  I'm sure others might have differing opinions/practices.

Yep, what M-dog said. I also rotate the defensive rounds in my mags by discharging them at the range every so often then reload with new ammo. I found some 35 year old 22lr at my parents house last year, still had $.99 Honsport price tags on them, at they still worked fine.

I don't think so.
Recently I shot some 45acp from 1961 that was just fine. That's about 50 years.
However in recent years some manufacturers switched to a different kind of primer that is supposed to be non toxic.
I don't know if this new ammo has the same longevity. Only time will tell.

I don't think so.
Recently I shot some 45acp from 1961 that was just fine. That's about 50 years.
However in recent years some manufacturers switched to a different kind of primer that is supposed to be non toxic.
I don't know if this new ammo has the same longevity. Only time will tell.

I notice that some of the "new Improved" products now-a-days don't last as long as the old products they replaced.

Depends how it's stored I guess.....Got some Spanish Surplus 7.62x51 that goes bang 1 out of 10 times.

I have buckets of expired ammo......







  ..................time to refurbish it!!!!!

I notice that some of the "new Improved" products now-a-days don't last as long as the old products they replaced.

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That's exactly what I was thinking.

Yo heavies...I see a square deal with some fancy golden bullets.
I hope You got a gold plated cz, feather hat and a Cadillac pimpmobile to go with those badazz bullets.

Big pimpin' ain't easy

Big pimpin' ain't easy

only if you're the Godfather. 

only if you're the Godfather. 

'stomper has the gangsta lean

...
That's exactly what I was thinking.

Yo heavies...I see a square deal with some fancy golden bullets.
I hope You got a gold plated cz, feather hat and a Cadillac pimpmobile to go with those badazz bullets.

 


All kidding aside, I have fired 50+ year old ammo in the Garand, just as accurate and deadly as the day it came from the arsenal.  I guess i depends on how it is stored and what elements has contacted it.  Generally, I'd say No Expiry Date.

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That's exactly what I was thinking.

Yo heavies...I see a square deal with some fancy golden bullets.
I hope You got a gold plated cz, feather hat and a Cadillac pimpmobile to go with those badazz bullets.

Working on the coated 147's 9mm from SnS casting, seems to work just fine, w/ Bullseye!  I'm not  a great pistol shot, but I think they will do superb for the use I am looking at.  If I wasn't so lazy, I need to set up my chrono to make sure they make PF.

Sorry        

All kidding aside, I have fired 50+ year old ammo in the Garand, just as accurate and deadly as the day it came from the arsenal.  I guess i depends on how it is stored and what elements has contacted it.  Generally, I'd say No Expiry Date.

...
I got a pile of pre 1955 30.06 mil ball.
I get about 20 percent misfire.
 But those are corrosive primers so it's a pain to shootem up and clean up after.
So here they sit.

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I got a pile of pre 1955 30.06 mil ball.
I get about 20 percent misfire.
 But those are corrosive primers so it's a pain to shootem up and clean up after.
So here they sit.

OF, if you want someone to get that pile out of your way, just let me know! 

OF, if you want someone to get that pile out of your way, just let me know!

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I think I'll do that.

As others have said there really isn't an expiration date as long as your ammo is stored properly.  Other than air-tight canisters like surplus ammo cans to store your ammo in, a silica gel desiccant is a must.  I have one in every container that holds ammo or a gun.  Even my bedside container has one.  They're cheap as hell and can be reused after baking em    below is a link to amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0037Z8K3E/?tag=2ahawaii-20

Also, I think it has a lot to do with the quality of the ammo, and how it was sealed.  Military rounds are usually sealed at the bullet and the primer. I have shot some .30 carbine ammo that was from the 50's and 60's that was stored in a deteriorating shoe box in the back of a dusty closet.  Had to break them off of the stripper clips and wipe off some of the build-up of crud.  Every one went bang and every one hit the target- no prob.

I'm still shooting ammo that was manufactured in the 1930s.  That's over 80 years old, and still going BANG!

Holly molly, didn't know you were That Old..