Store bought Ammo

[Lucky54]

After everyone has been buying up ammo like crazy, I was wondering what the actual shelf life is of live ammo bought from the stores? Also, do certain manufacturers have better longevity than others or are they all about the same time frame?

I have always heard that shotgun shells are usually good for only a year but I have shot shells that have been 2-3 years old with success, so was wondering about the bullets now.

Thanks in advance for any info.

 

[nickatnite]

If you keep in indoors, it should last a long time, i.e. over 5 yrs. If you keep it outside in a garage where humidity and other conditions play a factor, I would not trust it over 2 yrs old.

 

[flamatrix99]

Some mil surplus ammo is from the 80s and even 70s and shoots fine As long as you keep the moisture away from it. All my ammo is in ammo cans in my closet. When I get desicant packs in things I throw them in my ammo cans. I am sure someone on here will tell me I am crazy or wrong.

 

[BayouSlide]

Stored properly it should last as long as you will.

Even when not stored properly, it may surprise you. Went over to a friends property in Vermilion Parish to shoot some clays recently. He went back into his shop and pulled out these rusty shotgun rounds that survived Hurricane Rita...they all went bang.

Ammo cans, dessicant...buy it when cheap and stock it deep. As you use it, use the older rounds first

Very nice renewable desiccant with indicator is on sale at Midway, BTW: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=799452

 

[ktate]

I'm still shooting ammo that is more than 40 years old.

 

[Lucky54]

Thanks guys! That makes me feel a whole lot better! Can you buy desicant packs? If so, who carries these? And which ones are the best to buy.

 

[Lucky54]

Also how many packs per ammo can is recommended to use?

 

[JadeRaven]

Just one should be all you need, just change it out every now and then.

 

[Leethar]

I once shot some shotgun shells that had been sitting in a drawer in my Grandfather's basement for 40 years. As long as there's no moisture, what's going to go wrong? The elements in the powder don't break down.

 

[Nick]

put it like this, back when I was MAYBE 12 years old my dad and I were dove hunters. We lost our contact that was getting us permission for the field so we stopped. We had about a case of 12 ga. field load that sat in his garage from then until last year, I'm now 30, that's 18 years. I took all of his shells and went hunting, I brought along some fresh boxes just in case but I didn't have the first failure. The ammo was always kept dry but temperature was not regulated.

Brand doesn't really matter. These where brass headed shot shells so if kept reasonably dry they wouldn't corrode, steel components may not fair as well in humid areas but I have no physical evidence personally to confirm.

 

[electronicwiz]

I heard of people making their own desiccant packs from cat litter. From Wikipedia:

Silica gel is also used as cat litter, by itself or in combination with more traditional materials, such as clays including bentonite. Silica in this form can be a cost effective way for private people to easily purchase silica gel for application in such things as keeping tools rust free in damp environments, long term storage, and preservation of dried food for long term storage.

 

[Leethar]

... steel components may not fair as well in humid areas but I have no physical evidence personally to confirm.

I had a few spent Wolf casings lying around that ended up rusty after about 6 months. The polycoat or whatever they're using had probably blown off, though.

 

[Nolacopusmc]

Thanks guys! That makes me feel a whole lot better! Can you buy desicant packs? If so, who carries these? And which ones are the best to buy.

ammo has no shelf life if maintained properly. Ammo that I have not shot in a year or bought specifically for storage goes into ammocans with two small desicants.

eBay is he best place to buy dessicant packs. Cheap and plentiful.

 

[Request Dust Off]

Usually suspect ammo will show some signs on the outside before becoming duds. Case deteration is bad because the ammo might still fire but the case may rupture.

There is some powder from very old lots that is still good. (over 100 years)

As many here have stated with moderate care the shelf life is very long.

Of course .22LR can be defective "New In the Box". I get a lot of .22 that won't fire now compared to same ammo 20-30 years back. I don't think length of storage would make a difference. It is the priming compound not being in the rim of the rimfire.

 

[derf]

I have some Brit surplus .22LR that was made in 1961. It looks a little old, but fires reliably.
Surplus military ammo is usually good for long term storage. Look for stuff that is sealed around the primer and case mouth. Unopened cans and battle packs will increase storage life, too.