25 Year Old Ammo Still Good

Captain Crunch · August 9th, 2006, 04:59 PM

We've had some threads in the past discussing the shelf life of loaded ammunition, so I thought I'd share this. I shot up a 20 round box of Hornady Frontier .45 ACP, 230 grain FMJ FP today thru my Colt Combat Elite. I bought this box of ammo in 1981, so it was at least 25 years old.

Here's the target. Distance was 25 yards. You sharp-eyed fellers will notice there's only 19 holes. Yeah, I pulled one!

hsuCowboy98 · August 9th, 2006, 05:27 PM

doesnt surprise me, I regulary shoot mil-surp ammo that is 75+ years old.

HighVelocity · August 9th, 2006, 06:04 PM

I've got a pile of WCC +P+ 38spl that has headstamps of 1980 and have never had one be a dud.
I use them in BUG matches because they have very little felt recoil being only 110gr but a solar flare sized muzzle flash. It's big fun.

AKsrule · August 9th, 2006, 09:59 PM

A few weeks ago I found a couple boxes of .45 Handloads I made
back in1982.

Took em out to my club and shot em up , no problems

Bud White · August 9th, 2006, 10:02 PM

not a surprise at all should have said that ya had 2 though one hole

randytulsa2 · August 9th, 2006, 10:10 PM

Your experiences square with mine. If it's stored right, it'll last a long, long time- longer than we will.

I've shot thousands of rounds of milsurp ammo between 20 and God-Only-Knows-How-Many-Years old and had very, very few problems.

I shot some 8mm Mauser that looked like it sank on the Titanic. Two rounds out of 380-some odd needed two primer strikes to get it to shoot.

It grouped pretty well, too, at least up to 50 yards, which is where I start to get less accurate, regardless of the ammo used (unless I'm using a scope- - the eyes aren't what they used to be, and they were never real good)

P95Carry · August 10th, 2006, 12:27 AM

Terry - for 25 yards that is A1 - only one flier? I could live with that

dimmak · August 16th, 2006, 01:00 PM

Very nice grouping with ammo any age.....

August 9th, 2006, 04:59 PM	#1
Captain Crunch Senior Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Montana, The Treasure State Posts: 6,756	25 Year Old Ammo Still Good We've had some threads in the past discussing the shelf life of loaded ammunition, so I thought I'd share this. I shot up a 20 round box of Hornady Frontier .45 ACP, 230 grain FMJ FP today thru my Colt Combat Elite. I bought this box of ammo in 1981, so it was at least 25 years old. Here's the target. Distance was 25 yards. You sharp-eyed fellers will notice there's only 19 holes. Yeah, I pulled one! __________________ Memo to the President: I'll keep my guns, money & freedom... You can keep the "change!" Terry

August 9th, 2006, 05:27 PM	#2
hsuCowboy98 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 1,023	doesnt surprise me, I regulary shoot mil-surp ammo that is 75+ years old. __________________ Fear No Evil.

August 9th, 2006, 09:59 PM	#4
AKsrule Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 666	A few weeks ago I found a couple boxes of .45 Handloads I made back in1982. Took em out to my club and shot em up , no problems __________________ ------- -SIG , it's What's for Dinner- know your rights! http://www.handgunlaw.us "If I walk in the woods, I feel much more comfortable carrying a gun. What if you meet a bear in the woods that's going to attack you? You shoot it." {Bernhard Goetz}

August 10th, 2006, 12:27 AM	#7
P95Carry Assistant Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South West PA Posts: 25,366	Terry - for 25 yards that is A1 - only one flier? I could live with that __________________ Chris - P95 NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member. "To own a gun and assume that you are armed is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!." If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

August 16th, 2006, 01:00 PM	#8
dimmak Distinguished Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: TN Posts: 1,754	Very nice grouping with ammo any age..... __________________ "Ray Nagin is a colossal disappointment" - NRA/ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox. "...be water, my friend."

August 9th, 2006, 06:04 PM	#3
HighVelocity Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: TEXAS Posts: 248	I've got a pile of WCC +P+ 38spl that has headstamps of 1980 and have never had one be a dud. I use them in BUG matches because they have very little felt recoil being only 110gr but a solar flare sized muzzle flash. It's big fun.

August 9th, 2006, 10:02 PM	#5
Bud White VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Elsewhere Posts: 17,476	not a surprise at all should have said that ya had 2 though one hole

August 9th, 2006, 10:10 PM	#6
randytulsa2 Distinguished Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,446	Your experiences square with mine. If it's stored right, it'll last a long, long time- longer than we will. I've shot thousands of rounds of milsurp ammo between 20 and God-Only-Knows-How-Many-Years old and had very, very few problems. I shot some 8mm Mauser that looked like it sank on the Titanic. Two rounds out of 380-some odd needed two primer strikes to get it to shoot. It grouped pretty well, too, at least up to 50 yards, which is where I start to get less accurate, regardless of the ammo used (unless I'm using a scope- - the eyes aren't what they used to be, and they were never real good)

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