Frankford Arsenal ammo

Good information, thanks, Jim.

I thought around 1922 or so they went strictly to Du Pont No 5 powder for the rest of the 1920s and most of the 1930s.
 
The info I have shows they basically alternated between Bullseye No. 2 and Pistol Powder No. 5 from 1926 through 1941. Unless it is a misprint, they used PP No. 6 for Lot 499 in 1932.

Whether they alternated by intent or or that was how the bids went, I don't know, but I would not be surprised to learn that the Army tried to keep both suppliers happy by alternating purchases.

There is a disparity, though. The text says that WWI and postwar production was loaded with Bullseye No, 2 or Pistol Powder No. 3, both of which would allow double or even triple charges. Pistol Powder No. 5 was developed to more nearly fill the powder space and prevent overcharges and that it was "used intermittently until 1936, after which is saw continuous usage."

But there was one exception if the table is correct; it shows Bullseye No. 2 used in 1939 in Lot 676.

One point on lots. Even though they might have used, say, Bullseye No.2 for a couple of years, they still might have changed lot numbers due to a powder change. The powder used would obviously not be canister grade. So each powder shipment would probably have a new manufacturer's lot number; they would have had the lab test the powder and re-set the loading machines as necessary. And that would have meant a new FA lot number.

Jim
 
The other thread (now closed) had a query on shelf life of that ammo. Unless it has been subject to physical damage or heat, I would have little doubt that it would go off OK, though it would be a shame to fire collectors' ammo. The primers are the old FA 70 composition, which was extremely stable (which is why it was used through WWII in spite of being corrosive), and all those pistol powders were also very stable. In short, in spite of certain statements to the effect that ammo will be useless after ten years, I strongly recommend not loading a gun with that 1930's FA ammo and pulling the trigger unless you want something in front of the gun to undergo sudden and severe damage.

Jim
 
ammo will be useless after ten years
Click to expand...

I would gladly accept any ammo over ten years old that any one wishes to send to my. ANY CALIBER.
:D

Shelf life for a manufactured product is a period of time that the maker absolutely expects the product to "be good for". How long it actually lasts is a much more variable thing.

Federal saying their ammo has a ten year shelf life doesn't mean it turns to a dud at 10yr 1 day, or anything like that. It means after 10 years, if it doesn't work, they aren't liable. Pretty sure that somewhere in that shelf life statement it will include the boiler plate "properly stored". They have to set a time limit for liability reasons. Otherwise someone will come up with old failed ammo, and complain "they didn't have an expiration date", etc.
They chose 10 years.

In the 1970s, I shot a quantity of 1918 ammo, it all worked perfectly. The brass was a dark brown color, but otherwise it was fine. some of those cases are still in my reloading stock, and still ok after being reloaded ..several.. times.
 
Rumor has it that once a box of ammo is opened, it starts spoiling immediately.
That's why it's best to shoot it all up before leaving the range.
 
I think the U.S. Army's concern with the stability of non-corrosive primers in the WWII era was well-founded. I have some commercial non-corrosive ammo from the mid 1930's that won't fire, and I recently tried to fire 1943 Canadian 7.9mm non-corrosive ammo that had worked fine in the 1960's but which was totally dead in 2012. (It was made for the British, who used the 7.9mm Besa machinegun in their tanks.)

On the other hand, around 1995, I fired some .45-70 ammo dated 1890. It was outwardly in bad shape (which is why it was not collectible) but it all went off.

Remember that the military deals in millions of rounds and stores billions of rounds over years, keeping a continual check to use up or destroy the oldest. And storage conditions can range from tin shacks in Panama to cinder block buildings in Alaska. And it has to go bang when needed.

Jim
 
i have oodles of old ammunition, especially old US military ammunition. Each year i fire thousands of rounds of old US military ammo, mostly .30 caliber. The vast majority of my .30 caliber military ammo was made since 1940. Never had a misfire with .30 caliber ammo made since 1940 that was not attributable to weapon maintenance/defect/malfunction. Ditto for .30 caliber carbine ammo.

My godson is a Special Forces trooper. Last tour in Afghanistan his unit was issued .50 caliber ammo made in the early 1940s. Every round fired.
 
My own study on shelf life. I have used paper shotgun shells that were given to me made in the 50s or 60s, some old 30-06 hunting rounds, at least 30-40 rnds of 1938 nazi stamped 8x56r. If anyone is interested in 2 of the boxes of standard FA ball I would make an even trade for 2 new boxes of ball 45. I plan on keeping 1 box of the ball and the box of tracers with the colt from the same era. As long as it's brass case ammo.
 
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