how old is too old?

S

Smiley

New member
On the Ammoman site they have some .308 for sale but it has late 70's and early 80's production. Is this too old for decent accuracy performance. How long can it be stored? and what is a good way to put ammunition into long term storage?
 
While I would not want to take such ammo to a match, it would be good enough for range practice. Shucks, I'll shoot WWII ammo anytime anyone gives it to me.
 
I don't think age should be the consideration but the condition in which it was stored. I have had some very good experience with IMI ammo while I also had some terrible experiences with same brand.

From my understanding on the subject, ammo should not be sujected to repeated extreme rapid tempurture change. Even worse they should not be exposed to any solvents or even fumes of solvents.

I keep my ammos in air tight GI ammo cans and store them in my air conditioned closet. Inside each ammo can I also put in about 1/2 cup of rice in a lady's stocking to absorbe moisture. I have some commercial ammos kept this way for over 15 years and they are still very accurate and totally reliable.
 
I know people who shoot big .22 matches (like Camp Perry) with Eley Tenex ammo in the cardboard boxes that was made 20 and 30 years ago.

And, people like Ron West, have won National Championships using ammo that old.
 
I'm still shooting ammo I reloaded 26 years ago and it still works fine and is just as accurate as it was when I loaded it.
A friend of mine turned up some surplus .45 ACP with 1925 headstamps. It all shot well.
 
FWIW, I have fired ammo that was 100 years old or more. Some did not go off, but most did, including some 1885 45-70 ammo fired about two years ago. I didn't check for accuracy, though. OTOH, I had misfires with .22 "cheapo" ammo only about two years old, though it fired OK when new.

Jim
 
I have some 1968 .243 reloads; they group fine, but have a different point of impact than the newer stuff. I have a bit of .45ACP marked "EC 43" which still goes "Bang!"...

:), Art
 
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