Old shells

T

Tikka15

Inactive
Recently one of my buddies and I cleaned out his grandpa's house and doing so we found over 3,000 12 gauge shells and the boxes were stamped 1982 and I was just wondering if they are still good and safe to shoot. I hope so cause that a few shells.
 
1982 isn't THAT old..............geez.......:D

if they were stored in reasonable conditions, there's no reason they shouldn't work - look for obvious signs of decomposition - if none, try some and see how well they do
 
Much depends on how and where they were stored. Most old weathered shells are not worth messing with. Take a representative sample and see how and if they shoot. I've shot some old shells that just brely pushed the shot out of the barrel. Rather humorous process. Watch out for Hang-Fires.

Might add that those that are no longer any good or suspect, I cut, soak and pitch.



Be Safe !!!
 
I had a coffee can full of old moldy birdshot back before I knew firing such things was frowned upon. They all went boom, albeit one of them swelled up so much in the chamber I had to beat the bolt on the side of the house to break the chamber open. The rest fired fired fine with the occasional cloud of black smoke out the end of the barrel. I'd shoot them and not worry about it.
 
Kept cool and dry, shotgun ammo lasts a very long time. I recently used up some lead shot goose loads I had from the 60s in a function test in a Saiga. It worked OK.

Some very old ammo in the boxes has collector value. Seek out a collector you trust and find out if any of this qualifies.
 
Properly stored ammo lasts longer than most folks think. I just shot some WW II stuff that worked fine. I still have a few new boxes of AA's from the 1980's that I wouldn't hesitate to use in a match. It's in the factory case cartons and the brass is still bright.
 
Nice gift from his grandpa, that has to weigh a ton! You didn't say the roof leaked, so they're probably fine.

Hope you get invited to the trap range (let him shoot first) :D
 
I've fired shotshells loaded around 1910 without any problems at all.

What always amazed me was that the waxed paper hulls never absorbed enough moisture in 75 or so years to swell and distort.
 
I'm still trying to get over that anything born in 1982 is " Old " .... and that 4 lb fir ball keeps getting stuck in my throat ....:barf:
 
Nice find! As already said they are more then likely find to shoot but, check them over to be sure and go have some fun!

Man 1982 is like saying Kelly Clarkson is old! Now if you said 1882 that would be old!:D
 
On second thought, IRRC, 1982 was a really bad year for shot shells. You best bet is to ship them to me, and I'll see to their disposal. Since you're a forum member, I won't charge the usual disposal fee. :D
 
I am not sure about where you live but.............if you find that the brass is rusted and any others wont shoot, call your local PD. I had some that I forgot about sitting around out in the garage. When I found them they were nasty. I took the whole bag of them to the local PD and dropped them off. They took them. All they asked is where I got them and said thanks for not just throwing them away.
 
I am not sure about where you live but.............if you find that the brass is rusted and any others wont shoot, call your local PD. I had some that I forgot about sitting around out in the garage. When I found them they were nasty. I took the whole bag of them to the local PD and dropped them off. They took them. All they asked is where I got them and said thanks for not just throwing them away.
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There is no need for that - they can be easily disassembled, the shot salvaged, primers, even the wads - the powder can be used for fertilizer - then the empty hulls can be thrown away
 
In my house th0ose would be almost brand new shells. I'm still shooting old plastic and paper hulled shells that I have gathered from various sources like auctions and flea markets and a lot of them when I look them up stopped being made 40 years or more. I haven't had one fail me yet.
 
oneounceload...............Thanks. I didn't know all that. I don't reload so the parts would be no use to me. That is good information though.
 
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