Shelf Life of Ammo Stored in Gun Safe

[valv6]

Im sure this has been asked before. I was wanting to know what the self life of ammunition is. Centerfire, Rimfire, and Shotgun shells. Im like everybody else and have been buying some when I see it. Right now I storing ammunition in the factory box in my gun safe on the shelves. I do have a Eva Dry high capacity dehumidifier in my safe. In my opinion i feel that it should last 50 years or more as long as it doesnt get wet. Let me know what you guys think?

[Mike.357]

I was thinking more like 100 years for a well made cartridge

[valv6]

Its factory new ammo. Remington, Winchester, Federal, PMC...etc

[Guest TurboniumOxide]

It will outlast you.

[56FordGuy]

It will outlast you.

+1 If you're terribly worried about it, just rotate it out on your trips to the range. Shoot the old stuff, put the new stuff in the safe.

[Westwindmike]

I'm still shooting 7.62x51 from 1968.

[Guest TurboniumOxide]

I have a bag of vintage ammo from guns I have shot, owned and not. I had some god knows how old british 303 in there. 50 years old? 60? ( I inherited the bag from dad with what appears to be a Mk5 Enfield, when he was cleaning out his safe ) Shot about 5 rounds. Not a problem. Had to fill in the holes in the yard afterward. :-)

Old ammo actually gets more powerful, my dad always taught me.

[Oh Shoot]

One caveat: beware WinClean!

Or any others with "enviro safe" primers.

- OS

[Guest BillOfRightsFan]

I shot ammo that was at least 40 years old this weekend. No problems at all. It was not stored in a safe or temperature controlled.

Always inspect your ammo regardless.

[valv6]

Thanks for all the replies.The reason I ask this was I hear some people say you have to store ammo in those metal boxes with a sealed lid or it will not last. I agree that the ammo will outlast me.

[Guest coldblackwind]

I've heard tell that the older thunderbolt .22's (not sure about newer) had something mixed with the powder to make it deteriorate quicker. Not as a gov regulation thing, put the tinfoil hats up, but as a means to make more cash because anyone stockpiling it, it would go bad before they shot it all up. I know we used to get a lot of bad ones out of boxes older than a year or two when you could still get it cheaper than the federal bulk packs, and we actually were buying it.

[Guest c.a.s.]

I learned on 30-year-old Winchester Wildcat .22LR that was stored in the cardboard boxes in a wooden cabinet for that tmie, maybe even a bit longer.

[Guest 1817ak47]

I have noticed that some of the 22 I have the heads can be spun around so they must not be airtight then either, which could allow moisture to enter

[Guest coldblackwind]

I have noticed that some of the 22 I have the heads can be spun around so they must not be airtight then either, which could allow moisture to enter

winchester bulk packs?

[Guest joeharris]

Any new Ammo, unless it has Lead-free primers, should last indefinately, if stored at avg. temp. usually in a basement in Mil. ammo cans and i usually put a pack of Dessicant in there! The biggest problem is in any Mil. ammo even in sealed cans, since even is made in 1 country, it might have been sold to another and there stored in some Desert for yrs. Any Egyptian has a high rate of failure, as well as a lot of Eastern European, just dont know where it has been in the last 20+ yrs.

If ordering any of such, usually is best to ask on a major Board as to what type is the most reliable ammo avail!

I always hear of people ordering sealed tins of this or that and than getting FTF problem's!

[Guest Muttling]

I have noticed that some of the 22 I have the heads can be spun around so they must not be airtight then either, which could allow moisture to enter

Being sealed and letting moisture into the shell is the only real issue. Military specs still require ammo to be water tight sealed, but its really an outdated spec as new ammo is sealed and will live a very very long time.

Some of the old civilian stuff (pre-1960's) can fail to fire or partially fire which runs the risk of leaving the projectile hung in the barrel.

I've never had a partial fire on a rifle/pistol round, but I have had a couple of old factory made shotgun shells partial fire on me and both left the wadding in the barrel.

[Oh Shoot]

...I've never had a partial fire on a rifle/pistol round, but I have had a couple of old factory made shotgun shells partial fire on me and both left the wadding in the barrel.

Shooting some old paper shells from the 60's: the flamer and the "poot" both threw the pellets out just a few feet:

- OS

[Guest Muttling]

You're braver than I am to continue firing after a misfire.

[xd shooter]

I could see the wad come out from the vid. I'm sure he could see it come out in front of him.

[Oh Shoot]

You're braver than I am to continue firing after a misfire.

This was second run of shells, with camera on.

First run was similar results, checked barrel each time.

Plus, second run, knowing to watch, I SAW everything come out of barrel...that's how slow it was.

Plus plus, this was birdshot, not like a solid flush bullet in a rifled barrel could be lodged tightly.

- OS

[Guest 2HOW]

100 years or more , if temps are kept at a reasonable variance.

[Guest 2HOW]

This is a reply from a friend on another forum who knows what he speaks of.

Ammunition Storage

I will address here what should be common knowledge on proper storage of ammunition in the home. It seems from reading various forums that some folks have been given the wrong information, or haven't given much thought as to how to store their ammunition. This will also give some ideas about proper rotation of ammunition that is used on an everyday basis.

OK, before I get started, a little about my background. I have served as a military and civilian Quality Assurance and Surviellance specialist for ammunition and explosives. I have over 15+ years in this field. I don't claim to be the worlds expert at this, but feel that the knowledge I have may benefit some here.

First we will start off with classification of small arms, powders, and components.

1. Small arms ammunition using smokeless powders are classed as a 1.4 fire hazard, which means that even contained inside a ammo can will be very unlikely to explode when exposed to fire. Proper storage inside a home should be someplace away from direct heat, yet stored in such a way to provide air to circulate, one inch or so around large containers is deemed sufficiant. Try not to dogpile your stock.

2. Powder. Smokeless powder that is lose(not loaded) is classed as a 1.3 class. Usually it will not explode but burn. Try to store it seperate from all other components, primers, heat source, and such. If your powders can be contained inside of ammocans ensure you place dessicant bags in the can to help with humidity issues.

2a. BlackPowder. I don't care what you've been told, it is and always has been classed as an explosive, doesn't matter the amount. Its classed as a Low Explosive, and carries the hazard class of 1.1. This if possible should be stored outside of the home. If not possible try to store it somewhere its the least likely to come into contact with a heat source, and where its the least likely to do the most damage to the home(like your garage, place it near the farthest wall from the inside of the home). It should be stored in its own container, in some type of ammocan and should have some type of barracade around it. As little as five pounds can do alot of damage to a house.

3. Primers. Primers rate a 1.4 class as do small arms. Storage should be the same as your ammo, and use dessicant if possible.

Rotation! OK, the majority of your ammunition doesn't need to be rotated every month, or six months Remember these companies for the most part produce ammunition for the military. This ammo sits for years before use, and its always the policy to use the oldest first. The military doesn't store their ammo in nice warm/air conditioned homes, its sits in warehouses, magazines, and outdoor storage, or issued to troops where its exposed to some of the worst extreams known, and it works! So your ammo is going to last along time, even what you have in your carrygun/HD gun, at the worst, unless your standing outside everyday allday, is only going to be in the element for a very short period. Its not going to go bad over night, or in sixmonths. At the least rotate every year, yet you could go longer. I've seen and inspected ammunition/small arms thats been sitting in bunkers/magazines and other places thats older than most people on this board, and its still looks like the day it left the factory. Remember too this was made on the lowest bid, not your top dollar defensive ammo.