Should I shoot these?

Lead carbonate. It happens to exposed lead in some environments.

More lead in the air when you shoot.

If you decide to clean it off, do so outdoors as this material readily pulverizes into breathable dust.

Also, how convinced are you that gramps used an appropriare type/load of powder/bullet/sizing, and what is that risk worth to you?
 
Everybody is going to have there own take and level of safety they are comfortable with. Personally I would take them apart myself unless you know what the load is. I would still take a couple apart to verify powder charge. Just did that with a whack of 7x57 reloads I bought. Speer stickers on the boxes listed the charge, bullet weight, powder, primer, and velocity. Loads were listed 15-20% over max charges using today's modern day reloading data. There were a few spent casings in the box also. The primers were flattened badly and the firing pin indent was cupped. I took several apart to see what was what. Powder charges were all over the place with the majority on the excessive side. Proceeded to disassemble somewhere around 250 rounds. Was more interested in the brass, but saved most of the bullets. Powder & primers turned out to be OK as well. Unfortunately the seller could not remember what rifle his dad had used.
Main thing is to be careful. If you feel comfortable then go for it if not then other avenues may need to be explored.
 
Take 1 apart and see whats inside. Some old timers just filled the case and crunched a bullet in. That 30-06 is still going today. I'm surprised it hasn't blow to bits.
 
tigrr said:
Take 1 apart and see whats inside. Some old timers just filled the case and crunched a bullet in. That 30-06 is still going today. I'm surprised it hasn't blow to bits.
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That is good advice. I know of a fellow who never trusted the tables, and always tried to add 'just a little more' for good measure.

Pull the bullets, dump out the powder and start fresh. Your insurance agent will thank you.
 
If you have any doubt why bother? They are probably just fine but it is not like they are rare or expensive. I have pulled some of my old handloaded ammo and discarded powder and cases cause I could no longer remember details of it.
 
They look fine to me, provided they are properly loaded. I'm a grandfather. I have ammo I loaded in the '70's but no longer have rifles in those calibers. Those handloads will be the first ammo I shoot when I get another rifle in those calibers.....Having said that....all the ammo is in boxes with load details on them.
 
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