Is old ammo safe to use??

[Milli-Benelli]

I inherited a Winchester 1894 in 38-55, manufactured in 1901, and 5 "brand new" boxes of ammo. By brand new I mean new, unopened, complete boxes of 20 shells purchased in the late 60's or ealry 70's.

I would love to try this gun out this spring but my question is: Is the ammo safe to use? I don't know if the shells would have corroded or deteriorated over time and pose a hazard

Thanks in advance. I did attempt a search in the forums and didn't have any luck, sorry if i missed something.

cheers

 

[purple]

If the brass is not corroded or discolored and packaging is intact, no worries. I have ammo as old as 1944 that works reliably and safely.

 

[dogzilla]

When in doubt, wear the welding helmet.

 

[heavyBullet]

People shooting ammo from the sixties and seventies all the time with their SKS.

 

[rhshooter]

The SKS is built like a tank and can eat anything. 109 year old levers... I like that welding helmet idea though I wouldn't be that afraid to try...

Jeff

 

[jordan_paul]

when in doubt, wear the welding helmet.

lol

 

[jessekf]

I was wiring a house reno a few months back and they found some .30 cal from WW2 era. I am damn sad I didnt get to take it home.

 

[Calum]

I shot some .303 from 1917 a while back in my Pattern 14...only one hang fire in the bunch.

Click!...
...
...
...BANG!

 

[#1bcshooter]

If you chamber a round in that old gun you are likely to have a explosion contained in the copper case fallowed by expanding gas forcing a lead bullet out of the barrel at a high velocity !

 

[starpuss]

i shoot antique ammo in my antique guns all the time. some ammo is from the 1870's and still works.

 

[Marcel B.]

It should be fine. Why not open a box and take a look?

 

[frykasj]

That stuff's no good.

You should give it to me for proper disposal.

 

[lucky72]

just inspect your rounds, if they they look good they will shoot good.

 

[kjohn]

I would love to try this gun out this spring but my question is: Is the ammo safe to use? I don't know if the shells would have corroded or deteriorated over time and pose a hazard

I am the official "old ammo disposer" for all of Canada. Send it all to me and I will rid you of all that pesky stuff!!

 

[Ormachek]

When in doubt, wear the welding helmet.

And just how are you supposed to aim through a #10 lens?

 

[H4831]

Old ammo?

I refer to ammo from the 60s and 70s as new ammo!
I have Winchester 45-70 sporting ammo from the 30s, or maybe even some of it from the late 20s.
It shoots just fine.

 

[pirate604]

Funny, I was gonna post the same question.
I just came into posession of a Ljungman AG42b that lived in a friends dads cabin for well over a decade and he gave it to me with a few boxes of 6.5x55. Guess ill have to have at er this weekend!

 

[dogzilla]

If I'm wearing the welding helmet my eyes are usually shut tight anyway.

 

[NavyCuda]

When I had my lever .45-70 (mfg in 1888) I had some old ammo that had partially corroded cases, and it fired them off no problem!

I've read that there can be issues with old ammo that has spent a lot of time on the move, in that the powder grinds itself into a fine dust and burns faster than it was designed to.

 

[Calum]

Funny, I was gonna post the same question.
I just came into posession of a Ljungman AG42b that lived in a friends dads cabin for well over a decade and he gave it to me with a few boxes of 6.5x55. Guess ill have to have at er this weekend!

Good news is everything I have read tells me the Swedes didn't use corrosive ammo. Congrats on the rifle!