Old shotgun shells

Tjv787

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How old is too old for shotgun shells for shooting ?
Is 70-80's sellier bellot in good shape ok to shoot?
Is corrosive substances common in shells in the 60's- 80's?
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Unless they are swollen from damp, they should be OK. Non-corrosive. The box label says so. And Neroxin is S&B's brand of non-corrosive primer.
 
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So these are bad ? Would these be corrosive. I think they are from the 50s. Are they collectible ? Shootable?

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Don't know if they are collectible. Doubt that they are corrosive. Why do you think they are?
 
I'd try a little steel wool on the brass and see if it cleans up, if so, give em a whirl and see how it goes! If you're really not sure, then don't use them, the ammo is worth next to nothing so disposing of it isn't a heart break.
 
Thanks guys last questions about more shells.

I'm gettig to know ammo and have learned a lot since joining this site.
I'm a firearm noobie and I came across this stuff, hence why I'm asking. Most of it is plastic hulls so I assume that helps ? Plastic hulls are better for storing and dependability?. The only cardboard shells are the sellier bellot and the ancient eley.
This is the last of the stuff I've questioned: mastercraft Canadian tire !! Plastic hulls
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CIL imperial as well- plastic hulls
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Look - I'm older than the shells you are wondering about. I can remember when Imperial plastic shells replaced Imperial paper. And the Mastercraft Canadian Tire shells.
 
Look - I'm older than the shells you are wondering about. I can remember when Imperial plastic shells replaced Imperial paper. And the Mastercraft Canadian Tire shells.

Nothing to be frustrated about, with age comes vast wisdom and I find many members are very helpful and informed about things I have questions about

So the imperial and the mastercraft are good to go as well? The discolouration on a fewa brass isn't super bad ?
 
I'd shoot them. In addition to the Czech shells, there were also ones imported from Poland and USSR. These all retailed for less than US/Canadian made.
Reloaded some of the S&B paper shells. They had in internal collar in front of the base wad. Needed a bulky powder if the overpowder wad was to place a compression load on the powder.
 
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So the seller and bellot , imperial and mastercraft is from the '80s?

Thank you! You are a gentleman and a scholar ! :)
 
None of those shells are safe to shoot! If you want I can give you my address and you can send them to be I will properly dispose of them during the hunting season. ;)
 
Thanks for informing me. Please send me your address and .....wait a second ...ur trying to be sneaky sneaky... ;)

Older shells from the 80's are still good for small game hunting im assuming. They don't use arsenic, mixed with asbestos, dipped in plutonium ?
 
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I still have some old Lead my dad gave me I use for grouse from the 1980's I also have some 20 gauge someone reloaded for me back in 1988.

Thanks for informing me. Please send me your address and .....wait a second ...ur trying to be sneaky sneaky... ;)

Older shells from the 80's are still good for small game hunting im assuming. They don't use arsenic, mixed with asbestos, dipped in plutonium ?
 
Those blue plastic high wall ( the brass) you will find that they give a pretty good Kick! The old paper shells can sell for one to two bucks in real nice condition. The rest is good blasting Ammo. If the boxes were in as new condition they would allso be collectable. As other posters have said if you can chamber them with out forcing them you are good to go. A little tarnish don't hert none.R:d::rockOn:
 
Yeah, I had some old blue plastic Imperial #2 lead shells and the first time I tried out my 2nd hand Browning gold Hunter I shot them. Boy do they kick!

I remember back when they were paper.
 
Thanks for informing me. Please send me your address and .....wait a second ...ur trying to be sneaky sneaky... ;)

Older shells from the 80's are still good for small game hunting im assuming. They don't use arsenic, mixed with asbestos, dipped in plutonium ?

Older shells would be from the 60's and ah-rear...................... yew ain't Djmay izz yuh?
 
Those High Brass shells are like +P. I've shot many boxes of that stuff back in the day, and yea they're stout to be polite.:) The very first time I saw the High Brass, was when a buddy brought a box or two and his old break barrel single shot (Cooey maybe?), anyhow he's on and on about these shells and pointing the shotgun skyward lets rip with one hand!? (WTF!?) The shotgun hops out of his hand on the rocks and yep; huge dent in the barrel a foot from the muzzle. Sometimes it hurts being so stupid. :)

I say let rip with the High Brass shells (but hang on, they will kick.). For some reason I have it in my head that they were referred to as SSG shells; or something like that?
 
I am in trouble if old shot gun shells are bad to shoot as that is just about all I own. Bought the entire stock of an old closed down store years ago and they were all old . The Chinese lady that owned it had had them all stored away until she finally found somebody to buy the building took her many years. Lots of good buys in those small towns in Alberta if you talk nice to people.
 
Shoot 'em! As long as they (the paper ones) aren't swollen...

The high brass Imperials came in a number of sizes, including SSG (British / Canadian equivalent of OO Buck if I remember)

the smell of an old cardboard shell fired at a partridge on a frosty October morning is ... very memorable!

And like Loopy says... these aren't really old. Back in the early 80's I stumbled upon a cache or REALLY old shells in my grandfather's closet. As a kid I was too poor to buy my own, so I tried these. Most didn't fire... or did so after a delay... or the shot rolled out of the barrel. I disected a bunch and found that the 'powder' (?) had formed an odd crystalized black mass. I collected a bunch and lit it up (that's another story). I really wish I wasn't such a dumb kid. Those shells and boxes would probably be worth a fair bit now.

But anyway, these ones aren't too old. Put a few away as collectibles and blaze away with the rest of them.
 
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