Ammo?

[SIKSUKR]

Old ammo should almost never be a danger problem, only a possible misfire issue. There is an incredible amount of WWII 105mm ammo that is used on a regular basis in Howitzers for avi control. Still very safe.

[Kamper]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

... .There is an incredible amount of WWII 105mm ammo ...

True but that stuff was delivered in a sealed tube and has been kept that way. Some small arms stuff has been kept in sealed cans and other lots in wooden crates. If the box or wrapping paper does not show water damage it should be safe (imo).

One of my old neighbors was a re-loader. He'd buy surplus, pull the ball, dump the propellant and put in fresh powder. A quick pass in his tumbler would polish the brass before reloading and it wasn't enough to bother the primers. Even if it was corrosive primed, it was cheaper than new brass and he didn't have to bother re-sizing the cartridges.

[DRH]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

Old ammo should almost never be a danger problem, only a possible misfire issue. There is an incredible amount of WWII 105mm ammo that is used on a regular basis in Howitzers for avi control. Still very safe.

Unless old ammo has gotten wet or been stored in a very damp environment, it should still be OK. However, when a batch of old ammo is first used, the shooter needs to be diligent until its condition is determined. The potential danger is that if the ammo has gotten wet or been stored in a moist environment, the powder might still ignite but produce insufficient energy to fire the bullet completely out of the barrel. If that were to happen and the shooter were to fire a subsequent shot with a bullet stuck in the barrel, there is a very real danger. In some cases, the barrel could burst. So when initially using old ammo, use your ears to ensure that each shot produces a full-power "bang" and not a soft "poof". Also, watch your target to make sure each shot produces a hole. Once you've determined that the ammo is firing correctly, you should be able to use the rest of it with confidence.