What's the oldest ammo you've shot?

[kargo27]

I have a Glock G17 that I bought about 25 years ago. It's a 9mm and I think the last time I'd shot it was 23 years ago.

I had some Blazer FMJ that's probably 23 years old. This past Saturday I qualified for my CHL using that handgun and that old ammo. No FTF, jams, misfires or anything. Granted, this ammo was kept inside all it's life.

So, what's the oldest ammo you've shot?

 

[hanno]

I've shot some milsurp Brit .303 that was 30s dated and quite a bit of WWII dated .303.

It all went bang.

 

[Oyeboten]

Some 'FA 1914' through 1919 .45 ACP...and some early, domed-primer, mixed-make, probably '00s or 'teens .38 ACP...every one fired perfectly and full power.


These were old 'doubtful', grungy, looking rounds found in old tackle Boxes...

 

[Tommygunn]

WW2 era .30 carbine. But I've heard of people shooting century old blackpowder cartridges successfully.

 

[Mags]

I am a youngun and havent acqured any old ammo I would say the oldest ammo I shot was only 2 years old at the time it was consumed.

 

[mokin]

I've shot WW2 dated ammo in one of my .303's that seemed to work ok and "Kleenbore" 8mm Lebel in my brother's rifle which also worked fine. My bro on the other hand, got into some 8mm Lebel ammo still packed in machine gun trays (ca. WW1) and said only about every other round fired.

I also had an interesting experience with some Chinese (Norinco)9mm ammo I bought 15 or so years ago. I don't remember having any trouble with it then but last year when I shot it, the "power" levels seemed all over. Some rounds were so weak they barely cycled the pistol while on a few others the primers were blown out.

 

[ultralightbackpacker]

Congrats on the CHL!

My father's, father's 16 gauge SG rounds. So that would make them circa 1920's?. They all shot well with no issues. After a few spent shells, I wanted to kick my self in the face.

 

[kargo27]

Congrats on the CHL!

My father's, father's 16 gauge SG rounds. So that would make them circa 1920's?. They all shot well with no issues. After a few spent shells, I wanted to kick my self in the face.

Thank you, Sir!

Great and interesting replies, gents, keep 'em coming!

 

[.38 Special]

Some gun writer -- Sam Fadala, maybe -- wrote of firing a percussion rifle that he figured had been loaded 150 years or so. Scarcely believable, but there you go.

 

[musick]

Shot at least 100rds of 70+ year old 8mm, stored in who-knows-what conditions over that span of time, w/o a single FTF.

 

[deano186]

Very old 30-40 Krag military ammo (early 1900s?)

I bought a military ammo belt full of .30-40 Krag ammo at a gunshow once that was from before WWI. Some of it would fire, but the cases would split because they were so old they seemed to have lost their temper. Some were so brittle the bullets could be wiggled out by hand, leaving a cracked case mouth behind.

 

[Zach S]

The oldest I've purchased and fired was WWII era .45ACP.

I have shot a little 303 brit, but it wasnt my ammo or my rifle, so I didnt pay attention to the headstamps.

 

[Oyeboten]

Beware of any 'early' 30-'06 Cartridges having Tin Plated Bullets...

The Bullets meld or molecularly bind to the inside Shell Casing, causing horrific, potentially catastrophic over-pressures if fired...these, I think, would tend to date to the 1912 National Match, or to more than one around that time...but may not have dated Headstamps...



All in all, Gun Oil or other Oils or solvents, wicking/seeping past Primers, seem to be the ruin of about any Cartridges, old or new...and 'old' rounds, when turning out to be duds, very probably had suffered this reliable un-doing at some point of their storage or incidental handling past.


Mere Climatic heat, cold, abient humidity/aridity, or Time...do not seem to bother Cartridges very much, far as I know.


Or...'Heat' like Southern India or Las Vegas, maybe, for some Powders,could spoil them over a long succession of Summers...but most have traditionally been pretty tolerant in any clime.

 

[doc540]

ohh...say, forty years old?




but not for long

 

[jcwit]

Some 8mm ammo with the nazi head stamp.

 

[Dunkelheit]

I believe PMP .308 Surplus from 1981.

The oldest ammo i own is a box of .22 lr RWS from 1936.

 

[G. Glock]

Fortunately, ammo really does keep well. I have some .45 Colt I've saved from a batch I loaded back when I first got into reloading (1974). They've just been kept in the barn all this time with no temperature control; however, they always fire fine when I try one.

 

[41 Mag]

A mid to late 1800's era Percussion Sharps in 45cal, and two original late 1800 era rounds through it.

Just happened to be at the range the day a few BP collector buffs were out with some of their pieces. Got to ogling over it and was asked if I wanted to give it a try. Well duh, who wouldn't.

To say it was a thrill would have been an understatement. Once sitting behind the trigger, and settling the open sights on the 100yd target, I was immediately transported back in time to the prairie, staring down at a huge herd of buffalo. The initial crack of the cap followed by the roar of the muzzle and succeeding cloud of smoke completely obscured the target for a few seconds and brought me back to reality. The old lead bullet hit a bit low but well centered. The feeling was like I had just taken a world class trophy. I was then asked well how about another. as I sat there all warm and fuzzy.

To this day I can still remember just about everything about it, and it was definitely the best two shots I have ever taken while at the range.

 

[chuckusaret]

My fathers .38 and shotgun ammo from the 1950's. I have not experienced one failure with it so far. I gave a friend twenty rounds of 10 gauge from the 50's, but he either doesn't trust his old single shot 10 gauge shotgun, or the old ammo or as I believe he does not have big enough gonads to try it. This ammo was stored in cardboard boxes on an open shelf in a garage without heat or airconditioning for over 50 years and still performs well.

 

[Speedo66]

WWII German 9mm and US .30 Carbine ammo.

No difference from new.

I don't care how old ammo is, there is an excellent chance it will go off. I wouldn't be foolish enough to stand in front of the oldest known metallic cartridge, or an "as found" loaded antique muzzle loader.

 

[yeti]

I will just say, the trace on WW II .30-06 tracer ammo, is none to bright any more, but it all still goes bang.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

60 year old 22 shorts Dad found them cleaning out my Grandparents house.

 

[AirForceShooter]

GI issue WWII stamped 1943.
It's a lot hotter than factory stuff today.

AFS

 

[GD]

1938 Greek 8mm and 1935 Finnish 7.62x54. They all worked fine. I do have 1917 dated 7.62x54 but I think it is worth too much to shoot.
Most of my 8mm is pre-1950's and it is all sure fire. Most of my 7.62x54 is 1980's dated and it is great ammo. I am not sure what the lifetime of well cared-for ammo is but I know it is at least 70 years.

 

[Jubjub]

In the early 70's when I was 11 or 12, my dad brought home several beautiful Krag rifles that belonged to the local American Legion post, in order to clean them. As I recall, they all looked pretty much mint. They were only brought out to fire salutes at local veterans' funerals, and after they were used so, someone would take them home to clean them.

At any rate, he also brought home a box of the blank cartridges. They had a stiff paper bullet, and if I remember correctly the box was stamped with a date in 1900. Dad showed me how to take out the bolt, check the bore for obstruction, and reassemble the rifle, then we took each one out to the back yard (small town) and I got to pop off a blank. Then I got to learn what GI bore cleaner smells like.

I often wonder what became of those rifles, and for that matter, to the remainder of the blank ammo. They were still on their first case of ammo, and still had two more sealed cases.