Longevity and storage of components and ammo - Handloader

Guns Magazine, June, 2002 by Charles E. Petty

We are often asked if it is safe to use old primers, powder or ammo. Maybe there is an innate cheap streak in we shooters because it's hard to pass up a bargain or to throw out ammunition or components even if they are ancient.

Not long ago a buddy came to me with a powder that had been discontinued for at least 20 years. He was so proud of the bargain he got that he didn't question whether the powder was any good or realize that loading data might be unavailable. A look and a sniff pronounced the powder safe. If it is not discolored or lumped up and doesn't smell bad, it is likely to be just fine. If the powder has an unusual or acrid odor it should be avoided. The secret to longevity in powder is storage. We are told to keep it in a cool, dry place and that's right -- although cool doesn't mean refrigerated. Just don't store it in the attic or anywhere exposed to wide temperature swings. Loading data is another matter... he'll need to turn up some equally old manuals. Just because something is a bargain doesn't always mean it's a good deal, but properly stored smokeless powder will keep almost indefinitely.

In the old days, there weren't seals on the tops of powder cannisters as there are today. So technically, an old can of powder is an open container and may not contain what the label says. It is all but impossible to identify powder by appearance, but if the powder in the can is extruded and the label says it should be ball type, it might be best to pass up that bargain. We are always warned to return powders to their original container when we're loading, and we sure hope the person selling the powder did just that.

You don't see ancient primers offered very often. They used to come in little wood trays. And though I wanted to show one in a picture, I couldn't find one. I suppose that is because most of us use them up fairly fast. My practice is to use the oldest first and not order more until I'm close to running out. But as far as storage is concerned, primers also keep indefinitely with proper storage. And proper storage is also cool and dry. But since primers are not packed in an airtight container, we need to consider atmospheric conditions as well. I'm not sure that normal variations in humidity are much of a concern, but constant storage in extremely high humidity might warrant the precaution of storage in an airtight container such as a GI ammo can. It would also be best to avoid open storage in a shop where lots of volatile solvents or paints are used.

I don't know about you, but I see more old ammo than I do old loading components. That doesn't seem unreasonable but the variety can be confusing. We can divide ammo into two categories: military and commercial, and even further by where it was made: the U.S.A. or anywhere else in the world. With no disrespect to the rest of the world, we colonists do not always know much about ammo produced elsewhere. It really isn't unusual to see imported military ammo in packages that are unmarked or are labeled in a foreign language. We can usually identify the caliber without too much trouble, but we know nothing about what's inside. I'm thinking primarily about corrosive primers. The American shooter hasn't had to worry about that for a couple of generations -- so there are surely some of you who have never seen a gun ruined with them. The problem is that there is no way we can tell by looking whether the primer is harmful or not. The best suggestion I can make is that if it does not prominently say non-corrosive eith er on the package or the advertisement, I'd assume that the primers are corrosive. I see ads all the time for surplus amino at good prices, so we just need to be sure of what we're buying. That doesn't mean that the ammo isn't any good, just that if it is corrosive we must apply suitable cleaning practices.

Very little American commercial ammunition made after the 1930s has corrosive primers, but the really old boxes of amino may be worth more as a collector's item so it isn't too likely to find super bargains on old sporting ammunition. But there is still quite a bit of surplus American military ammunition out there -- sometimes at bargain prices. By tradition, American military ammunition is head-stamped with an abbreviation for the manufacturer and the last two digits of the year made. For example, an LC 85 head-stamp tells you it was made at Lake City Army Ammunition plant in 1985. Our GI ammunition has not been loaded with corrosive primers for many years, so if you see GI ammo loaded after 1955, it is non-corrosive. But anything prior to that probably is. Once more, that doesn't mean it can't be used. But proper cleaning is mandatory. One exception is .30 Carbine ammunition, which was never loaded with corrosive primers.

But if we consider buying old ammunition of any type, we must inspect it carefully. Serious discoloration is an almost sure indication that the ammo has been exposed to conditions of storage that weren't too good. It isn't unusual to find "season cracks" in case necks of really old ammo, and even the condition of the box may be informative. The same is true for things like powder cans. The use of plastic containers is a fairly recent development, so if an old can is rusty that's pretty strong evidence of less than ideal storage.