# Shelf life of ammo?



## PhillyCheese (Mar 6, 2011)

Does ammo of any kind have a shelf life?
This question is mainly for semi and revolver rounds but may as well include everything else.
I have a box of 44 magnums that I bought two years ago. I have never used them and just wanted to make sure that they are indeed o k to shoot.


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## recoilguy (Apr 30, 2009)

If they were stored properly they are fine to shoot. I am not sure what the self life is but I know I have shot some pretty old bullets without a worry before.

RCG


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## kg333 (May 19, 2008)

PhillyCheese said:


> Does ammo of any kind have a shelf life?
> This question is mainly for semi and revolver rounds but may as well include everything else.
> I have a box of 44 magnums that I bought two years ago. I have never used them and just wanted to make sure that they are indeed o k to shoot.


If stored properly, not really. Guys with Mosin-Nagant and Lee-Enfield rifles shoot old military surplus rounds all the time, and a lot of that is decades old.

KG


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## yeti (Mar 11, 2007)

Loaded components are quite stable unless they get wet or very very hot. If stored in conditions that we humans are comfortable in, ammo will last for a lifetime.


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## PhillyCheese (Mar 6, 2011)

*Thank You*

Thank you everyone for your input. I now feel good about shooting the ammo I have had laying around for a couple of years.


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## wishIhada5.0 (Jul 17, 2008)

I shot some really old paper hulled 12ga shells a while back...no problems but I got some confetti action haha


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## grasshopper (Apr 8, 2011)

Modern ammunition stored at a fairly steady climate will out
last the owner. I am still firing military surplus ammunition produced during WWll, some factory stuff even much older, and reloads for an antique rifle which I loaded in 1971.


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