How long are 12ga loads good for?

[Northerner]

i have a few cases of reloaded 12ga trap loads that are pretty old but they have been stored in the basement where its cool and dry. the boxes are at least 22 years old and i want to know if they would be any good to shoot or if they should be destroyed??

and if destroyed, what is a good way to do it??

[m1a_scoutguy]

I have shot Pistol/Rifle ammo that is over 50yrs old. Like you say,,if it has been kept in a Cool Dry Place,,it should be fine !! Look it over for corrosion or anything else bad,,but I say its good !!! Final decision is up to you though ! Do a Google search also on Ammo/Storage/Shelf Life,,etc,,,,I'm sure you will find the same results !

[Bimmer]

I don't know how they'd go bad...

If it were steel shot, then I'd worry about the BBs rusting into one clump, but regular shells stored in a dry place ought to be good indefinitely.

[jw0312]

I've shot some shells well over 25 years old. Like the others said, as long as they were kept in an appropriate environment, they'll be fine.

[Northerner]

thanks guys for the info, i appreciate it.
i will have to take a box out to the trap club and see if i can find someone
with an old inexpensive shotgun i could borrow to see how they shoot.

and if they do shoot good, what would be a good price to see about
selling them for? or should i even try selling older reloads to someone
and not worry about liability if something happened???

[SSGGlock]

I've shot shells my granddad reloaded in the early seventies recently and worked perfect. I in turn have reloaded them a few times since.

[Snake Plissken]

Why would they not work? What possible explanation is there for viewing ammunition like a perishable food item? Personally, I only would use my own reloads or those from someone who is legally liable for their product and has a good reputation. You should never sell reloaded ammunition unless you have a type 06 FFL.

[Bimmer]

Why would they not work? What possible explanation is there for viewing ammunition like a perishable food item?

Gunpowder is an organic material, and it does degrade over time... plastic shotshells don't seem as well "sealed" as metalic cartridges, so I might worry about relying on shotshells after several decades.

On the other hand, if they're just target loads, I wouldn't hesitate to use them to break clay pigeons.

[Stangman]

thanks guys for the info, i appreciate it.
i will have to take a box out to the trap club and see if i can find someone
with an old inexpensive shotgun i could borrow to see how they shoot.


The loads should be gtg, but putting someone's equipment at risk with an unknown load is a very dickish / irresponsible thing to do.



and if they do shoot good, what would be a good price to see about
selling them for? or should i even try selling older reloads to someone
and not worry about liability if something happened???



You're asking for a world of hurt trying to sell an unknown, heck even a known load, without the proper licensing from the ATF. That's just the legal aspect of it, never-mind the potential civil suit from a potential injury caused by one of them.