dating shotgun shells

Rocky S

Rocky S

Member
I am always leery when I buy shotgun shells that I am getting stuff left over from last year. I have had hunting buddies argue both sides of the argument whether or not it matters.

Do modern shotshells (powders) deteriorate over the course of 1 year?

There has to be a date code on the boxes for lot trace, probably a Julian date, but how do you decipher each manufacturers code?
 
Do modern shotshells (powders) deteriorate over the course of 1 year?
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No, especially if they are stored in a climate controlled environment. If they don't get wet they should last for decades. Smokeless powder ages very slowly.

Tim
 
You can store modern ammo on the shelf for years with no problems with the right environment. When I have bought a quantity of steel loads at good price, that would last 2 or 3 seasons, I wrap the boxes in plastic wrap and tape them up tight to help prevent moisture problems with steel shot. The loads you have been using during the season that have gotten wet or damp would be more of concern when stored for the next season.
 
You've got to be kidding me.....they're shells not potato salad. I'm finally down to the last 4 boxes of Federal Hi-Power steel 4's that were left over from my father-in-laws stockpile. These shells are at least 15, if not 20, years old...never had a bad shell yet, they all go boom and a duck falls down if I shoot where I' supposed to. Some of the lead stuff I use for upland is from my wife's grandfather and is definitly more than 25 years old...some of it has the old paper wads. All of it works just as well as it would have the day it was loaded. I store my shells on a shelf in my garage so I don't think any special storage environment is necessary.
 
I got agree with Gregg I have been aquirring and reusing old lead shotgun shells for upland game. Last season I fired well over 2 cases (500) of old winchester western super X (The white box with the blue winchester super X logo ) Not a single problem -just a pile of dead grouse and pheasants. I bought a whole mess of ammo at a yard sale for 25.00 a little more than 1100 rounds it included the super x's in 4's and 5's remington express 5's coppers plated federal premiums 7 1/2 6's and 4's all of it looked brand new, brass was hardly tarnished As long as the ammo has been stored in dry environment I don't think you will have a problem
 
I gotta agree with the shotshells that shoot forever group. I have a real dog's breakfast of old lead loads and steel shot that I bought by the case whenever I saw it on sale at Wal-Mart at the end of the season. It all sits on a shelf out in my uninsulated garage and I haven't had one not go bang yet.
 
at Upland Birds last year?

Two questions.......WHERE the heck do you live and WHEN should I be at your door step with my dump truck load of old shells?

Steve
 
",,,,,,,but how do you decipher each manufacturers code?"


Rocky,

Thats easy, the old no good boxes will say "winchester supremes" on them. Buy up all you see and send them to me. I will send you back an equal number of the fresh good ones, those would be the ones marked "promo dove and rabbit". I'll do this for you because I'm such a nice guy.
 
What can I say- I like shooting shotguns at moving targets and I really like it when my dog points them , picks them up and brings them to my hand- besides professional training, good practice makes perfect. Last year my german wirehair (yes, I proudly admit to owning a breed other than a lab- I'd even go so far as to say he retrieves better than most labs!) turned 1 so it was a pretty big year at the game farm getting him on birds. Then 15 days in North Dakota, 4 days South Dakota, the entire Minnesota pheasant and ruffed grouse season, pigeons over mojo spinners and decoys (great practice for ducks), crows and late season rabbits. That was more than 4 flats of 12 gauge lead hunting loads, yeah I probably missed alot but I had a great time. The four flats was just 12 gauge not 16, 20, 28 and non-toxic waterfowl loads. I didn't get to go hunting as a kid just making up for lost time. To bad you don't you lived closer I'd be looking forward to the dump truck
 
I envy you that.......

Might have to search out one of those Pigeon over mojo things....be a great way to get Buddy into birds plust gives me a reason to buy a rig a custom made pigeon decoys.....

Steve
 
I use 24 pigeon decoys I got them from knutsons in MI and 2 mojo mallards one on 2' piece of rebar the second on a 6 foot piece, set up layout blinds in a fresh cut grain field near a dairy farm and you're in business. The dirty little bastards come in cupped and commited from near and far
 
Dave, I'll send you all the Winchester Supremes you want, but I want Federal PREMIUM WING-SHOK HIGH VELOCITY in return.
 
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]"Federal PREMIUM WING-SHOK HIGH VELOCITY" No no no, those are out dated too! Send those along with the Winchesters and I'll get the "promo dove and rabbit" back to you ASAP.

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
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