Quality of Older Shotgun Shells

[projectnut]

Yesterday I visited a resale shop looking for a couple items. To my surprise I found several boxes of 12 ga. shotgun shells. Most were 2 3/4" with anywhere #2 to #8 shot. Brands were Winchester, Federal and Remmington. Most were full boxes of 25 shells, with an asking price of $10.00 per box. I was tempted to purchase a few boxes but didn't really have any idea how old they are, or even if age would have an effect on the quality.

A question to the firearms experts. Do older shells diminish in quality and firepower?

 

[talvare]

Yesterday I visited a resale shop looking for a couple items. To my surprise I found several boxes of 12 ga. shotgun shells. Most were 2 3/4" with anywhere #2 to #8 shot. Brands were Winchester, Federal and Remmington. Most were full boxes of 25 shells, with an asking price of $10.00 per box. I was tempted to purchase a few boxes but didn't really have any idea how old they are, or even if age would have an effect on the quality.

A question to the firearms experts. Do older shells diminish in quality and firepower?

I don't claim to be any kind of expert, but I've always felt that if the ammunition has been stored properly, (dry environment, room temps, etc.) it is fine to shoot. I've personally used shotgun shells that were over 50 years old without any issues.
Ted

 

[Makintrax73]

I have 12 ga. Remington Peters shells my grandfather bought in the 1960s that still shoot fine. If they are stored well they are probably OK.

The main thing is if you get a blooper you absolutely MUST check the bore for a stuck wad. If you shoot a shell behind a stuck wad if WILL damage the barrel, possibly burst it.

 

[GeneT45]

I've never had a problem with old shells that would chamber freely. Those that won't are usually the paper shells which seem to settle and swell a bit. I'd probably leave paper shells for collectors, but shoot plastic shells. I've been loading my own for a lot of years now - is $10 a good price these days?! Seems not too many years ago light game loads were $3-$4 / box.

GsT

 

[David2011]

Agree 100% about leaving paper shells for collectors. As long as the cases plastic and there’s no obvious water damage they are probably as good as new. Two friends gave me smokeless powder that had been stored in their garages near the Gulf Coast; one about 5 miles from Galveston Bay and the other lived less than a mile off of the bay. None of it had been in climate controlled storage so it was all exposed to years of high heat and humidity. Some was in cardboard containers. I’ve loaded thousands of rounds of pistol ammunition and hundreds of rifle rounds with it without any problems.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

I shot a lot of shotgun shells from the 1950’ish when I was a kid. My grandfather passed on to me 10 boxes of Winchester high base #6 shot paper shells.
Luckily they were stored well, no bulges or rust around the primers.
All cycled and fired well.
I should have kept a couple boxes to shoot at pheasant , but they are long gone.

As long as the shells look good and didn’t get wet, they should shoot.

Unrelated, i shoot ammo from WW2 in relic guns-i have cycled some questionable stuff, luckily no real horror stories to tell other than a couple misfires on some Arabic headstamped 7.5 French.
Pulled trigger, 2 seconds later -bang. Rather unnerving

 

[Ultradog MN]

Yesterday I visited a resale shop looking for a couple items. To my surprise I found several boxes of 12 ga. shotgun shells. Most were 2 3/4" with anywhere #2 to #8 shot. Brands were Winchester, Federal and Remmington. Most were full boxes of 25 shells, with an asking price of $10.00 per box. I was tempted to purchase a few boxes but didn't really have any idea how old they are, or even if age would have an effect on the quality.

A question to the firearms experts. Do older shells diminish in quality and firepower?

I picked up nearly a case of shotgun shells at an estate sale last fall. Most are plastic but these are paper.
I hadn't thought about selling them to collecters but maybe I will.
You buy 16 ga stuff if and when you see it.

 

[projectnut]

Here is a copy and paste of what AI called a shop. Now I understand why folks in Australia call it a Shed. From now on I am revolting against this improper use of the English language. I will from here on refer to my ____ as My Playground.

"Shop" is a modern term commonly used to describe a place where goods or services are sold. "Shoppe" is an archaic spelling often used to evoke a quaint, old-world feel, although both essentially mean the same thing.

I'm a bit surprised at the lack of popularity of 16-gauge shotguns these days. When I was growing up in the 1960's they were the second most popular in this area. The only ones more popular were the 12 gauge. When I went looking for a new shotgun about 5 years ago people looked at me like I was nuts when I said I was looking for either a 16 gauge or a 12 gauge. They all had dozens of 12 gauge but no 16 gauge.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I'm a bit surprised at the lack of popularity of 16-gauge shotguns these days. When I was growing up in the 1960's they were the second most popular in this area. The only ones more popular were the 12 gauge. When I went looking for a new shotgun about 5 years ago people looked at me like I was nuts when I said I was looking for either a 16 gauge or a 12 gauge. They all had dozens of 12 gauge but no 16 gauge.

Yeah, 16 ain't in fashion like it was when I was a kid.
I had a 20 guage so 16 would have been an upgrade for me.
Btw, I shot my first deer with that gun and slugs.

 

[GeneT45]

Not much point in smaller gauges for most things. A light 7/8oz load in a 12ga offers the same recoil in a much more common platform. About the only other gauges I'd consider (and they're both abominably expensive to shoot) are 28 ga for clay games and maybe some light hunting and .410 - same, same. The latter two both have some advantages but their lack of popularity makes them expensive to shoot, even for reloaders. (And I'm not so sure that reloading, at today's component prices, pays many dividends...

GsT