How long will my 9mm/556 stash last? - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How long will my 9mm/556 stash last?

Posted: 4/16/2014 3:33:29 PM EDT

How long will imi xm193, wolf, tula, fed black hills reman. Last?

The reason I ask is because I took out some GA re manufacturered ammo from about 6 years ago and they all FTF. Ammo is stored in dry place.

ETA: Sorry it took so long to respond. They ammo was stored in the closet in NM and TEXAS, not very humid. The ammo worked fine when i first received it. It is not the weapon as it fires all other ammo fine. The ammo also did not work in other guns.

Posted: 4/16/2014 3:36:22 PM EDT

[#1]

Interesting. I have ammo from the early 90s that still goes bang.

eta: all of the stuff I have tried has been 'new' factory loaded ammo.

Posted: 4/16/2014 3:56:49 PM EDT

[#2]

Should last longer than that. I've had reloads that were stored in abusive conditions that worked fine 20 years later. Everyone has their stories of ammo lasting many, many decades. Your remanufactured ammo sounds like an anomaly.

1DD

Posted: 4/16/2014 4:07:51 PM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:
Should last longer than that. I've had reloads that were stored in abusive conditions that worked fine 20 years later. Everyone has their stories of ammo lasting many, many decades. Your remanufactured ammo sounds like an anomaly.

1DD

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My re manufactured Hornady has lasted 7 years

Posted: 4/16/2014 4:17:17 PM EDT

[#4]

Yea, I'd be calling the manufacturer if they're still in business.

I have Russian 1947 surplus 7.62x54R that is good to go, and I'm sure it's not been stored properly it's entire life.

How do your primer strikes look? Wouldn't be weak strikes, would it?

Posted: 4/16/2014 4:17:30 PM EDT

[#5]

I think you got some crappy stuff. I've had stuff in the garage in the Texas humid heat in original box for longer and it still works good. Did it work good new?

Posted: 4/16/2014 4:22:52 PM EDT

[#6]

That is an anomaly! I recently fired some of my M1 carbine 30 cal that I loaded in the late 60s- it fired with seemingly no loss of power (at least by sound/ small recoil). I also shot some 38/357 stuff loaded in the early 70s.
Mine was mostly always stored in the garages of Alabama and Texas, so was pretty much abused. Have fired 50+ year old military ammo that seemed fine, and who knows the abuse much of it has seen.

Something must not have been right from the get-go.

Posted: 4/16/2014 10:59:37 PM EDT

[#7]

Sounds like a wpn problem to me.

Posted: 4/17/2014 5:01:13 AM EDT

[#8]

Milspec ammo should last decades, many decades, you can still shoot mil spec ammo from prior to WWII if stores properly. Cheap civilian market ammo such as tula or wolf should easily last at least decade if stored right.

My M193 and M855 has a crimped neck and primer and sealant around the primer and my mk318 has a crimped neck & primer and sealant around neck & primer. If stored in a cool, dry location that type of ammo will out last me, maybe even my grandchildren, but by then they will be shooting lasers at each other *pew pew*

Im just guessing the ammo you got was crap, def not a normal thing for ammo to fail like that.

Posted: 4/17/2014 5:18:14 AM EDT

[#9]

For the OP....

How was the ammo stored ? ..... a little more detail is needed to help answer...

On the concrete floor or on a pallet ?

Did this same ammo function 6 years ago ?

Have you tried a "plunk" test on your barrel ?

Posted: 4/17/2014 5:38:05 AM EDT

[#10]

Something's not right with the way you're storing ammo. It should "last" decades. I fired some '72 .30 Carbine ammo at the range this weekend that not only went bang, it went just as fast as it's supposed to.

Posted: 4/17/2014 7:45:43 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
How long will imi xm193, wolf, tula, fed black hills reman. Last?

The reason I ask is because I took out some GA re manufacturered ammo from about 6 years ago and they all FTF. Ammo is stored in dry place.

View Quote

I just found some old reloads (both lead and jacketed) for my .45 that I shot last week. Perfect. I loaded them in the early 90's, so call it 20+ years. I also shot some 45 rounds that were in some old magazines someone found in a basement and gave me 20 years ago - the rounds had to have been at least that old when I got them, so they were easily 40-50 years old if not more. Out of about 20, only one was a dud.

Posted: 4/17/2014 8:55:53 AM EDT

[#12]

Did you function test the GA remanufactured stuff when it was new in your rifle?

Chances are, they didn't full length resize the cases which is causing chambering issues.

I bought reloads from a local gunstore years ago that wouldn't chamber in any .223 rifle (AR or bolt) and learned to only buy from reputable reloaders like Black Hills, HSM, etc.

Posted: 4/17/2014 3:38:19 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
How long will imi xm193, wolf, tula, fed black hills reman. Last?

The reason I ask is because I took out some GA re manufacturered ammo from about 6 years ago and they all FTF. Ammo is stored in dry place.

View Quote

I think you have a problem with your gun.

Unless you have a sample size of 2 or 3 I'd be shocked to find even "bad" ammunition is 100% failure to fire.

Posted: 4/17/2014 3:38:48 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
Did you function test the GA remanufactured stuff when it was new in your rifle?

Chances are, they didn't full length resize the cases which is causing chambering issues.

I bought reloads from a local gunstore years ago that wouldn't chamber in any .223 rifle (AR or bolt) and learned to only buy from reputable reloaders like Black Hills, HSM, etc.

View Quote

Or something like this.

Posted: 4/17/2014 4:52:43 PM EDT

[#15]

Get some good ammo cans with good, intact, rubber seals. Take the ammo out of the cardboard boxes, and place individual rounds into the ammo cans. Then add some dessicant and you're GTG. Don't open the can again until the ammo is needed.

Posted: 4/17/2014 5:04:41 PM EDT

[#16]

I was watching tank overhaul and they pulled a Panther tank out of river in Poland that was in there since 1942? They had to heat up the turret to get it off the tank at the shop. An 8mm round was hidden in the lip that was being heated up and went boom. 60 years under water and still went boom. Your ammo will last a life time. If you shoot rotate newest in and oldest to the range for practice.

Posted: 4/17/2014 7:32:23 PM EDT

[#17]

Sorry it took so long to respond. They ammo was stored in the closet in NM and TEXAS, not very humid. The ammo worked fine when i first received it. It is not the weapon as it fires all other ammo fine. The ammo also did not work in other guns.

Posted: 4/17/2014 7:34:48 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
Get some good ammo cans with good, intact, rubber seals. Take the ammo out of the cardboard boxes, and place individual rounds into the ammo cans. Then add some dessicant and you're GTG. Don't open the can again until the ammo is needed.

View Quote

I have a bunch of IMI 193 I keep in ammo cans with desiccants, but I dont not have enough cans to store all my ammo. Right now they are just in card board boxes with desiccants thrown in them. Will that be ok?

Posted: 4/18/2014 12:19:13 PM EDT

[#19]

I have 556 from the early 70's. Checked a box last year, everyone went boom

Posted: 4/18/2014 4:24:51 PM EDT

[#20]

The ammo you listed should work well for quite some time if properly stored. I store my ammo, in ammo cans with desicant packets in each can. I have shot ammo that was approximately 14 years old with no issues. If stored properly chances are that quality ammunition will be functional for decades IMHO.

Posted: 4/18/2014 4:59:14 PM EDT

[#21]

will the plastic plano cans be ok?

Posted: 4/18/2014 5:22:52 PM EDT

[#22]

My money is on Georgia Arms not having sufficiently QC'd those rounds.

When you say Failed to Fire (that IS what you meant by FTF, right?) what did the primers look like afterward? That makes a difference.

As others have said, properly assembled ammo should last for many decades. If it doesn't, there's either a problem with the original components, or the way you're storing it. If it ain't the latter, it's gotta be the former - I think GA goofed.

Posted: 4/18/2014 11:53:23 PM EDT

[#23]

Glad I heard about this. I live just few miles down the road from Georgia Arms, and was thinking about picking up some of their .308 Canned Heat this payday.

Nevermind!

Posted: 4/19/2014 3:06:03 AM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:
Glad I heard about this. I live just few miles down the road from Georgia Arms, and was thinking about picking up some of their .308 Canned Heat this payday.

Nevermind!

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Maybe you should ask them about their processes currently, as compared to those a few years ago. They've grown quite a bit, and probably are better at their remanufacturing processes today than even a year or two ago. It's worth asking, anyway.

Posted: 4/19/2014 9:45:58 AM EDT

[#25]

Quote History

Quoted:
will the plastic plano cans be ok?

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I don't have any experience with the plastic type ammo cans, all of mine are metal.

Posted: 4/19/2014 4:04:08 PM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:

I have a bunch of IMI 193 I keep in ammo cans with desiccants, but I dont not have enough cans to store all my ammo. Right now they are just in card board boxes with desiccants thrown in them. Will that be ok?

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Get some good ammo cans with good, intact, rubber seals. Take the ammo out of the cardboard boxes, and place individual rounds into the ammo cans. Then add some dessicant and you're GTG. Don't open the can again until the ammo is needed.

I have a bunch of IMI 193 I keep in ammo cans with desiccants, but I dont not have enough cans to store all my ammo. Right now they are just in card board boxes with desiccants thrown in them. Will that be ok?

The problem with cardboard is it tends to hold moisture. That's why I empty my stuff into cans :)