Does ammo have an expiration date?

[JDW67]

A buddy gave me some 5.56 from 1979. Is it still good?

Thanks in advance

[stilly]

Yes but you can only shoot pepper-poppers from the 70s and 80s with it.

As long as it looks decent and has been kept well it should be fine. This question was addressed in the movie LA Story, but I think they never got an answer actually. If they look okay and you want to be safe, measure them out for oal on a set of calipers, but chances are that it is fine.

[JDW67]

Yah, it looks fine. It was sealed in battle packs of 300 rounds, I think?

Anyways, free ammo is free ammo. Thanks for the replies everyone.

[scotchblade]

I've found boxes of 22LR and 38 Special in a junk drawer at my mom's. They must have been at least 35-40 years old.

Shot just fine.

[meaty-btz]

Non-water damaged cartridge ammunition that uses non-mercury primers has a longer shelf-life than you do.

[CK_32]

If stored and made right no


As far as the Gov is concerend yea 3 years I believe. Then it's either wasted in a "range training day" or DRMOd as hazmat. And you wonder why we're in debt.

[damndave]

If it looks good, it should be perfectly fine.

[meaty-btz]

Let me expound. I have seen photos of 7,62TOK rounds from WWII buried in the ground since the war. The wooden crate was rotted away completely and the outer layer or two of rounds were corroded.

But two layers in was shiny brass. I would have no problem firing that ammo. It likely all would work.

[Catch]

Discolored 55+ year old 30-06 shot fine.

[koehn,jim]

I have some 7mm from 1919 that goes bang every time.

[Germz]

gunpowder does not have an expiration date.

[uhlan1]

it better not have an expiration, I got tons.

[M1NM]

It expires the moment the firing pin hits the primer.

[Simi-Surfer]

I have ammo from my Grandfather that still shoots (shot, slug, 22LR).

[mjsweims]

Use them for target practice on Twinkies. They have the same half-life - almost forever.