Helping a friend clean out his mother's house came across 6 boxes of 12 ga dove and quail in a uncovered bucket. Their plastic sure their lead shot what should i do with them.
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50 year old shotgun shells
- Thread starter Fitter30
- Start date
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
^This.
They should be fine if they were stored in a place that wasn't really damp. Especially being plastic hulled. I'd shoot them if the brass wasn't corroded. About 20 years ago, my dad and I shot a large quantity of paper hulled shells that were 40 or more years old at the time. They had seen dry storage and all worked. Today, those paper hulled shells would be "collector" ammo.
Pew Pew 'em.
But have a plan for a failure to fire.
But have a plan for a failure to fire.
One of three things.. It will function normally, it will have a slow burn and get stuck in the barrel (easy to get the wad out), or it'll click.
Are they not in a box? Some shops will give a few bucks if the box is mint.
Are they not in a box? Some shops will give a few bucks if the box is mint.
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I probably have some from the 70s around here somewhere. 410 and 12 gauge.
My cousin had a 50 year old Remington 12ga. It would fire anything that would fit. Was very effective on one year old South Dakota pheasants.
Give em to Max, he's always looking for stuff like that...
When I was a young lad my dad sent me the local Western Auto for some 12 ga no 6 shot. I did not question what the salesman gave me but when I got home my dad found they were plastic hulled Remington. He threw a fit and went back to the store and got his money back. He went to another store and bought paper hulled. Only paper shells for him but I think within two years plastic was all you could find. I have shot plenty of shells that were 20-25 years old with no problems.
Ammo does not go bad unless it gets wet. Shoot em!
Have some WWll tracer and some armor piercing 30-06 in original cardboard boxes. No desire to fire them off altho it was fun watching the tracers at the qualifying range in the Army.
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
I know Max needs to move his fingers outside the trigger guard.Wow if you only knew... lol
If we did that in the army, we would quickly get a RSM sized boot in the rear.
My friend has an old rental house. The old renter lady died. They were cleaning it up and he had an old box full of six 25 boxes of #4 and #6 shot. Old boxes of Yellow Peters, and Red Remington. A 500 hundred brick of Hi-Power .22 Long Rifles. Plus some old Hoppes #9 and other assorted lubricants and stuff. Said he was going to offer them for another guy, that likes that kind of stuff, for $40.
The old boxes and crap would probably bring $40 empty. The 500 round brick of .22 would bring $40, these days!
I peeled $40 of my wallet, and took those treasures home. I have one of those old barrister bookcases for display. Stackable Lawyer bookcase, by any other names. Antique and five stacked on each other. Cool as heck.
The old boxes and crap would probably bring $40 empty. The 500 round brick of .22 would bring $40, these days!
I peeled $40 of my wallet, and took those treasures home. I have one of those old barrister bookcases for display. Stackable Lawyer bookcase, by any other names. Antique and five stacked on each other. Cool as heck.
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
Yes!
I converted one of those shotguns when I was 16 years old. Lived in the country and it was the beginning of my gunsmithing journey.
Did it as a project and not as a anything sinister. Well several years later here comes Mad Max and my older brother was hooked on it. I actually think he thought he was MM...
He did local charity events dressed as him for years. But he wanted my gun and by that time it had its bores welded shut with steel slugs and no firing pins. He successfully used it for many years but at one event it was confiscated and the ATF payed us a little visit.
Sort of like the political games. When was it welded and what was done first and the good cop bad cop routine.. In the end thankfully a warning was issued only and of course they kept the gun.
But the ATF agent told me I found my career.
He said he had confiscated many but none to the quality of mine..
But he warned no more of that...lol
I still have a picture of it and myself but figured it may get deleted.
I had two older brothers and we all became FFL dealers and so on.
Our parents were anti gun and had no idea of what was what...yeah not good...lol
In the end my brother made a new shotgun...this time duplicated in wood only.
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
You are right but very controllable if held correctly. The first time I shot it I pulled both triggers.
My con artist brother talked me into it. He was a bit sheepish (lol) Have your hand safely on the top of the barrels though.
They were 11" barrels.
Frequently you will get your fingers jammed up in the trigger and guard though- that can hurt.
The folly of youth-I have done worse.
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
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