Dating Your Ammo

[4CERTN]

No, I'm not talking about taking your best box o' bullets out for dinner and a movie, to go "see the submarine races," or even to "Netflix and chill" like all the kids are saying these days...ha...

I'm a big enough nerd that I usually write a purchase date (at least the month and year) of each box of ammo I obtain. Mostly, it helps me keep a FIFO (first in, first out) rotation method going so the oldest ammo is what's always going to the range.

I should say...ALMOST always...check the date on that box of Winchester White Box that only now got expended ha-ha...the .22LR is a slightly more recent purchase.

 

[slpeod]

Good idea. I do use my oldest ammo first but I usually buy all my ammo in case quantity and store it in ammo cans. I usually save a lot in taxes on line when I order from the distributor and just pay the single ORM-D shipping rate. For example this year when I made my purchase of 1k of 9mm, 5.56 and 7.62 and 5k of .22 shipping only cost me $46 and the taxes alone locally would have cost me $150.

 

[4CERTN]

I need to start buying more in bulk like that; plus I hadn't considered the cost of shipping vs.sales taxes.

 

[RandallC]

How long does ammo last for storage?

Where do you buy bulk ammo?

 

[4CERTN]

Stored properly, I believe it would last indefinitely.

 

[slpeod]

Here's an excerpt from Rick Patterson, Managing Director of SAAMI, “In fact as long as your ammunition is stored at normal room temperatures with low humidity, it can function reliably for decades.”

It takes more than just a warm day to detrimentally impact ammunition—SAAMI believes the breakdown begins around 150 degrees Fahrenheit. There are very few environments where stored ammo can reach those extremes, but the trunk of a vehicle is one of them.

“Definitely avoid storing ammunition in a car on a hot sunny day—that’s probably the single most likely scenario that could cause problems for the average shooter,” Patterson explained. “With extremely high temperatures, you get rapid degradation of the ammunition components. The case and bullets are relatively inert in terms of temperature, but the chemical properties of the gunpowder and priming mixture can be affected … Over time, you’ll see a drop in performance, perhaps to the point of going click rather than bang.”

Theoretically, extreme cold could eventually impact ammunition, but it isn’t worth your concern. High heat kills otherwise good ammo, and that’s the primary thing to avoid in regards to temperature. Rapid fluctuations could, however, also prove detrimental over time. So if you’re among the many Americans storing shells in garages, perhaps you should reconsider.