Old RWS 50 ammo question

[Ranger188]

I have some old (5+ years) RWS 50 ammo.
I sent some to a friend and he said it didn't
shoot well at all.
It looks like the lube has dried and is slightly white
more like a thicker vasoline.
Has the lube just dried up some?

 

[dteamer]

I have some old (5+ years) RWS 50 ammo.
I sent some to a friend and he said it didn't
shoot well at all.
It looks like the lube has dried and is slightly white
more like a thicker vasoline.
Has the lube just dried up some?
View attachment 1615444
View attachment 1615445

I've had a similar dry lube condition on old ammunition. A suggestion from a long time competitor was to put the ammo in a plastic baggie and give the ammo a couple squirts of Pam or a similar high heat cooking spray and the rotate the baggie until the ammo had a uniform coating of lube, then spread the ammo out on a piece of cardboard an let it dry. I have done this several times and the lube on the ammo soften up and shot OK.

 

[Jim Ide]

I bought some Eley Black Box similar to other posts. Shot some in my 52B and didn't shoot to bad. That 80 year old rifle shoots any ammo well.

 

[Intell]

Unfortunately It’s now plinker ammo, it will never be the same relubed.
I had the same thing happen to the very best ammo I’ve ever had. I thought it was gone then found a brick in an old case I forgot about. 7 years later it was toast.

It all went bang and would still make good squirrel ammo, but no longer ARA or 50/50 ammo.

 

[22 Excel]

Yes that is one of the few things that can ruin a 22lr. I have heard the cooking spray trick but never tried it. When I end up with a bunch of old odd lot ammo I shoot it practice on A17 target very big scoring rings or I give it to young kids in our club. They think it shoots great.

 

[Ranger188]

I haven't shot it yet. Have enough Lapua Center X
I'll use it as plinker ammo in other rifles.

 

[seymour fish]

I haven't shot it yet. Have enough Lapua Center X
I'll use it as plinker ammo in other rifles.

Try it at distance

 

[FNSafari]

Which is probably why some ammo comes copper washed as the lube?

 

[diyj98]

I had several boxes of old Eley with lube like that. I took a rag and some Thompson's Bore Butter and wiped the bullets with it. They looked like new again. They seemed to shoot great as well. The one thing I didn't think to try was shooting some before and after to see if there really was any difference.