Oldest powder and primers

[avidflyer]

Saw an older gentleman at the range this week using some 20 yr old powder; and still getting great benchrest groups. What's the oldest powder and primers you've ever used? Sure it all depends on how it was stored. Seen some post lately about older powders having a funky smell and getting gummy

 

[Rsadams]

About 70 year old ammo in .32 acp , WW2 era with steel bullets... It was factory ammo but the powder and primers were that old also... Belonged to my grandfather...1908 colt... All fired like new... If stored right primers and ammo itself will last a very long time... Powder will last also but I think it depends on how humid it was when packed etc... One thing I have found is always check the lids on the bottle , I found more than a few that were loose...

 

[Peebles24]

I still have about 150 large rifle cci primers i bought from a old gentleman and have no idea about their age. I havent had one fail yet, i use them for my hunting ammo. Cci green box with a orange/brown tray where primers are stacked side to side.

 

[JRS]

I use Remington and Winchester primers that I bought in 1986, as well as some powders I've had for a few decades.

 

[ClassCat]

I have Federal Large primers from the 80's, and 8208's that were pulldown powder from Viet-Nam.

 

[stork]

Powder: Bruce Hogdon's war surplus 4831 in my 300 Win. still have about 1 1/2# left.
Primers: Early 70's era Federal 215's. Still going off with authority every time.

 

[GrocMax]

I burned a lot of WWII era pulldown 4895 in the 22-250 days. 55-60 year old powder.

 

[jghoghunter]

A lot of WWll area powder and primers with my pap. Always works well.

 

[mikeinct]

I had Alcan sr primers from the 1960's.. We used em up in the mid to late 1990's no fails to fire...Mike in Ct

 

[2506]

I am and have been shooting some IMR 4895 that was from pulled down 06 military ammo that was made in the late 50s to early 60s and it shoots within just a few feet one way or the other with new lots of IMR 4895. I know I have primers that I bought in the early 1990s. I store my powder and primers in an old non running refrigerator with a little 7 watt light burning inside that keeps things dry. Powder in the main compartment primers in the freezer part. The temp stays between 65 and 75 year round in my loading room in the basement of my house. Store it right and it will last a looooooooog time most of the time. I did have some AA3100 that was around 25 years old go bad and it emitted some chemical vapor that had to be acid like because it caused all my metal cans of powder to really rust on the outside. This happened within 3 weeks. For years prior and up to three weeks prior and for years afterward no rusty cans or metal lids on plastic jugs. The AA3100 was a one pound plastic bottle that was about half full. After the rust discovery I found that the sides of this bottle was pushed out and when I opened it the powder was in a swelled clump and smelled acidly. Pitched the powder cleaned off the rust as best as I could and because I am a pack rat I had some old plastic powder bottles stashed and used them to put the powder out of some of the metal cans all properly labeled.

 

[butchlambert]

Have a couple boxes of these left.

I have lots of photos of CCI and Federal primers in wooden trays, and obsolete powders and containers. I gave most of the obsolete powder to Mr. Martin in Virginia as he is a collector of old shooting items. I don't have the photos on the net to post, but can email.

 

[ebb]

I friend of a friend quite reloading and I got the powder. Ive used most of it but I have a pretty good bunch of Unique that has 1967 written on the container. It is 100 percent as far as going bang to this date. Got a bunch of Win 231 and 748 from a good friend that was his grandfathers. Its all in metal containers. I don't know how old that makes it. He also included a big paper drum of Green dot.

 

[Ggmac]

Some of the loads I've been shooting in 6 TCU are /were from 81
Still have some h -570 I use in my 7- 300 Weatherby , last reloaded in 76

 

[liljoe]

I found these in my grandfather's gun cabinet.
No idea of their age.
Joe Hynes

 

[Liven The Dream]

I sill have Frankford Arsenal Primers from the 40's
4895 WW2 Surplus got in large Pickle Jars . all gone

 

[NorCalMikie]

Winchester primers maybe 30 years old. Pressed then into my .308 brass and ran them thru my M1A. Not one DIDN'T go bang.
Powder? Most of the cardboard containers were leaking all over the shelf so I just swept it into a pan and spread it around the yard.

 

[Twicepop]

I have IMR 4895 that I bought at Camp Perry from the Viet Nam era that still shoots little groups from my .223 bolt gun.

 

[butchlambert]

A few of mine:

I will try to find my powder photos.

 

[butchlambert]

More Pics

 

[tstowater]

I think that you would be surprised how long powder and primers will stay good if properly stored. We are loading some WW II era powder and it shoots fine. Chronographed a bunch of 223 p dog loads and more than acceptable for intended use. I'm sure that I have some 30 or 40 year old (at least) primers in inventory that I wouldn't blink about using.