Shelf Life?

[Guggs01]

I’m new to both this forum and handgun shooting. I’m reading a lot about the shortage of ammunition. I own a full size M&P 9mm. As an avid upland game hunter I typically buy enough to get me through the season so shelf life has never been an issue. However, if I wanted to buy 1500-2000 rounds of 9mm, how long would it stay reliable/stable if stored properly?

Thanks!!

[Guggs01]

I’m new to both this forum and handgun shooting. I’m reading a lot about the shortage of ammunition. I own a full size M&P 9mm. As an avid upland game hunter I typically buy enough to get me through the season so shelf life has never been an issue. However, if I wanted to buy 1500-2000 rounds of 9mm, how long would it stay reliable/stable if stored properly?

Thanks!!

[Andy Taylor]

I recently shot up some 9mm and some 30-'06 that was WWII Milsurp. 9mm was British, 30-'06 was US. No issues what-so-ever.

If properly stored, ammo will last a lifetime, or longer.

[Andy Taylor]

And welcome to the forum.

[ACP230]

I have shot 10 year-old reloads and even older surplus ammo with very few problems.
Kept in the proverbial "cool and dry" place ammo last a long while.

I spilled a box of Remington Thunderbolt .22s in my old van's glovebox. The shells rode around in there for four years or more. They got hot in summer and cold in winter. When I finally dug them out they all fired and were as accurate as rounds from another box that had been stored in the house the whole time.

Buy and store your 9mms with confidence.

[Deltaboy]

Last fall I shot up some 50+ year old 22 ammo that was found in my Granddads house when we were cleaning it out 4 years ago. Out of 200 rounds I had only 2 rounds not fire. On Center fire ammo I have shot 50+ year old and 1 mag of 70+ year old mil-sup 45 ammo with no FTF's.

Cool and Dry is the Golden rule of long term ammo Storage. The classic place in the south is under the bed in a box. Central Heat and Air has helped alot also.

[Guggs01]

Thanks for the information. As a newer person, it's very helpful having people to bounce basic questions to.

[Peter J.]

About 10 years ago I purchased approx. 6000 30-06 WW2 manufacture rifle rounds from the Civilian Marksmanship Program during the Camp Perry Matches. This was WW2 stuff that had recently (at that time) been transfered from the Coast Guard to the CMP. The stuff in the sealed crates I got won't be shot, just because its too cool to have un-opened 1500 rd. wooden crates of WW2 stuff to show off to my friends. But the US surplus stuff I got from the CMP that was packed loose, dated 1942-1943 gets about 2% - 3% misfires. Won't even go off when recycled a second time. Not bad ammo for just casual shooting at the range, but would make me unhappy in a serious situation.

[Firehouse]

If you can locate some mil-surp ammo cans, put your ammo in there and drop in a bag of desiccant. You can get small bags of desiccant out of a shoebox when you by new shoes. Thats what I use anyhow. Keep them changed out every few months.

[guntownuncle]

The best answer I ever heard for this question came from someone on this forum, but I don't remember who it was. Basically, they said that as long as the ammo is stored in an environment that YOU can live in it will outlive you and work just fine.