Probably the wrong forum for this, but I'm at least a little familiar with the folks here. Mods, feel free to move it if you want.

I have an ammo can I have not opened in a very long time.
I checked it out and it contains about 6 boxes of .357 cartridges that I handloaded in ...get this...1979. A couple of them are labeled "9.4 g Unique & 125gr hollowpoint, 1400fps"
One of the others says 15.4gr of a powder I couldn't read, with 125 grain hp, 1300fps. If I remember correctly, I loaded that slower burning powder for the muzzle-flame effect.

I had a nice RockChucker press in those days with .357, .45, 6mm Rem and .223 dies. Wish I still had it, I gave it all away about 10 years ago.

Are these still safe to shoot 35 years later? If I use them, it will probably be in a Ruger Security Six and a Rossi .357 lever action carbine.

Interesting (breaks my heart) there was also a box of 50 .38 special factory loads that had a sticker price on it of $9.99. I think in those days I could hand load a box of 50 for about $3, not including the brass itself.

Thanks in advance!

If it looks ok ( no heavy corrosion that would compromise the case) then they should be ok. I got some of those 1979 reloads in my stash.

Charlie

I would shoot them since YOU loaded them,If they where someone elses 35 year old reloads no way.

+1 on 'test a few', then, if they're ok shoot them up.

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But then, what do I know?

They have been in an well-sealed military ammo box, and show no signs of corrosion at all. I was thinking they are probably OK, but thought I better check with more knowledgeable minds before sending any lead downrange.

If they've been stored in dry conditions since '79, then they are probably fine. You could use a puller to check the powder in a sample or two if you wanted. I've got reloads & powder cannisters that old & they're fine too. I hope those "old memories" shoot well for you.

I have a 50 round box of 357 sitting on the counter ready for my next range trip loaded with 14.5 gr of 2400 with a 158 gr SWC that I loaded in 8/62. So I would say that 1979 should be good to go.

Aha, and I bet that my load with 15.4gr behind a 125gr JHP was 2400. Sounds about correct if yours is 158gr bullet.

Those loads should work well. There is one slight concern. Some cardboard ammo boxes of that era were made with a process that used ammonia to process the cardboard making. A slight residue of ammonia in those ammo boxes can interact chemically with the brass of the cartridge case and cause that brass to lose tensile strength. If enough tensile strength is lost over time the cases are subject to rupture and splitting. IMHO, when first trying ammo from a box you should load one and shoot it. Then look the fired brass case over carefully. Seeing no sign of splitting, rupture or stretching, go ahead and load a cylinder full and shoot that. If you still see no signs of impending failure of the brass, you're good to go. ..... Big Cholla

"Choot Em"

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S&W Accumulator

Speer 14 say's 9.6 grains of Unique is max with a 125 grain Gold Dot, so IMO you are good to go with those loads. As for the other, without knowing the powder I'm not going to say.

I routinely run across ammo I loaded in the '80's. Never a problem.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

Sounds like you've got a chance to experience a real blast from the past!

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I got back into shooting about four years ago. I had 25 rounds of 357 that I had loaded about 1970. They were in Winchester nickel plated cases with 158gn jacketed hollow points. They were stored in an MTM plastic box. I don't remember the powder or charge but they were not overly heavy loads.
I shot them in one of my Trooper Mk III's with no problems. However, when I started to put them back into the box 23 of the 25 were split down most of the length of the case.
I had 45 ACP , 41 Mag and 45 Colt of similar age and storage conditions (but brass case) and had no problems with any of them.

That box dates back to the early days of MTM (founded in 1968). I wonder if they want it for their museum?

I still have some Greek 06 ammo for my M1, manuf in 1959 I think, still goes bang.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I just loaded some ammo with primers that were almost 30 years old. They were stored in a GI ammo box and, so far, every one of my reloads went BANG! Like someone else said, if they are you're reloads, go ahead and shoot em.

I'd shoot 'em, no question.

Thank you all, looking forward to it. Most of the .357 will be shot in a Rossi 92 lever gun, should be plenty strong to handle about anything resonable.

I have used 16gr of 2400 for a fac dup load in my L frame 6".......
you should be fine with the 15.5grs if it is 2400 powder.....
and should also hit at point of aim, if you are lucky.

Good shooting.

Well, I took the 35-year old handloads to the range today, and I'm happy to say that they all worked just fine. Ran about 100 through the lever gun, and compared to the .38's I ran through it they kicked pretty hard. 15.5gr of 2400 behind a 125gr bullet with a 16" barrel probably exits the muzzle in the 1800+fps range. No misfires or unusual events to report, which is what I had hoped for.

Good to hear! Now if we only performed as good as we used to in '79...