Found like a dozen boxes of old .22 that belonged to my father-in-law. Anyone have an idea on the age of these? Notice that the box in the middle is stamped $.93 and several of them have stick on price tags for $.75. The shells still look like they were just purchased. I won't be using them in my S&W but have several other guns that I could use them in. I am thinking that I might just shove them back into a closet and let them age...like a fine, explosive wine.

Those would look great in my gun room.


Save them.

http://www.ammolady.com/id5.html

http://www.ammolady.com/id2.html



http://www.sportingcollectibles.com/22_ammunition.html

I have no Idea on te age but that is a really cool find.

I have (had) a full brick of Remington 22 shorts that my Grandfather bought back probably in the late '60's. I kept them and kept them, but they are starting to corrode just the least little bit, so I am starting to shoot them before they ruin. I've actually had great fun running them through my 617 simply because I know my Papa would be pleased to know I'm using and enjoying them!

****!! I am guessing that these prices are just for the boxes?? All of these are still full of 50 rds. of ammo and except for a few rounds they look much like they did new as far as I can tell.

I've got a few boxes of Sears & Roebuck .22's that were my fathers. I can vividly remember, back in the day, they were .50 a box and these are so marked.

Great stuff! Many a grandpa would be turning in their grave if they knew what .22lr is selling for now!

AMEN!!! Sad but true.

I just came back from a friends and he just gave me some old federal 50rd packs. As you can see there is corrosion to these. Does anyone know if i can clean them and would it be safe for me to put them in my M&P?

Personally, I don't care how desperate I am for ammo, I wouldn't use those in my 15-22, "cleaned" or otherwise. I'm picky. For example, if while loading a magazine, I accidentally drop a round on the ground, I don't pick it up and continue loading the magazine with it. Lets just say, I make sure rounds don't drop on the ground.

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Boz

Don't shoot that ammo. It isn't worth it. It's like what, $2.50 in ammo?

KBK

yeah i kinda of figured. I just wanted to know if there was a way to clean them. Gonna just toss them out.

Cleaning them to display them might be possible. I'd think about trying a sonic cleaner or some form of chemical. I used to have a very serious brass dip that cleaned brass nice and shiney, but I haven't used it in years, forgot what it was called, and suspect it might be HAZMAT. I use a vibratory tumbler these days. You could always try a rotary tumbler, one round at a time.

Or sand blasting.

If you get it to work, hit it with a shot of clear laquer to protect it and prevent it happening again.

KBK

You could try the old baking soda and aluminum trick. IIRC, that's where you heat up a mixture of baking soda and salt. Then pour the mixture into a bowl. Loosely crumple a piece of aluminum and place that under the bowl mixture. When you touch the brass to the aluminum the tarnish disappears. I haven't done this in years, nor do I know how well this would work with that particular brass. I imagine the instructions can easily be found on the web.

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Boz

Middle box looks like made in the 60's I am thinking. Bottom box is older. I don't know about top box. I would probably try to shoot these in a single shot 22. Any that I don't shoot, I would push down in the ground nose first out in the woods somewhere so a lawn mower wouldn't get them. I would not try to clean these bullets with a tumbler. Think duck and cover! I would not take the chance. Shoot them in a revolver or single shot rifle. I will bet you one thing though. I bet these shells are louder than the 22s produced today. I shot some 22 remingtons made in the 80's and they were a lot louder than the winchesters and federals. I compared them side by side. Anyhow, it is better to be safe than sorry. I would save the boxes though.

Keep 'em or peddle 'em to a collector.
Think of it as no longer ammo, but collector fodder.

NO! Use a pair of pliers and pull the bullet, flush the powder and crush the case. That's the proper way to get rid of unshootable ammo.