49 year old reloads

[Magload]

There is one BIG consideration that you should be aware; really old paper hull shot shells have a chance of burning thru around the circumference when fired with part of the hull lodging in the barrel. I personally wouldn't shoot any old paper hulls thru a shotgun that I couldn't look down the barrel(s) and make sure it is clear before the next shot. I was given a case of 12 ga trap loads that today are a minimum of 60 yrs of age. I bought and rehabbed a single shot long-tom break open Ithaca trap gun just to use in shooting up that case. I am still working on it with a few boxes left to go. I take a shotgun cleaning rod with me and if a partial hull is lodged, I swab it out and go on to the next shot. The 60 yr old ammo is shooting just fine, but it does leave a burnt off hull in the barrel about 1 in 25 shots. ......

I use to reload and shoot Federal low brass trap loads till the paper separated from the brass and just reach a finger down the over and unders chamber to extract the paper. I would get up to 13 reloads in once fired hulls before this would happen. I also made a holder that held the reloads crimp up as the star crimps would not hold long before 13 reloads. I was a high school kid and had a part time job at 67 cents a hour so had to keep my trap shooting cost down. Worked in the trap house loading the single feed thrower so they let me shoot free. Now my hunting loads were good hulls. Oh did I also mention I walked to school in the snow up hill both ways. Don

 

[robvious]

shot some 1942 vintage 45acp surplus... and 1944 30 carbine surplus about a year ago... works fine... as long as the paper hull is not swollen to the point it won't fit in the chamber it should go bang... i still have some of my fathers paper hull Remington shells probably from the 50's or early 60's... would not think twice about using them...