[Doc McGlock]

Somehow, the floor where I stack my Shotgun ammo got wet, enough that several of the lower boxes got wet. The water wicked into several boxes and caused corrosion and rust on many of the rounds. About 100.

Some, I wouldn't even think of using as the rust was down the sides of the brass, some into the primers. Many were just minor surface rust and some corrosion.

Personally, it is not worth a few boxes of shells to attempt to use them, but out of curiosity, how bad must they be to be tossed? What might be the outcome if used?

Again, I will not be using it and will recover the lead to remelt into slugs or other ammo, but what is the consensus! Can any of it be used safely?

 

[Big Bird]

Sure...very few shotshells these days are made with pure brass bases. The vast majority are steel with a thin layer of plated brass for smooth function and a modicrum of rust resistance.

Won't hurt a thing to shoot them just keep a dowel rod handy in case you get a squib load and need to push a wad out of the barrel. DO NOT try to shoot out an obstruction in the bore...you WILL split the barrel. I have proven this to myself much to my dismay as a young man with a new Ithaca 37 I worked all summer mowing lawns so I could afford it...

 

[Doc McGlock]

Thanks BB,

I was watching several YouTube videos on the subject and came to the same conclusion. This then lead me to the next question of storage and humidity.

Is there or should one do anything to help reduce this happening again? I don't shoot a lot of shot shells, and have a bunch. Any suggestions on long term storage? Again, the ones that were damaged, were the ones closest to the floor and the adjacent boxes were "wicked" with moisture, causing the rust/corrosion. They are now up off of the floor.

It seems silly to buy in bulk if they can't be stored for the long haul? Even in our last ammo shortage, besides price, most bulk brands were still readily available.

 

[4Rules]

Ammo cans.

 

[Doc McGlock]

Yeah,....... I was thinking of that too! HarborFreight has them on sale periodically for like $5/can. Humidity can be a problem, however? Desiccant pouches?????

I once purchased some ammo in cans that had that "mildew smell" when it arrived! The ammo was fine, but the boxes wreaked!

 

[Big Bird]

I keep mine up off the floor on a pallet in my garage. Of course I buy them by the pallet too.

But even a couple of 2x4's will work to get them up out of the dampness

 

[4Rules]

Brownells carries a variety of humidity-mitigation product options.

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...rage-materials/moisture-absorbent-packs/silica-gel-paks-desiccant-prod6944.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...supplies/gun-storage-materials/moisture-absorbent-packs/desi-pak--prod1152.aspx

 

[mac66]

I'd shoot them. As long as they feed they should shoot. Steel wool/wire brush the heavy rust off until they feed.

Old paper shells used to swell up and wouldn't feed or fire over time or if they got wet. These new fangled shot shells from the 1960s onward are pretty much impervious to moisture.

 

[deputy tom]

I've used 3M scotch-brite to remove corrosion from all sorts of ammo. Works well for me. YMMV. tom.

 

[MajorD]

As mentioned almost all shotgun shells made today have steel bases plated with brass. As long as you put dry shells in an ammo can you need no dessicant. Been storing ammo for years in cans just fine. The military stores ammo in cans in rather harsh environments and there is no dessicant in the cans

 

[badge315]

Yeah,....... I was thinking of that too! HarborFreight has them on sale periodically for like $5/can. Humidity can be a problem, however? Desiccant pouches?????

Do NOT use the plastic ammo cans from Harbor Freight if you want to keep your ammo dry; they are NOT waterproof. My house recently flooded with 6' of water as a result of Hurricane Irma and all of my bulk ammo was in ammo cans on the floor. All of the rounds stored in metal .30 and .50 ammo cans was completely dry, while ALL of the plastic ammo cans had water in them.

 

[Doc McGlock]

badge,

Thanks for the advice. I doubt I'll ever have an issue with that type of flooding. I live at the top of a hill. The water damage came from a damp carpet that wicked into the boxes I had stacked in that area.

The other brass case ammo was good to go, even though it was sittingon the same carpet.

 

[collim1]

Ammo stored indoors should last forever assuming you have HVAC in the house. That keeps the humidity low.