Long term ammo storage

How long  can ammo be stored with no effect on accuracy if kept in a cool climate.  Usually I only load enough 45 ammo for a couple of months out but I'm thinking about loading enough for 2-3 years.  Also I don't shoot my 52 much but I have a ton of 38 special brass and 148 HBWC.  If I were to load them all up they could last 5-10 years.  Storage would be in new 50 cal sealed cans and I'd toss in Silica Gel Desiccant packs.

Thoughts?
- Dave

Kept cool and dry it should be fine for at least two generations.

I’ve been shooting some of my old stash of 38 Remington Targetmaster.  The ones in the green box with the info rubber stamped on the end flap.  This ammo is almost old enough to get social security.  Shoots just fine.

Cool and dry is the ticket. I tried to shoot some Federal .45ACP that had been stored in a file cabinet in a basement. The basement flooded and although the ammo wasn't in direct contact with the ammo, the high humidity affected the powder and the ammo was ruined.

Cool and dry it will outlive you.

Greetings,

I have a stash of Commercial 38 and 45 ammo from the late '50s and '60s. All still shoot X-ring at 50 yards.

I use it for testing purposes.

Cheers,

Dave

With 22s you can develope dry lube

Chris Miceli wrote:With 22s you can develope dry lube

I got a partial case of old 22 a few years ago and the lube had started to dry up.  I just put 500 at a time in a coffee can with a very small squirt of mineral spirits rolled them around a bit and all was good.  I only did 500 at a time so they didn't sit around long after that.
No issues.
- Dave

I have one brick of red box eley tenex from my early 70s prone shooting.  Other Eley from then worked just fine.

Greetings,

Ah yes, TENEX.

I bought a couple of bricks to shoot when I "got good". Never got good and the lube on the bullets corroded.

Spent many hours cleaning, relubing, and resizing the ammo. Shot it all up at the Indoor 50' League.

I do have some old 22lr ammo from the late '50's and '60's also. Mostly Western MKII and some MKIII. The lube is still intact with these guys.

Cheers,

Dave

You never know.

I have some late 70s Hanson 22 that is still good and shoots Very well. Must depend on the lube