Question

[wader]

are 20 to 40 year old shotgun shells safe to use?

My stepfather found a box of them that he's ad laying around & gave them to me.
I'm guessing at the age.

He had given me his Sears Shotgun that he got for his 17th birthday. He's 87.
So I have no idea (and neither does he) at what point between then & now he's had these from.

 

[pequa1]

I harvested my first deer in 2010 with a 35 or more year old slug. If kept dry, should be fine

 

[pequa1]

Post a pic of them, box included if they are not loose. Do they have that funny numbering system instead of shot size, ounces, etc ? I have shot off those too.

 

[Capt13]

The shells should be fine ..... I would be worried more about the gun and the condition of the barrel.

 

[pequa1]

Good point although i have fired a number of large caliber rifles from the world wars with much higher chamber pressures

 

[wader]

The shells should be fine ..... I would be worried more about the gun and the condition of the barrel.

had that checked out about 6 years or so ago - was told it's fine