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Old 22 ammo

jer10571

.22LR
So I purchased an old 22 revolver from one of my friends before he moved to California for 40 bucks. It was his dads service revolver when he was in the air force during the Korean war. He gave me everything with it, including cleaning kit, old metal box and ammo that was purchased in the 60's and 70's. Longs and shorts, all the ammo was in broken boxes and jars. One box is unopened from the mid to late 70's he thinks. His dad died in the early 80's and they were in that metal box in his garage ever since. So I was wondering if it was safe to shoot them up or not, also the unopened box leave it alone and display them or something. They are attached to a cardboard hanger and plastic wrapped around it from the manufacture.
I don't think the unopened box is worth much if anything, but any info you guys have would be awesome.
 
I agree. If there's corrosion, don't use it. Otherwise shoot it, because it doesn't spoil.

I recently shot a box of Blazers my mom bought back in '73, and they were all fine.
 
Didn't know they issued 22 revolvers to pilots.

I knew at one time some have been issued AR7's (now the Henry survival rifle), but didn't know about a 22 service revolver.
 
I'm not sure if he purchased it on his own, or if it was issued, I was just told that he carried it during the war. I did see a couple pictures of him with it in uniform hanging on my friends wall, but I'm really not sure what his job was in the Air Force I didn't ask. I was wrong about the date's, at least for the one box of shells, I dug in the bag they were in and found some candy wrappers and a receipt dated 1987. I know he's from Torrance California. It was kinda rolled up, so I held it down with my pocket knife. I shot up the rest of the shells and had no failures at all. there was an anchovies jar that looked like from the 70's that was about 1/3 full of loose shells, and about 30 or so in a 100 pack and a few left in the other box like this sealed one. None of them looked corroded but there were a few with dents, I didn't shoot those. This is the only box of the old ammo that's left. Here is a couple pictures.

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If you using a bolt gun or single action revolver I wouldn't worry too much about small dents. With those guns, if you can stuff a dented .22 in the chamber without forcing it, it will be ok.

My Savage will shoot anything you can stuff in there and so will my SA Kolt revolver.
 
I have that same knife you have in the photo.

less the thumb assist bolt. Lost it long ago and had to use a dremel to grind in a slot for me to get my thumbnail into the blade to open it now.
 
Yea CaddmannQ I have a semi auto and a bolt action mossbergs. I used them both. My 702 doesn't like dented bullets at all, but the 802 sometimes wont load one if it's in the magazine and it's too small for my fat fingers to put one in the chamber. The little H&R revolver is easy to put the dented ones in, I still have the dented ones, about 12 of them, I'll probably shoot those another day with the revolver.

John, I love that knife, I keep it in my camera bag and use it all the time. It feels like a very well made one. I have a few more as well, but this is by far my favorite. I also have a bowie knife made by Winchester, Well, it has their name on it anyway, probably made in China like everything else, but I can shave the hair off my arms with it, and it keeps a nice edge.
 
I'm with the others in that if .22 ammo is not corroded, go ahead and fire it. If it shows corrosion, it probably got wet or moist and as the bullet/case seal on .22 ammo is loose to begin with, chances are the powder/primer inside got wet. Meaning duds. Lots of them.

Case in point: about 6 months ago someone gave me a coffee can of loose .22s. Some showed a little corrosion, but were dry. About half are duds... :rolleyes: Am I going to fire them up? Sure, BUT I am also going to keep an ear out for squib loads... :eek:
 
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BUT I am also going to keep an ear out for quib loads... :eek:
this is the only safety concern valid here

the rest is PIA stuff .......shoot them, listen carefully to each shot......and I think its "Squib"
 
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