can ammo go bad?

Over time, lots of things can expire or go bad. We all probably have that one can of soup in the back of our pantry that is a few years old. If all of these other things go bad, does ammo go bad too?Yes, it absolutely can if you don’t store it properly. But don’t run out and shoot up your stash just yet. There are a few things you can do to increase the shelf life of ammo.

Depending on your climate, where you store it, and how warm or cold your house is can all impact how long bullets are good for. We’ll go over all of this in detail below.

So, how long can you store ammunition before it goes bad? It all depends on whether it’s stored properly. Things like temperature and humidity can affect how long it lasts.

But how long is ammo good for? Most manufacturers put an expiration date of 10 years on their rounds, though the truth is that most ammunition will last longer than that, Jeff Johnston wrote in an NRA Family article.

“Fact is, all modern ammo will last more than ten years if it’s been stored reasonably well,” he wrote. “Ammo companies push a conservative message, likely because they don’t want the liability if it fails to fire.”

Really the only way that modern bullets can go bad is if they get wet or are exposed to a lot of humidity, according to USA Carry. Even then, it usually takes repeated exposure to water for the moisture to make its way through their well-sealed primer pockets.

So, the answer to how long do bullets last is this: As long as you take care to properly store your ammunition, the odds are low that your ammo will expire. Still, it’s important to check your rounds for signs of corrosion before use (more on how to tell if ammo is bad later on). It’s also recommended to shoot your oldest ammunition up first, that way, your arsenal stays fresh.

If you want to prolong the life of your ammunition, we have a few ammo storage ideas. One way to store your extra rounds is in a magazine. Some people believe that storing your rounds in a magazine will damage the springs but in reality, that is a myth. The springs on your magazine will be just as effective with or without bullets stored in them.

For long term ammo storage, you want to keep it somewhere dry with low humidity and a reasonable temperature. This could be in a closet or near your safe, and even a drawer will suffice. The bathroom is probably not the best place because of the moisture created by the shower.

If you don’t want to keep your extra ammunition in a magazine, another option is an ammo can. These containers can keep your bullets sealed and protected. Additionally, if you place silica gel packets in the can with your ammo, they can help reduce any moisture that may be inside.

These are just a few ways to store your ammunition that will help prolong its life. It’s great to know how to store your ammo now, but if you already have a stockpile, how do you know if your ammo is bad?

Maybe you already have some ammo tucked away for a rainy day and want to know how to tell if it is bad. Well, there are a few indicators that your ammunition is no longer useable.

First, your ammo is bad if it is tarnished beyond recognition. It's natural for bullets to tarnish over time so if you see a little discoloration, don’t freak out just yet. If your rounds are severely tarnished where you can see the corrosion on the bullet, it is bad.

Another tell-tale sign that your ammunition is bad is if the gunpowder smells. If you were to remove the bullet from the casing, you would be able to smell the gunpowder. When gun powder goes bad it has a very strong sulfur-like smell. The last way to know your ammo is bad is if it’s damaged. For example, if the bullet or casing is dented.

Properly storing your bullets can reduce the chance of your ammunition going bad or becoming damaged. But what happens if your ammo goes bad? Can you still use it?

Do you eat your expired cheese from the fridge after it has a few green spots on it? Most likely, you don’t because it could make you sick. Well, you shouldn’t use bad ammo because it can damage your gun.

When you feed bad ammunition into the barrel of your gun, not only does it have a chance of misfiring, it also may not have enough momentum to exit the barrel. This can cause more issues than just not firing. If a bullet is trapped in the barrel, you will have to safely remove it or have it removed before you can fire another bullet.

Having bad ammo could be the difference between life and death. If you are in a situation where you need to use your gun to protect yourself, your family, or someone else, and your rounds are bad, you may not be able to fire a shot in time. So, it is better safe than sorry when it comes to bad ammo.

You now know how to tell if ammo is bad, how to properly store your ammunition, and whether you can still use bullets that have gone bad. If you have bad ammo and can’t use it, you’ll need to properly dispose of it.

Improperly disposing of ammo can be dangerous as there’s a risk that something could ignite the primer. Not only that, but some ammunition contains lead, which isn’t something you want to just throw away.

If you’re wondering how to dispose of ammunition safely, we have a few ideas. One way to do this is to take it to your local gun store or range.

A local range has the ability to safely dispose of ammo and will typically do this free of charge. If you live near a waste facility, some have a hazardous waste dropoff that may accept bullets. The last option we will mention is calling your local law enforcement. Some departments will accept the bad ammo and properly dispose of it for you.

So, before you just throw your old bullets in the garbage, use one of these disposal methods to safely get rid of any bullets you don’t want or can’t use anymore.

The ever daunting question of how much ammo do you actually need. Some people may tell you to have a stockpile, while others may say you should have just enough for each of your guns.

Ultimately, this is a personal preference. At a minimum, you will most likely want enough to have each of your self-defense weapons fully loaded. Some of our customers prefer to have enough ammunition for an additional magazine for each of their guns. You may also want additional rounds for using at the range when practicing.

We recommend cycling a magazine or two of your chosen ammo through your gun initially just to make sure there aren't any problems.

The answer to the question of does ammo go bad is yes, it can. If it is extremely tarnished beyond recognition, damaged, or the gunpowder smells, your ammunition has gone bad, and you will need to safely dispose of it. Using bad bullets can damage your gun, and you can’t accurately predict how the bullet will behave.

To safely dispose of your old ammo, take it to a gun store, range, waste facility, or to your local law enforcement. At any given time, how much ammunition you have is up to you. But you will most likely want enough to have each gun you own fully loaded and some additional rounds for practice.

If you are looking for belts or holsters, we recommend visiting our Vedder Holsters website for all of our belt and holster options and for more information to help you choose the carry system that works best for you. Like everything we sell, our gun belts are covered by a Lifetime Warranty and 30-day money-back guarantee.

·      Corrosion. Brass is a reactive metal. If exposed to moisture or high humidity, it can corrode, and the corrosion can impact the powder which, in turn, may cause the round to behave differently. Corrosive ammunition could perform poorly, fire with lower velocity, or it may not fire at all.

·      Decreased Shelf Life. Ammo that is not stored properly can fail to fire or not fire as expected. While ammo generally does not have a shelf life, it can go bad. Modern ammo is generally manufactured for longer storage life.

The shelf life of ammo is complex. You can think of ammo as having a “best if used by” date rather than an expiration date. If stored properly, ammo can and will last decades. In general terms, as every ammo and brand of ammo is different, you can expect rounds to last about a decade if you store them properly.

The factors that go into the lifespan of ammo include:

Environmental Conditions. Humidity, extreme heat, and excess moisture can damage your rounds and cause a variation in how it fires or if it will fire at all. Bad ammunition can be very dangerous.

Storage. How the cartridges are stored is also important. Not only will storing your rounds properly help you to keep them organized, but it also adds greater safety to having ammo in the house. The biggest reason that proper storage helps preserve the lifecycle of your ammo is that it allows you to control the environment that your rounds are exposed to every day.

Usually, the round fires like normal, but not always. With brass rounds, you may see the round begin to degrade. Modern ammunition with brass casings is bright and shiny. As time passes and the rounds are exposed to moisture, the brass fades to a dull color. At this point, the round remains safe to shoot. As more time passes, the brass may oxidize further, and green corrosion may show. Corrosion weakens the casing and, when fired, the pressure inside the round can cause eruptions through the casing.

In extreme cases, the corrosive damage can be severe when focused on the priming compound and the top of the casing. When there is damage to the primer cap, the bullet should be safely discarded and not fired. Too much damage to the primer can cause the bullet to not fire at all, to fire at slower speeds, or to fire only the primer but not the powder.

A bullet that fires slowly and lodges in the barrel is called a squib. Squibs are dangerous. Sometimes, if the powder has lost its potency the round may fire at lower speeds and lodge in the barrel (squib round.) If that happens, the next round can cause significant damage to the barrel and the barrel may explode, injuring the shooter and potentially ruining the firearm.

If the round shows signs of corrosion, the best course of action is to safely dispose of the round.

When you employ an ammo storage system, whether that's a basic ammo box or something more elaborate, it must address the following factors:

Humidity. Not only can humidity form inside the round, but it can also cause a chemical reaction which leads to oxidation and corrosion. Temperature. Temperature fluctuations, such as seasonal highs and lows can impact the quality of the primer and powder. Temperature can impact humidity, too. A good storage solution for ammo means that the rounds stay at room temperature and are protected from extreme temperature ranges, direct sunlight, and moisture.

Safety. Just like with guns, you should have a storage solution that locks your ammo away from easy access.

1.     Avoid extreme temperature swings. Keeping ammo at room temperature between 55°F-80°F is a good goal.

2.    Store ammo in an environmentally controlled location. Avoid storing ammo in the garage or locations where temperature and humidity are active.

3.    Keep your storage containers in a dry place. Toss a few moisture absorbers, like silica gel packets, into your ammo storage box. Be sure to change the moisture-absorbing packs on a regular basis.

4.    Keep ammo in its original box and store it in an ammo box. Ultimately, an ammo box with a silica gel packet will help to keep humidity outside and reduce corrosion.

5.    Store ammo in a dark place. If you keep ammo in the light, it can heat up. A darker location helps to control storage temperatures.

A few things to avoid when storing ammo includes:

1.     Extreme Temperatures. Temperatures over 100 °F and below 40 °F can affect the powder or primer quality. Cycling between hot and cold can cause the metal components of your rounds to expand and contract and ultimately loosen connections and fittings. When that happens, air can tarnish the powder and primer and the rounds may not work as designed.

2.    High Humidity. Humidity can cause metal corrosion and chemical reactions. The moisture that stored rounds experience in highly humid situations can damage the primer and the powder. Humidity may appear inside the round and on the outside of the casing.

3.    Casually Storing Ammo. Never leave ammo in your vehicle for more than a day. Never store ammo in a garage or outbuilding where there is no temperature control. Both a vehicle and a garage can become very hot or cold depending on the season. Ammo stored casually can be found by kids or may become damaged by pests. Rodent urine on brass rounds will quickly cause corrosion.

4.    Sunlight. When you store shells in direct sunlight, the fluctuating temperatures can damage even modern ammunition. Sunlight transfers heat energy to objects and heat energy is one form of energy that you want to avoid when it comes to storing shells.

Ammo cans are a good place to start for the storage of rounds. Berry's Ammo Cans are offered in 20, 30, and 40 caliber sizes and the new Berry’s Tri-Can can hold multiple calibers in one can. The benefit of an ammo can is that it helps to keep your ammo in one spot and its compact size can fit in a gun-safe or secure location without taking up a lot of room.

Berry's ammo cans come with a rubber gasket that helps seal the unit against air exchange and moisture. They are also made to be stackable, helping with space management. An ammo can is a good investment for times when you want to store larger amounts of rounds. For smaller rounds and traveling with rounds, an ammo box may be a better solution.

Ammo boxes offer another approach to storing rounds. Small ammo boxes may hold 10 rounds whereas larger ammo boxes may hold upwards of 100 rounds. If you are looking for a secure way to carry extra rounds for concealed carry, an ammo box may be a good choice. Ammo boxes are sized by caliber, but there are options for holding many shells.

A utility ammo box is a good option when you need to store larger amounts of ammo. Ammo boxes are also a good solution when you need to transport ammo from home to the shooting range or target field, or on a hunting trip. They allow you to carry a specified amount of ammo without hauling all of your ammo along with you.

If you are like us, and you have many guns, ammo boxes allow you to sort and store ammo, so you can visually see how much ammo you have and in what calibers. Even old ammunition will store better in an ammo box. Ammo boxes are also available for shotgun shells.

Berry's offers a range of ammunition storage solutions that address the care requirements of storing ammo. Shop our collection of ammo cans and ammo boxes available in different capacities and for various calibers or rounds. While you're at it, check out our selection of bullets and "round" out your ammo box.

Ammo that is not stored properly can fail to fire or not fire as expected. While ammo generally does not have a shelf life, it can go bad. Modern ammo is generally manufactured for longer storage life.

Not only do we have the answer to that question, but we also have answers to all your other questions related to ammunition longevity, including how it can go bad, how to extend the life of your ammo, and some other frequently asked questions. Let’s get into it!

In terms of shelf life, ammunition generally doesn’t expire or go bad. Many manufacturers will list an expiration date of ten years past the manufacturer date, but that’s more for legal reasons than it is for safety reasons. If it’s stored correctly, then there’s no real known limit to how long you can keep ammunition.

However, that’s not to say that an old bullet is just as effective as a fresh bullet. As time goes on, the gunpowder in the ammunition tends to lose its power — it takes a long time for this to happen, but it happens nonetheless. The less power that the gunpowder has, the less effective your bullet will be. It can be slowed down, its flight path could be changed, or it could potentially cause errors in other ways.

It’s highly recommended that if you find ammunition, you take it to a practice range and fire a few rounds to ensure safety and effectiveness before you take it out into the field. Listen to your gun, smell the smells and take a close look at the target. If everything seems normal, you should be good to go.

Although time itself cannot end the life of ammunition, moisture and humidity can do it. If ammunition gets noticeably wet or is exposed to enough humidity that moisture enters the primer, then it can be deactivated. It takes a good amount of moisture and humidity to do so, and it usually happens in the case of repeat exposure — but it is certainly possible.

If this does happen, the primer will be deactivated as well as the propellant charge, which makes the ammunition completely useless. A tell-tale sign of any propellant charge or primer deactivation is to find rust or discoloration on the primer or the rim of the ammunition case. When you see discoloration or rust, you can be confident that the ammunition has lost its function and is unusable.

There are a few things you can do to extend the life of your ammo and guarantee that it will last for years (or decades) to come. If you implement these variables within your storage space, then you can get the most out of your ammunition no matter how long you hold onto it.

In warmer temperatures, the effects of moisture and oxygen are more prevalent and the threat to your ammunition stock is greatly increased. Because of this, you’ll want to store your ammunition in an air-conditioned climate, especially if you live somewhere warmer. It doesn’t need to be cold — just cool. If you store it somewhere cold, you risk condensation forming on the ammo when you bring it out into the hot outdoors.

Moisture is the worst enemy to your ammunition. If you store your ammunition in a humid environment, there’s going to be more moisture in the air, which can damage your ammunition. You’ll want to store your ammo in ammo cans or sealed storage containers with an air conditioner in order to keep the moisture away. It can also help to pack some sawdust into these containers to keep the ammo dry.

Oxygen can be damaging to the metal found in cartridges, no matter how high of quality your ammunition is. If the ammo is placed in unfavorable storage spaces, then the lead and primer will eventually degrade. This is why it’s so important to invest in some tightly sealed containers if you want to keep your ammo usable for long periods of time.

Still have some questions about your ammunition? Here are some frequently asked questions and our answers about the lifespan of ammunition:

When ammunition goes bad, the metal on the lead starts to degrade. This leads to the primer and propellant charge of the ammunition being defused and deactivated, which renders a bullet useless.

It’s recommended that you don’t store ammo in a magazine for more than six months. When a bullet is in a magazine, it’s more at risk of humidity and oxygen, both of which are damaging to a bullet. They can usually last in most moderate climates for 3-6 months, but it’s best not to risk anything longer than that.

Yes, it can. If a cartridge is old, it’s possible it may not fire out of your gun correctly. This could lead to debris in the barrel of your gun, which in turn can cause problems later on down the line. If you think you fired some ammunition that was bad, take some time to stick a rod down the barrel and clean the firearm. As is the case with most firearm-related issues, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Ammunition isn't like the still-edible 5000-year-old honey found in Egyptian tombs; ready to eat and spread on toast. It has a limited shelf life that depends on factors like where it's stored, exposure to moisture, variation of temperature, exposure to light, whether it was sealed properly, and whether the casing is lead or steel.

Before you fire your weapon, you must determine that you're not using bad ammo. Firing ammunition that has gone bad can be harmful to your gun and dangerous to yourself. This article will show you how to increase the life of your ammo by creating the perfect storage environment.

So you've found a box of ammo that you stored and forgot about. The cartridges look reasonable. Sure they're not in mint condition, but they're not rusty, even though you've had them for a long time.

These are the most common mishaps that could occur when you squeeze the trigger:

Modern ammo is made to last over a decade (and possibly up to twenty years), provided you stick to proper storage practices.

The usable shelf life of ammo is relative and based on several considerations. These come down to the individual manufacturer's loading methods, quality, and components such as powder, primer type, and sealant.

Steel cased ammo is more prone to rust than brass-cased ammo. Additionally, a bullet with exposed lead is more likely to degrade than a bullet with a full metal jacket.

Ammo manufacturers limit their exposure to liability by being more conservative in their estimation of shelf life (not to mention they will sell more ammo boxes by encouraging more frequent purchases).

The shelf life of your ammunition depends on the conditions you store it in, how you limit exposure to high and low temperature, moisture and other factors.

Any time you take ammunition out of storage, start the clock on the expiry of your ammo. Any ammunition you take out into the field, whether on a hunt or to the range, should be used first.

Try separating ammo that you took out but didn't use from the newer rounds not yet placed into storage. While this ammunition won't immediately degrade to uselessness, it's something to watch over time.

Proper ammunition storage is crucial for firearms you rely on in an emergency, like your concealed carry firearm. Such a gun could go years without being fired. Although most manufacturers recommend not using ammo older than ten years, it's better to be safe than sorry. After a few years, use those older rounds at the first opportunity, maybe getting some practice in at the shooting range.

This space should have very limited exposure to air, low variance of temperature and low extremes of humidity and moisture. Constant exposure to humidity is the number one cause of ammo degradation, particularly when it comes to corrosion. Guns and ammo love a dry environment, such as inside a specialist pistol case with cutouts for ammo.

A gun case must seal tightly to keep out elements that can damage your ammunition. UK gun cases are watertight, airtight, all-weather, and include desiccants to prevent rust.

Another viable option is to use heavy-duty plastic ammo cans. These are water-resistant, o-ring sealed cases that can store ammo for several years.

If you have a vacuum sealer, this will do a good job of preserving your ammo. If you're sealing it this way, include some silica gel packets to absorb any ambient moisture.

Whatever container you're storing the ammo in, make sure the temperature is consistent and cool. Extreme heat and cold interact with moisture in the air, and if this seeps into your case or container, the invisible but inevitable chemical reaction will start to damage your ammo. This is especially true in coastal areas where salinity exists.

Limit your ammo's exposure to sunlight. Direct OR reflected light can cause degradation over time, so always store your rounds in a dark place.

It's possible that these solvents can atmospherically seep into the cartridge and compromise the powder, or cause corrosion on the casing. Avoid storing them in the same general location as your ammo to prevent mishaps.

Storing ammo in places prone to lots of movement, like the trunk of your car, is a bad plan. Cartridges knocking against each other can eventually degrade or suffer damage.

If you want the best results from your ammo, proper storage is a must.  Keep your ammunition in an environment that excludes humidity, moisture, and extremes of temperature, sealed from air currents and other spoiling factors that can compromise the cartridge and alter its chemical composition.