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50 year old reloads

I was looking into making my own primers today for a few minutes, I’m thinking my bud with a pyrotechnics license, can plumb me up with some g48, and I’d be willing to bet ya never primed primers can be had, it’s just 1 of those things where u don’t want to blow any fingers off!
 
Gotta wonder how the ammo survives stored in desert war zones such as Iraq etc.

Rosewood
Modern military powders are a lot more heat and cold stabilized than old ones were.

Plus look at the time factor.

Even old powders are pretty stable over time if kept cool and dry. But 30+ years of sitting in a 120-plus degree attic all Summer will definitely have more of an effect that being in the desert sun (or an un-AC'd supply tent) for a few months.
 
Modern military powders are a lot more heat and cold stabilized than old ones were.

Plus look at the time factor.

Even old powders are pretty stable over time if kept cool and dry. But 30+ years of sitting in a 120-plus degree attic all Summer will definitely have more of an effect that being in the desert sun (or an un-AC'd supply tent) for a few months.
On that note, I have a couple thousand military hardball 230 grain 45 acp that I got from my late father in law. The ammo cans had sit in his attic in middle georgia since about 1988 or so until I got them about 5 years ago. Some of them are dated 1967 and some 1974. I have shot them at the range and they thus far have been more accurate than modern factory ammo and the chronograph says they are exactly where they are supposed to be. Can't speak for other older ammo, but that is my experience.

Rosewood
 

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I wouldn't worry as much about pistol ammo anyway. 45ACP just doesn't make that much pressure to begin with and there's not a ton of powder there even if it does burn faster.

It's rifle ammo that I would be more concerned with, just because of the volume of powder in the case and the potential damage it would do if it was suddenly burning much faster.

I would definitely check for flattened primers and other pressure signs on any ammo that had been stored in a hot place for decades though.
 
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