New Old Stock Brass

[LE-28]

I was rooting around in my reloading room the other day taking inventory of loaded ammunition and ran across several bags of never used 30-06 Winchester brass, 30-30 brass, and 308 brass from the early '90s, that is still in there original bags from when I bought them.

Does brass age harden, it is still sealed up in the original bags so the air hasn't worked on it, but that doesn't stop time.
Does anyone think I will have a neck splitting problem with using it without annealing first?

 

[sako2]

no. air and age will only dull the brass

 

[jpx2rk]

To ease your mind, could try loading up 5 or so with light loads and see if those senior citizens are up to the task. LOL

 

[lamarw]

I suspect since they have remained in environmentally controlled conditions in your reloading room, there should be no problem. I have reloaded ammunition from the early 1970's that is still just fine.


I have seen paper shotgun shells from way back in the day still shoot just fine.

 

[Unclenick]

The only things that could go wrong would be oxidation or exposure to ammonia vapor (causes season cracking). If that hasn't happened, you should be good to go. Lack of radioactive heavy elements in the brass means you don't have atoms spontaneously breaking down.

 

[F. Guffey]

Does brass age harden, it is still sealed up in the original bags so the air hasn't worked on it, but that doesn't stop time.
Does anyone think I will have a neck splitting problem with using it without annealing first?

If time took a tole on brass I would be a nervous wreck. There was a time when brass was pickled for storage.

F. Guffey

 

[Unclenick]

I believe castings still are pickled for storage in some instances. Citric acid is used. Maybe other acids, too. Citric acid seems to passivate the surface in some way. I notice that cases cleaned in citric acid (aka, sour salt) will darken a little bit with age, but, despite being clean of wax or oil, never get verdigris or lose their yellow color (no brown patina like you see on cases left outdoors on the ground for years). The old Frankford Arsenal formula was 10% citric acid in water, by weight. That's all. No detergents or anything. Not really needed, as citric acid softens water and makes it slippery all by itself. Interesting stuff.

 

[LE-28]

Thanks guys, I'll just leave them sealed up until I either use them or trade them away.

That old Winchester was supposed to be a lot better brass than what they sell today. I don't really know, I haven't bought any '06 brass since I bought these in the early 90s. I'm still using the first 100 count bag of it so it must be pretty decent.

 

[cw308]

I have a box of 500 45ACP R P brass from the 80's , they look as new as the day I bought them . They have been kept in the house that is temperature controlled. There not in a plastic bag just loose in the original box. I've been using brass from friends that don't reload , all once fired brand names ,. RP , Win., Speer and Federal .All are holding up well . One of these days I will get into the new cases , I would be surprised if they split after a few firings or 500 is alot of surprises.


jpx2rk
Are you saying I would be used as the canary . I thought I was the only one with a warped sense of humor .LOL