Vinatge .45ACP amo

[Indiana Croft]

I have this friend who comes into work, he's
quite the gun enthusiast. And by the way he's also
a Preacher, my kinda preacher.

Well he must have been at a gun show
or something, cause he found me a box of 50 rounds
(just acouple have been fired) of vintage amo from
Peters "rustless 45 automatic Rim" 230 grain lead bullet.

These are really neat cause when you put them in the 1917
and when you use the ejector, they rise up, like there on a
half moon clip. Kinda cool.

The condtion though is a question I have of those
who are more educated than I, they have a slightly
grease feeling and couple of very light rust like stains.
The stains feel as though if I were to put a light
amount of elbow grease, they'll clean up nice.
Not sure how old, but I was wondering, should I be
concerend about firing them in my S&W 1917 ??

Here's some pic's. Let me know your thoughts.
Croft
[img][img]http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z145 ... amobox.jpg[/img][/img]

[img][img]http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z145 ... geamo1.jpg[/img][/img]

[img][img]http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z145 ... geamo3.jpg[/img][/img]

[The Pilot]

I shouldn't think they'd be a problem. The cylinder is what takes the load. Without it, the cases would burst. So as long as the gun is in good condition they should be OK. I've shot WWII vintage 7.92mm Mauser cartridges in one of my rifles, and they worked fine. I don't know what 'rustless' means. Does it mean that the cases won't rust? Or does it mean that it's non-corrosive ammo? You don't want to use corrosive ammo in your gun. (Or else be very diligent about cleaning and lubing it.) That's my opinion. I am not a gunsmith.

Having said that, I wouldn't use them. You can get .45R easily enough. (Expensive -- about the same as .455 Webley/Eley -- but available.) I'd consider these Peters rounds as collectibles and put them aside just to appreciate them.

[carebear]

Don't clean them or shoot them, the box is probably worth something to collectors, as is the ammo.

Peters isn't around anymore. But they were a key wartime supplier of .45 AR ammo.

Did some checking, I think that's a pre-war box, if so it and the ammo are almost certainly worth more than a new box would cost you.

The greasiness is water/rust proofing. If the cases are rusted they have to be steel but I suspect it's off the box somehow.

You can buy new .45 AR for shooting, that's probably a bit of history you have there.

[binkmeisterRick]

I would be concerned about firing any old ammo in a gun. Depending upon the age and type of ammo, it may fire a bit unpredicatably. I've experienced (with old rifle ammo) a delayed charge, so even though you pull the trigger and the firing pin hits the casing, the bullet does not necessarily fire as soon as the pin makes contact. There is always the slight possibility that the charge won't even ignite, which is a very uneasy feeling in my book, and I take great care when unloading it. Personally, I'd keep it as a collectable and not fire it.

[The Pilot]

I've experienced (with old rifle ammo) a delayed charge.

Hang-fires. Good point.

Never experienced one myself, even with 50-year-old ammo. But I've had a round or two of .556 NATO surplus fail to fire at all. 30 seconds is a long time sometimes... (To the non-shooters: If a round fails to fire, keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction and wait.)

But again, and as has been stated by others, save the ammo for its collector value and shoot new stuff.

[binkmeisterRick]

Hang-fires. Good point.

Never experienced one myself, even with 50-year-old ammo. But I've had a round or two of .556 NATO surplus fail to fire at all. 30 seconds is a long time sometimes... (To the non-shooters: If a round fails to fire, keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction and wait.)

Another good point. And yes, 30 seconds never felt like hours! After that experience, I decided to stick with current production ammo.

[Indiana Croft]

Thanks guy's for the helpful info and insight, I'll probaly just display them along side my resin version of my 1917 I'm getting through KingNothing.
If anything it'll enhance the display.
Pre-war box huh, thats kinda kool.

Croft

[Indiana]

I shoot 1950's 30-06 out of my Garand and it is just as safe as the day it was made. However, it was all produced AFTER the government switched to using noncorrosive primers. Seeing as how this is most likely prewar ammo, chances are this ammo is corrosive, even if it is not military production. Not that big of a problem in a revolver though. Just make sure you clean really well. I would save this ammo as collectors item though. Espcially if modern ammo is still available.

[carebear]

Thanks guy's for the helpful info and insight, I'll probaly just display them along side my resin version of my 1917 I'm getting through KingNothing.
If anything it'll enhance the display.
Pre-war box huh, thats kinda kool.

Croft

That'd be a neat display. Gun, open box, a few loose rounds spilled out.

You will, of course, be posting pictures.

[Indiana Croft]

Well, Ya.....................
But it might be awhile, but I will.
Croft

[belfastman]

Remington still markets some calibers as peters

[IndyFrench]

Yeah - I would save the ammo - It's too cool to just fire away and waste, you know? Then you'd only have cases and an empty box and say, "Well, that was that."

Plus, I know a lot of people find the moon clips annoying, but I like them for their quick-load advantage - just make sure you have demooning pliers after the fact...

[LeatherneckJones]

Hang-fires. Good point.

Never experienced one myself, even with 50-year-old ammo. But I've had a round or two of .556 NATO surplus fail to fire at all. 30 seconds is a long time sometimes... (To the non-shooters: If a round fails to fire, keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction and wait.)

Eeep. I have a friend that lost an eye and was put out of commission for a long time when his M2 .50 cal had a hang fire. It was during combat, and he opened the feed tray to try and get the gun back in action, only to have the hang fire cook off in his face. Very dangerous...

[Michaelson]

Many years ago I did some target shooting with a friend who brought a box of 1950 era .38 special ammo to shoot out of his Colt Detective.

His first round popped like a cap gun (essentially is was. It was just the sound of the primer going off). There was enough pressure from the primer to push the bullet out of the gun (fortunately it was a 2 inch barrel), and it literally bounced off the paper target and fell to the ground.

I picked it up, and you see the paper pattern now embossed in the nose of the lead bullet. He put the boxe back in his car.

I kept that bullet to remind me never to shoot old ammo if I can help it.

Regards! Michaelson

[Pilotguy299]

I'd be worried that the powder has deteriorated to the point that it acts like a squib load, where there's enough to propel it out of the casing but lodges partway down the barrel. Then trying to shoot it out will only damage the barrel and possibly you as well.

[Indiana Croft]

Ya know, thats kinda what I thought might happen as well. Funny thing is my 1917 had a cut down barrel from a "squib barrel" thats why it's 3-1/2 "long instead of SA 4". Consalation I still have the orriginal barrel.

So fear not, these will not be fired the my 1917, when I get my resign 1917 from kingnothing I'll set up some kinda display.

Croft