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What a day, a friend of mine picked up two flats of Winchester Dove and Quail #8 shot(compression hull) and 21 bags of the old Winchester 16 ag. wads just for me.(what a friend) The shells were $50 a flat and the wads $4 dollars a bag. Some one else grabbed two flats while he was making the deal. I was on the phone with him at the time. The flats were still marked for delivery to K Mart and the wads had there original $3.49 stickers on them.
Ron

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

That is a very fortunate happenstance and you do indeed have a true friend....

Guest

Member Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 376 Location: North ID.

Dang, I missed out!

20 minutes away from the Spokane fairgrounds and I didn't go this time!

IDcut,
The show always has some 16ga stuff. I would keep an eye on it and other shows in the area. The person that took the two other flats might be reselling. I was lucky and just had to share(verbally) the old ammo find. With the slow down there might be more surprises at the gun shows.
Best,
Ron

Member Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 376 Location: North ID.

Thanks Ron!

For various reasons, I've missed the past 2-3 shows! You're right Ron, I won't find the deals if I don't visit the shows. I also think you're on base, concerning deals now with the slowdown.

regards,

Cameron

If you want AA 16 wads, just order the Claybusters. They are available now and prices will drop as the novelty wears off.

As far as older ammo goes--its a risk. I've had both good and bad luck with old ammo I've scrounged up or been given. Some has been excellent. Some has been miserable. Better to reload your own fresh stuff and avoid the weak hits on game birds old, poorly stored ammo can cause.

Ya Guy, as soon as they are priced at $4 a bag I'll get in line. As far as old ammo is concernerd , my glass is half full. Very Happy

It has been great. If only there were more people reluctant to use old ammo I would be able to buy things a lot cheaper. Life is still good here in Montana and the old ammo still takes a limit of birds.
Ron

The 16 gauge AA wads are now worth a damn sight less than they were last year it seems. The Claybuster clone has seen to that. $4 bucks a bag is better than the $11 or $12 bucks they were commanding last year. However, the supply is limited. Sooner or later, they will get shot up. I'm guessing the Claybusters will come down some once they are on the market a while. Who knows how much.

Most folks thought lead shot would never be under 35 bucks a bag again. Its down to 25 now. It might go lower. Who knows. I'm glad I had enough bought at $13 a bag stashed away. it got me through two years of ridiculous prices.

You've had some good luck with old ammo. Good for you. I've had a mixed bag. I'm still nursing the remainder of three boxes of compression form hulled, WW Super X Premium #5 shot, 1-1/4 ounce loads that whack birds real nice. I got htem for about $3 bucks a box. The two companion boxes of 1 ounce #6 WW Upland loads (same hull, same price) from the same era had three failures to fire out of the first 10. I gave them to a friend for hand thrown target practice on his own land a while back. Targets do not suffer the ill affects of poor ammo. A missed clay target caused by a squib shell is not nearly as frustrating either as the empty snap of the pin on a squib aimed at a running cock bird you've been trailing for a 1/2 hour through the back 20 of an overgrown abandoned farm or a swampy fen, at least in my book.

I gave away several boxes of older Remington Shur Shot Power Piston wadded #6's good only for target shooting. The first three pheasant I hit with them three years ago just kept going. All three were hit well at fairly close range. The ammo was a bit punky. It shot well at the club on clays, but lacked the pizzazz needed to kill ringnecks. The second loads used to finally kill them cleanly were all 1-1/8 ounce Remington express loads from the same era. They dumped the birds nicely much further out a split second later. Go figure.

Old ammo is a crap shoot it would seem to me. You places your bet and you gets what the dice roll. I've given up on old stuff. I can reload better hunting ammo than most of it, so why gamble at all. All things considered, even newly bought standard grade 1 ounce #6 loads like the present day GL16 Remington loads are a good bet at the $4.50 to $5 a box they go for around these parts usually. They kill the birds dead very well with no risk at all if you don't try to stretch the range past 35 yards or so. I'll take the safe bet here. The money is short enough and the supply big enough that I do not feel the need to scrounge for old ammo. You can do it any way you like, Ron according to your own situation. It's your money and your hunting time to invest--good results or bad. I've not a clue what 16 gauge ammo brings in Montana. I've never been there. Doubt I ever will be either, so its no skin off my nose.

On the other hand, we have daily commute traffic jams that would piss off a saint. They are a big risky crap shoot too. But I've got to work to eat, so I have no choice in the matter but get in line and cuss like everyone else at everyone else going to work just like everyone else. But that is a different kettle of fish. I understand you folks have sheep jams in Montana. I guess you folks cuss too then, and the damned sheep don't care either. Laughing

Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 444 Location: WI

I've got some old shells I inherited from Grandma. One of them is a box of Remington "Wetproof" paper Nitro Express heavy duck loads in "6 ch".

The price on the box? $1.15.

I wonder what year that was! Anyone have a guess?

I'd hold on to them as a keepsake. Some of these old boxes of loads can bring a whole bunch from the serious vintage ammo collectors. You just never know what you might have until some fellow offers you a wad for a box of what you thought was old junk. Perhaps somebody here might be able to enlighten this young fellow. I'm not that up on collectable ammo.

I think the ch stands for chilled shot which has a bit of antimony added. It was once considered the best grade premium shot over the standard dead soft black lead shot most regular field loads used back then. Nobody uses soft black shot anymore in any domestic ammo I know of. Chilled shot is the lowest grade used now and is still considered as premium shot for most hunting ammo. In most hunting ammo, it is the only type loaded regardless of any claims of premium shot being used.

Magnum or target grade shot is even harder due to a higher percentage of antimony than chilled shot has-especially in #7.5 and #8 shot. This shot is reserved for the top grade target loads being offered for most serious trap shooting. I do use magnum #6 shot for pheasant loads. It tends to pill up less in the feathers and does penetrate a bit better as well IMO. Most skeet loads do fine with #9 chilled shot, so magnum shot is not really needed here except for maybe .410 reloading.

Bigger shot than #6 shot is hard to drop and form up into round, uniformly sized pellets if it contains a high percentage of antimony. Most so called magnum shot of #5 or bigger is a waste of money. Chilled shot is just as good in the bigger sizes as any from what I've seen. In fact, it will usually prove to be rounder and more consistant in size and weight in my experience. However, the shot makers are all too happy to take your extra dough if you insist on magnum #5 or bigger shot. Like any smart businessmen, they would rather sell you something you insist on rather than educate you to the realities involved.

Its late Guy and I will sleep better having your permission to press on with old ammo and the likes. Wink

Your right about the traffic. I really am concerned about not having a stop light on the Hi-way 200 that runs through our town. I've even had to wait for up to three cars before entering traffic. Things like that really spoil my day. Very Happy

Its really a good life if one discounts the traffic and the old ammo.
Ron

don't forget the sheep. Laughing

In regards to ammo how old is considered too old?

Guest