Recently picked up this case of Yugoslavian .308 that was opened 6 months ago. Ammo pictured is typical of the boxes I've opened, some the cardboard boxes have some discoloration. If I transfer the ammo to G.I. ammo cans, How long will it keep? How much dessiccant should I put in the ammo can? Should I shoot it and not consider storing it? The guy I purchased it from said his bolt guns fired every round but his FALS had a few FTF. Is this typical of this ammo or was it just his FAL? Usually I educate myself prior to a purchase, that wasn't possible on this purchase. I hope I didn't waste $60 on it.
it looks sealed primers are colored, typical of the ammo with the FTF. SA is about the only decent Mil surp on the market that works ok. I think it was the India stuff is super nasty.
I don't put dessicant with my ammo but I don't live in high humidity either. I keep all my ammo and reloading supplies inside in my office closet on a Gorilla Rack. It should last a while seeing that it already has!
Shoot a batch to see if it is reliable before doing much else. Dig around in the crate and pull out a handful or two from various spots in the box. That should give you an idea of what you have. Looks like it has already been wet. If you are in a dry climate or have a dry place to keep it, don't bother with dessicant. If storing it, seal it up on a dry day and don't sweat it --
Colt. The lacquer is discolored which is usually an indicator that the rounds have gotten wet. The usual color for the sealant on the primers is a red or green. This doesn't necessarly mean that it won't fire but there could be a possibility. Ghrit has some good advice about grabbing some rounds from various parts of the case and go shoot it. As far as storing it, if you use a good ammo can with a seal intact it shouldn't need any desicant. I might leave it out in the open for a couple of days to make sure that any moisture that might have been in the cardboard or any other part has a chance to evaporate but after that just pack it up and periodically check it. Take care Be safe Poacher.
As far as the ammo getting wet, I would imagine that happened after the galvanized container was opened, unless it wasn't integretable to begin with. The guy said getting the soldered galvanized lid off was a bitch. I will take the advice on shooting ammo from different boxes to check reliability. Since I live in a high humidity environment, fall is here, I'll have to fire up the woodstove to dry it out before storing, if it's worth storing. Thanks to all for the replies.