How can I stop shotgun cartridges going rusty?

Pack shotgun cartridges in a dry, warm atmosphere before you seal them up for storage.

By Shooting technical advice

Monday, 19 October 2009

I want to keep shotgun cartridges in the loft, which never drops below freezing but does get a bit damp at times. I am not talking about keeping the ammo for a long time, but maybe buying a year’s worth at a time.

Shooting technical expert
MIKE GEORGE
I am quite conversant with the problems involved in storing large numbers of shotgun cartridges in the average house.

I find the best plan is to pack cartridges in airtight containers.

I have some big plastic boxes with lids that seal tightly, although I suppose you could use well sealed polythene bags.

The important thing is to pack the cartridges in a dry, warm atmosphere before you seal them up, so that you don’t trap moisture in with them.

Don’t spray cartridge heads with rust repellents like WD40.

Evidence from America suggests that it can penetrate the primers and make them unreliable.

There seems to be some disagreement about the shelf-life of plastic-cased cartridges, so all I can say is that I have some which are around 15 years old, and they still shoot perfectly.