Age of ammo versus velocity

[HomerTHX1138]

Age of ammo is basically inversely proportional to the velocity of the bullet (I'm sure there are exceptions). Many of you have probably seen this but here's the link, scroll down to the table:

http://www.hitach.com/advice.html

[Schuetzenman]

Homer those guys are about as unbiased as the jury in the OJ trial was. They are out to sell new ammo so of course they have a nice chart that shows a 50% velocity loss in 50 years.

Well maybe it's true but I'm doubting it a bunch, a big bunch.

I've shot 54 R ammo that dated to the 50's and it would rattle your teeth with any current round made. I've shot 70's vintage 7.62 X 39 that chronographed at 2350 fps. Then chronographed 90's vintage Russian and it chronographed 2350 give or take the usual ammounts of deviation in any such ammo group. I've shot 1956 and 1961 FN Herstal and OJP headstamped Austrian .30-06. Both will chronograph at ,2800 to 2900 fps with 150 gr. bullets. The FN was the slower and is right on Spec for M2 Ball ammo. The OJP is over 100 fps over spec on speed. Shit if this stuff has lost as much energy as what these Hitach guys are saying surp ammo does, it would have blown a rifle to peices when new! :rolleyes:

Now is the phenomenon of velocity drop in older powders true, yes, but not to the degree these bozos are posting. The only possible example of speed drop from age was some 1917 .30-06 a buddy of mine chronographed. It came in at 2700 fps. The spec is 2775, so it didn't loose much, still grouped accurately.

Biggest problme IMO that we encounter is primers going dud on us. But a lot of that has to do with how the ammo was stored. High temps and humidity and the primers can decompose.

[HomerTHX1138]

I guess the old adage "believe half of what you read, and none of what you hear" applies here :D

[Richard Simmons]

Isn't a lot of the Turk 8mm out there just as hot if not hotter than when it was new?

[Schuetzenman]

Yep good point RS, it's so hat that it chronographs at 2,900 fps! Head stamp was 42 or 43 for that readout!