Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles would you shoot it?

Came into an old box of '06 ammo. I've never seen primers shaped like these before. Also, some rounds are stamped "30-G-1906," which I've also never seen before. Anyone have any idea how old this stuff is?

Yep, if you want, I would. I might take a reading on the overall length first and using a inertia puller or collet puller bump the bullets out just a smidge first, just in case they're welded fast to the necks which would make excess pressure. Just enough to move them forward, then re-seat them at factory length. Other than that I wouldn't be scared of them personally. Just me, doesn't mean I'm right, but it wouldn't scare me.

No way I'd shoot those

I've shot older looking rounds than those without issues. Minus the funny looking rounded primers. But maybe I've been fortunate.

They should be safe to shoot, however - that stuff may have some collector interest.
I’d save them and find a cartridge collector and see what he has to say.

I’m not a collector, just an accumulator. I have boxes and partial boxes of old ammunition around. Something with those cool old headstamps? No way would I shoot it. Not unlikely that those are corrosive primers, for one thing. What’s to be gained by shooting it? Just satisfy your curiosity about whether it would shoot and maybe run it over a chronograph? And then what?

As cheap as -06 ammo is, I would keep those around as collector stuff.

Mixed head stamps. No Way! Looks like old reloads

No hesitation.

I would be more interested in dissembling one to investigate the primer.

While I wouldn't have heartburn shooting them, I think they have more value as a conversation piece. As others have said, new 30-06 ammo is relatively inexpensive.

Looks like it’s Winchester ammo in a Remington box..

I wouldn't hesitate to shoot them, but would much rather keep them as collectibles.

Appreciate all the input. I hate to collect things I can’t use, but I suppose the best thing to do is squirrel these away.

Shoot 'em.

They're neat, but not what I'd call rare. The domed primers were common 100 years ago. If they're reloads, I wouldn't shoot them because I don't know what's inside. If they're factory and i was shooting them, I'd follow Shade Tree's advice, though there are easier ways to make sure the bullet isn't welded to the case. I woud clean the gun right away in case there's any mercury in those primers, and wouldn't shoot them if there's any corrosion at the case mouth.

Mixed brass, some Remington and some Winchester, would be a big red flag for me. Maybe somebody consolidated partial boxes into one, or maybe they're reloads. I wouldn't shoot them in a rifle I cared much about.

The Western/Winchester 30-G-1906 brass is pre WWii, and the Remington Box is post WWII just to mix things up a little more!

No

I can always learn and there's always things I never thought of. What would be the easier way to make sure a bullet isn't welded? Just seat them a little deeper initially? If so I thought about that in the past, but logic told me that if a factory crimp is involved it's easier on the bullet & case to move them ahead first, but I could be wrong.

I wouldn't hesitate to shoot it if I had a good reason. You certainly won't hurt anything by trying. If nothing else you'd find out how long ammunition remains viable and that's enough reason for me to try some out every other year or so.

Really old ammunition may fail to fire which is about the worst that can happen.

Same here.

I can’t see a scenario where old 06’ ammo would be loaded to a pressure unsafe in a modern rifle. I can’t see a point to shooting it either though. If you’re not going to hunt with it why bother shooting it just to shoot it. I’d rather save it on a shelf in the gunroom.

I think I would keep the Super-X for the unique headstamp.

The SuperSpeed: I would disassemble each of them. Take a good look at the powder & case for deterioration. Reassemble if good. Shoot 5 for confidence in a bubba-ized 1903 and then kill a deer with the sixth.

Michael

A careful twist of the bullet will do for me, taking care not to deform the brass or bullet. If it twists very easily, I look a second time for a split neck. If that doesn't reasonably work, then your method is the next option.

I have enough old crap lying around, so I’d give them to a “collector”/hoarder, or break them down.

When I bought my first press back in 1955, it came with four primer seating stems, two were for large and small flat primers and two for small and large rounded (domed) primers and one could still buy either type primer. The domed variety disappeared shortly after about 1956 as I recall. Frankly, I don't remember buying any new factory ammo back them that came with domed primers but I'm sure there may have been some. I do remember that for a few years handgun ammo did have domed primers I still have the seating stems for those domed primers somewhere out in my reloading shed.

PJ