Are they safe to shoot?
Jeff

Yes shoot them up. As with any ammo if you hear something stange like a low sounding report light recoil stop shooting and check the barrel.

Shouldn't have any problem unless they have been soaked in oil, WD40 or something similar for an extended period, then you might have a misfire. I regularly shoot ammo that is older than that. As Pds said, odd sound, check the barrel.

I also wouldn't use them on a "hunt of a lifetime" but for ordinary near home type trips I would not hesitate.

Gas57, I was recently given some Remington Express high brass 12 ga shells that were over 35 yrs old. 2 boxes of them. They all shot fine with no problems.

Yes, unless they are corroded and nasty. Paper shells are a different thing. The wax form the paper can mess them up if they ever got hot enough to melt it. I have never had a problem with old plastic shells. Paper ones can be a problem as mentioned above. If you choose to shoot nasty paper shells keep a rod handy to push out wads. Shooting out a wad can burst the barrel. My buddies LC Smith ideal grade was a victum of a stuck wad. Luckily he was only slightly injured.

gas57:

So far as "danger' is concerned, Scot has the right advice. Are they paper shells? (Many guys in this forum never knew anything but plastic shells and quite lately developed powders) If a paper shell, there always was the danger that the powder, quite simply, would "dry up", as we said. (I'm 74) We had smokeless in an earlier stage and my father always believed that smokeless in its early stages was an enormous improvement over black powder, of course) -but that there was no evidence that the new smokeless powders would have a "shelf life" any better than black powder. (he lived long enough to agree that smokeless lasted much better). I guess what I'm saying is that if you have paper shells -then walk carefully. It could be more than just having the shell go off like a squib load. Powder that gets very dry may develop some dangerous pressures. I'm not saying the shotgun will explode but I would feel very uncomfortable with a splinter fore end double and shooting very old ammo. I can't be technical with you and give you technical advice. It's the feeling of someone who has been shooting shotguns for over 60 years. Dump the old ammo.