Ammo life span accuracy

[Dan Cash]

I regularly have ammo carried over from one season to the next and use it with no noticed degredation in performance. These are grease groove .45-70 BP rounds. I paper patch my .30-40 hunting ammo which is smokeless. At one time, I listened to some expert advice and lubricated the patched bullets just a little. That ammo, when kept for a prolonged period exhibited terrible accuracy. It appeared that the patches were sticking to the case neck and tearing on firing. Ammo loaded with unlubricated paper patched bullets or shellacked paper patched bullets seems to have an indefinate shelf life.