Have some very old rounds for a rifle. Very old = 40 years.

Safe to shoot? How do you know when it is or is not?

problem with ammo that old is twofold ...
1. primers maybe corrosive
2. if used in simi auto's you may have a higher miss fire rate
if they were stored correctly ... fire away :D

Single shot Japanese WWII rifle. The only thing automatic is the shoulder pain. ;)

Stored well, look fine. I'll give them a "shot".

Thanks!

Save the brass for those who reload and need it.

I have seen some companies selling WWII ammo, and would think it's ok as long as it has been stored in sealed ammo cans. As a matter of fact, my father-in-law just ran out of the .30 carbine ammo he, er..., "aquired" during his tour to the Phillipines at the end of WWII, and it worked just fine 60 years later.

However, I have heard of people having problems with "semi-duds", that will go off but not being powerful enough to launch the bullet out of the barrel. A bullet stuck in the barrel could be a serious problem, so you probably need to be careful.

As mentioned, lots of the older surplus stuff has corrosive primers. Clean the gun immediately after firing unless you like a pitted bore.

However, I have heard of people having problems with "semi-duds", that will go off but not being powerful enough to launch the bullet out of the barrel. A bullet stuck in the barrel could be a serious problem, so you probably need to be careful.

Yep... if something sounds/feels wrong, check the bore before sending another through it or you may be in for a very nasty surprise.

Blocked barrel is my biggest concern - but I plan on firing the old ones singly, and make sure it fired. It's actually a bolt-action 5-shot, not single shot as I said earlier.

I'll definitely clean it up once fired.

Found a source for new stuff, ordered a box of those also.

Funny story about this rifle - my Dad picked it up during WWII. Since the japanese booby-trapped a lot of stuff, he test fired it by tying it to a tree, and firing towards another tree 50 yards away. Pulled a string to shoot it from a safe distance.

The gun fired fine. But when they went up to the tree, it looked like they missed - until they went to the other side of the tree and half of it was blown away!

is this 7.7 Jap ?? is the little flower still stamped on the barrel ??? it's the Empiors crest & was order distroyed by General Mc Arthur himself .... just a little triva for ya .... :D

If it's one of those "last ditch" Arisakas, you might have more than the ammo to worry about. Be safe! ;)

It is the 7.7 Jap. - McArthur ShmickArthur.... Got the bayonet for it, too. ;)

insert the cartridge, close the breech, pull the trigger, if it goes "bang!" its a good round, if it goes "poof"...check your barrel for obstuctions (probably a good idea in any/all scenario's)...if it goes "click" its a dud....."it will go off but not be powerful enough to launch the bullet out of the barrel. A bullet stuck in the barrel could be a serious problem"...hats true enough, just ask your neighborhood civil war veteren, they've found quite a few exploded muzzle loading rifles on battle fields with 2 and 3 charges packed on top of each other, can you imagine trying to load those things in the heat of a battle of that era?