As part of a side business, I deal in antiques, vintage items, gold & silver jewelry, coins etc. Part of that is attending auctions, estate sales, flea markets & yard sales.

Quite frequently, I come across boxes of old handgun / rifle ammo and shotgun shells.

99% of the time it’s a good to great deal, price-wise. However, I have not “pulled the trigger” so to speak, generally out of concern for safety.

Am I being overly cautious and missing out on good discounted ammo? Does ammo have a shelf life? What about shotgun shells?

Thanks