Gun shop sold me old shotgun shells - safe to shoot?

I've been shooting some 12ga from the 70's and 80's lately to use it up and rotate the old stuff. Some with rusty brass on it, and so far my Mossberg has had no problems with them. I bought my Mossberg 500 new in the mid 80's, so same age as yours.
rusty brass? brass doesn't have iron in it lol
 
rusty brass? brass doesn't have iron in it lol

I have yet to see a modern shotgun shell that would not stick to a magnet. The "brass" on shotgun shells is actually plated steel.

You really learn a lot by cleaning up steel cases on the range with a magnet. I was surprised the first time the magnet picked up a shotgun shell, but an old timer told me they will all stick to a magnet, and so far he has been right. Now that I know that the brass on shotgun shells is plating, I do notice that they really do a nice job of it. The plated steel shells really do look like brass.

So far the only shotgun shell I have found that would not stick to a magnet was an all brass shotgun shell used for cowboy action. This was a shell where the brass is 2.75" long, and there is no plastic or paper in the shell body. This was indeed a brass shotgun shell, but these are extremely rare and expensive. I have been told there are some normal modern shotgun shells with real brass bases, but I have not come across any so far.
 
I'm a new LTC holder and new gun owner (bought a used Mossberg 500 at the same shop (it ended up being way older than was advertised, but that's another story)). After researching lot numbers online, the shotgun shells I was sold appears to be extremely old. I have slugs very likely manufactured in 2007, and 00 buckshot likely manufactured in 1997. Caveat emptor, I know. Is this ammunition likely safe to shoot? On the buckshot in particular appears to have some erosion spots on the brass.

If you are new to Shotgun, I would get some birdshot to introduce yourself to the gun and get your feet under you before you concern yourself with those "old" shells. Flinching can be a bad habit to break...
 
they switched me from the swingline to the boston stapler, but I kept my swingline stapler because it didn't bind up as much, and I kept the staples for the swingline stapler, and it's not ok because if they take my stapler then i'll set the building on fire

I thought the old swinglines only came in greys, and newer models in black - but obviously your stapler is red...
 
Would a gunsmith would be able to handle that for 2-3 hundred? As a newbie, I would be concerned with screwing it up.

Bro, just like anything mechanical, you have to learn how to do the basic stuff yourself. Basic car maintenance, maintenance around the house, and basic work on your firearms. Besides knowing the basic functions of your firearms, disassembling and cleaning your is as simple as it gets. The above linked youtube video is quite helpful, and there are plenty of other hits on the web for taking 500/590 shotguns apart. Just be careful, go slow, learn the pieces, and do a functions check when you have reassembled it. Much of this should be in the owners manual as well. If you don't have one, check the Mossberg site.

Owner's Manuals | O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc.
 
Yeah, I'm not especially angry about the Mossberg being older. The wooden furniture is gorgeous. There is some rust, but otherwise it's in great cosmetic condition. I haven't fired it yet. I do wonder if I should get it looked at by a gunsmith just in case, however.

View attachment 406820

With regards to the ammo, it might just be oxidation. First is the buckshot and then the slugs:

View attachment 406822
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The shells look fine.
I see nothing wrong with that shotgun pic you posted.
 
Would a gunsmith would be able to handle that for 2-3 hundred? As a newbie, I would be concerned with screwing it up.
First ... anyone charging you $300 for that work is f*cking you hard. Not even an action job costs that much.

Second ... Shotguns are fairly simple. I suggest you watch a video and take it apart. If you need to replace a rusted part, buy the replacement, drop it in and call it a day. Your picture looks like surface rust, not a big deal.

Guns are amazing as far as engineering. I love taking mine apart once in a while and its amazing how genius their designs are. No other tool in history has had so much brain power and millions of hours of figuring out how to make it work reliably as guns. (Besides hammers, spears and swords).

That is why there is nothing meaningful in new guns, people jerk off to some minor change that ends up being more trouble than its worth and that is why the most successful designs are decades old and were designed before CAD existed. Amazing.
 
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