Would a 200 year old AR-15 rifle still shoot?

Question

Let's say that I walked into a store and I purchased a brand new Colt AR-15 rifle. I went to my home and I placed it into a bulletproof, fireproof, rustproof time capsule where no water, moisture, or the elements would affect it. And I left it there for my descendants to keep it, and 200 years later one of my great great great grandchildren found it and opened it. And he pulled out my AR-15 and put some .223/5.56 mm ammo into it, would it still shoot and would it be safe?

Answer 1

With age the finish and plastic parts may degrade a little.  I would imagine that 200 years later, if ammo could be had, it should be still shootable.

Answer 2

Hey George, where ya been?

Yes, if that 200 year old rifle has been kept dry and sealed, it would function as well as the day it was made. What makes me say that?

I have a good example. A few years ago, a company called IMA, or International Military Antiques bought an armory full of 18th and 19th Century guns from Nepal. This collection included British military rifles dating back over 150 years. These rifles had not even been taken that good a care of when stored there. While many had degraded into junk, many more were still in NRA fair to good condition.

Although for liability reasons being as they were so old, IMA asked that buyers not attempt to shoot them. But you can't keep a good gun down. Even though these rifles received little or no preparation for long-term storage, many of the rifles, particularly the Martini and Snider rifles, were found by buyers to be in fully functioning condition, and the buyers proceeded to fire them using new ammo manufactured to period loading specs with black powder as was used in that time period. They proved to still safely function after 150 years or more. These rifles were not made to modern metalurgical standards like an AR-15. They were old-school carbon steel and wood.

Contrary to what a previous answerer claimed, the composite parts would only suffer degradation in the presence of sunlight. A modern, new rifle properly prepared and stored would emerge from storage as a still-new rifle, perfectly capable of functioning like the day it rolled off the Assembly line.

visit http://www.ima-usa.com to read the story of the lost Nepalese Arms Cache and view the remaining guns still for sale.

Answer 3

It should be after an inspection/adjustment from a gun shop. I believe that there are guns from the war of 1812 that have been shot today after some work from a gunsmith, so I can't see any reason why not. It would probably need a good oiling and some minor adjustments tho.  

Answer 4

there are many variables involved, the composite parts would have more than likely decayed and be useless, but the metal parts would probably survive if kept in perfect condition and the firearm would function.

Answer 5

check for barrel obstructions etc before shooting but other then that it should be fine

Answer 6

No, most AR's barely shoot brand new.

Answer 7

certainly. Under those controlled conditions it would be fine. I'd lube it and wipe it down with Breakfree clp or similar and check for barrel obstructions etc, but other than that, as long as there had been no tension on springs, I'd lay odds it would be good as new.

shoot safe

Answer 8

Your local museum probably has some muskets from the 1700's that still fire.  No reason a modern rifle would not.......... assuming the ammo was available.