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Originally Posted by the_marq
Well theoretically a simple bolt action rifle would last forever. That is if; it never rusted and/or never fell victim to other sorts of decay (wood rot for example). Althought rust would be the biggest threat as I have old rifles with wooden stocks that would still work, tho not conveniently, even without a stock. Therefore, if you stored that weapon in the perfect 'cool dry place' it would be useful forever.
I don't know for sure but I would assume that ammunition stored in a similar fashion would also have an eternal shelf life. Unless of course gun powder goes stale, and I don't think it does.
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Add to that if it's never used.
A gun is a mechanical device and with use, the parts will wear.
As said, rust is the biggest enemy of a gun, but if it is taken care of, a gun should last 10-20 thousand rounds (I believe) without having to replace anything.
As to ammo, if it is sealed, it can go 50 years or more and still be fired (powder can degrade, so your chances of a missfire will increase with age).