Bio BBs over time.

[Yawns]

Hiya guys,

After taking an awful long break from airsoft (1-2 Years) I have decided to try and get back into it after finding all my old cool gear.

At the old site I played at, they would provide 2000 Bio BBs each game, and spares you could take home as you bought the BBs as part of your package.

Over the time I played at the site, I found I always used less than what I was given, hence why over time I've collected what I believe to be in the region of around 15,000 spare Biodegradable BBs. I have kept these in a large plastic container tucket away under my bed.

After 2 years of sitting still doing nothing, would these BBs still be functioning? Will they have slightly broken down over time? I really would like to use these again, however due to them being branded as biodegradable I am concerned as to whether or not they are suitable for use anymore.

Thanks in advance, Yawns

[Samurai]

Bio BBs degrade due to the bacteria in the soil. Around here it would take some years for them to degrade, in tropical soil it would take months. They don't degrade just by sitting in the bag. The very old kind of bio BBs did degrade because of the humidity of the air, but those swell to huge size over time and go soft.

 

Even some non bio BBs can take up humidity from the air and swell a bit.

I would say, they should be fine, but check a few first. If they look fine, try them in the gun.

[Sacarathe]

If the the oldest ones really are in the bottom, use some common sense in that regard too.

[GiantKiwi]

Recommended shelf life on the blaster bio's for example used to be a year, even with the desiccant packet in the respective bottles/bags. Bio's will start to deteriorate as soon as they have been made, especially compounded with the relative humidity of the UK being no lower than 25-30% nowadays.

[Yawns]

Yeah, I'll just have to give them a test run, It'd be a shame to have to get rid of them as there is loads.

[RR01]

I have some Green Devil Bio BBs that are about 6 years old and a check with a micrometer still shows them to be in the 5.95 - 5.97mm range, so would fit fine in most norm tightbore barrels. Worth giving a few a light tap with a hammer though to make sure they will take being pushed forward by the nozzle and have not deteriorated to the extent that they will shatter in the hop unit.