Vacuum sealing ammo.

[cdet69]

Has any one tried this. I just did five boxes with a food grade vacuum sealer. Just want to keep it from getting tarnished from long term storage.

[carbine86]

I have been thinking about doing this aswell I would be interested in seeing what others have said about this.

[jmort]

Can't hurt. Not efficient storage-space wise. It would keep ammo bright and clean. We like our Food Saver but so far only used for food..

[SOFMatchstaff]

I would be curious as to the effect of vacuum on the volatiles in the powder during long term storage. There is always that ether smell that
wafts out of an ammo can when opened after storage. It may not have the same effect in plastic bags, as in a can that would hold a deeper
level, over a longer time. Something to ponder..

[1Shirt]

Interesting, but guess only time will tell!
1Shirt!

[alrighty]

I have heard of folks sealing up polished brass with good results , I don't see what this could hurt.

[gew98]

Been doing it since the late 80's. A good quality machine goes a long way.

[Down South]

When I clean large batches of brass for later use, I vacuum seal it. Works well at keeping brass nice and shiny. The brass needs to be in something else such as a cloth bag or wrapped up in something, the case mouths will cut the vacuum seal bag without some type of protection.
I'm thinking about doing the same for long term stored ammo.
I was thinking about getting a bunch of the MTM plastic boxes, 100 rd count for pistol ammo and vacuum sealing them with loaded ammo.
You can find those boxes on Flebay pretty cheap for a 10 count.
I use a FoodSaver brand vacuum sealer that I got at Sam's club.
I'm thinking about sealing 1000 rds each of 9mm, 40 S&W, 45acp in 100 round batches.
As long as you can keep fresh oxygen and moisture out, corrosion will not happen.

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

When my loading room was just inside a shed with no temperature or humidity controlm,
I used to vacuum seal bricks of primers till I needed them. Never had any issues.
many where stored for years that way

[Mal Paso]

How is it you have ammo to store? :lol:

I was thinking, other than odds and ends I don't have any ammo over a year old. Then I remembered the factory ammo I bought before I built my own. I really should do some long term storage in case SHTF, I run out of good ammo and have to shoot factory again.

Thanks!

[StratsMan]

I have done this as well, but won't do so again... unless somebody points out what I did wrong...

I thought this would provide all the protection that everyone is talking about, too... After a year or so of storage, I checked my .308 handloads that had been sealed. Funny, I thought that was a tight seal... but there was air in the bag. No tears in the plastic, so where did the air enter??? It was already in the bag; in the cartridges themselves. Not a lot in each cartridge, but there was 1 atmosphere of pressure in each case when I pulled a vacuum on the bag. So the pressure in the cases seeped past the bullets and primers until the pressure in the bag and in the cases was equal.

It's possible that not all ammo will do that. If the primers are sealed, and there is a tar seal around the bullet (mil-surp ammo), then the case may be sealed well enough to prevent air in the case from escaping. Or maybe your cases just have a better seal than mine... I haven't tried this with commercially loaded ammo, either... (other than .22 LR, I haven't bought any for years...)

YMMV....

[oldgeezershooter]

I have done this as well, but won't do so again... unless somebody points out what I did wrong...

I thought this would provide all the protection that everyone is talking about, too... After a year or so of storage, I checked my .308 handloads that had been sealed. Funny, I thought that was a tight seal... but there was air in the bag. No tears in the plastic, so where did the air enter??? It was already in the bag; in the cartridges themselves. Not a lot in each cartridge, but there was 1 atmosphere of pressure in each case when I pulled a vacuum on the bag. So the pressure in the cases seeped past the bullets and primers until the pressure in the bag and in the cases was equal.

It's possible that not all ammo will do that. If the primers are sealed, and there is a tar seal around the bullet (mil-surp ammo), then the case may be sealed well enough to prevent air in the case from escaping. Or maybe your cases just have a better seal than mine... I haven't tried this with commercially loaded ammo, either... (other than .22 LR, I haven't bought any for years...)

YMMV....Sometimes when I seal fish or meat a couple of months later they have air in the bag. I think it's a faulty seal or faulty bag.

[Down South]

If you can keep fresh oxygen from entering the bag, it should be good for a long time. Oxidation or corrosion should be non existent.
For those who do not have vacuum sealers, Ziplock bags work well. Stick a soda straw in the corner of the bag, zip the bag closed all the way up to the straw, suck all the air out, yank the straw out and finish zipping the bag closed.
This works well on food stuff too.

[crowbuster]

We have noticed the food saver brand bags are better than the cost cutter bags for keeping a good seal. Not sure if anyone else thinks so or not ?

[bear67]

I seal brass and lead inside S and MFRB s from post office and my stuff always arrives complete except for torn cardboard box from the post office. I also think the food saver bags last longer. My wife does outdoor education classes for the local college (camping, canoeing, rock climbing and caving) and we use the vaccum bags for foodstuffs, meats in coolers, and emergency and first aid supplies. They have lots of uses.

[MaryB]

I use the generic bags from these guys, buy packs of 100 http://www.goodmans.net/d/204/tilia-foodsaver-bags-rolls.htm

[Garyshome]

Well maybe SHTF will happen soon so I don't have to worry about that stuff.

[dragon813gt]

I see no need as I have lots of ammo cans. And they were designed for long term storage of ammo. I hope you removed the ammo from any cardboard boxes. The boxes themselves are a source of moisture. As to how much is dependent on each box. I have a food saver and use it. But only for items that go in the chest freezer and aren't moved around a lot. I've had to many leak, no visible tears of holes, from moving them around to access food behind them. They can't be trusted IMO. Commercial vacuum sealers are a different story.

[bhn22]

I thought this would provide all the protection that everyone is talking about, too... After a year or so of storage, I checked my .308 handloads that had been sealed. Funny, I thought that was a tight seal... but there was air in the bag. No tears in the plastic, so where did the air enter??? It was already in the bag; in the cartridges themselves. Not a lot in each cartridge, but there was 1 atmosphere of pressure in each case when I pulled a vacuum on the bag. So the pressure in the cases seeped past the bullets and primers until the pressure in the bag and in the cases was equal. YMMV....

It wasn't the air in the cases. That volume is already accounted for. Your bags leaked, as many do. Nature abhors a vacuum, and plastic vacuum bag seals don't last forever. I've seen some guys iron the bags for a wider sealing area on the top & bottom, or simply double seal the ends, the first time with vacuum of course. Some are successful, but many are not.

[oldgeezershooter]

88578
You might consider some of these.
I see them in second hand stores for a couple of bucks.

[Artful]

Ammo Can with desiccant packs

[Bad Water Bill]

Ammo Can with desiccant packs

Baby food jars. Drill holes in the lid and place cloth over the inside of the lid.

Fill with silica gel and place in your ammo can.

You are good to go for YEARS.

[xman777]

I have some vacuum bagged ammo that my dad reloaded many years ago, I'm not sure how old, but I have tapped into it during the ammo shortage and it shot the same groups it would have shot had it not been sealed. I did a side by side comparison of 40 .308 reloaded and stored in a box, and 40 .308 reloaded and vacuum sealed. Results were so close that I'm convinced the only thing vacuum sealing could do for your ammo supply is keep it dry!

[MacFan]

I vacuum pack 100 rounds in each bag. For brass that isn't vacuum bagged I store it with a couple of 3M anti tarnish strips (Ebay). Primers and powder are all stored with canisters of desiccant. I use color changing desiccant so I know when it needs recharging (also from Ebay).
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