Vacuum Paking Ammo

[No_1]

Has anyone had success doing this? I have tried vacuum packing ammo but had issues with keeping the package under vacuum after the process was completed. I have concluded the air from inside the cartridges leaks out over time into the vacuum packed bag which gives the appearance of losing vacuum. Inspection of the packages shows no damage to the bags. Does anyone have a proven method?

[farmerjim]

You can vacuum Pack in canning jars. Seal a meal makes an adapter. If the air slowly leaks out of the cartridges you can pull a vacuum on it again.
Because of the high humidity down here, I store all of my powder coat in vacuum packed canning jars. You could also try vacuum packing them in the jars for a while and then move them to the bags.

[762 shooter]

You can vacuum Pack in canning jars. Seal a meal makes an adapter. If the air slowly leaks out of the cartridges you can pull a vacuum on it again.
Because of the high humidity down here, I store all of my powder coat in vacuum packed canning jars. You could also try vacuum packing them in the jars for a while and then move them to the bags.

Excellent idea. Pre vacuum in jar then bag vac.

762

[dg31872]

I have never done this myself, so not "proven" by me, but military ammo is sealed at factory. Asphalt product of some form between bullet and case and a primer sealer like a lacquer at the primer.
Perhaps your ammo could be sealed in a similar way.

[Bonz]

From what I have read, the primers will eventually pop out because the outside of the round is in a vacuum and there is pressure sealed inside the round.

I bought some ammo years ago from Fiocchi called "canned heat". The can is hermetically sealed and packed with desiccants to prevent rust, deterioration and moisture. It's not vacuum packed, think you can still buy it today.

[DerekP Houston]

I have successfully vac sealed buffalo bore/corbin hunting rounds, the boxes were just too bulky. The only ones that aren't still air tight are the ones that got a tiny pin hole from the brass or tip piercing the plastic. 4 years later 90% are still sealed up tight. The few that lost seal I just bagged up again. I used the plain foodsaver brand freezer rolls. That jar idea is good, but again takes up more space than I had.

It also works great for keeping precut veggies fresh if you vac seal them in a mason jar .

[rancher1913]

if the rounds are shellacked the primers may pop out but I've never had a problem with reloads. I wrap boxes with paper towels to keep sharp edges down and trow some oxy obsobers in then vac pack. if you don't move the package around a lot it will last for a good long wile. I have a local guy that has surplus ammo cans by the pallet and found those are a lot easier to work with and just as effective.

[daschnoz]

Store in a cool dry place. About the only thing that vacuum packing would do is waterproof your ammo stash (provided there are no leaks in the packaging).

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Actually, a better long term packaging method would be exactly the opposite; pressurize the container with something like nitrogen.

1. Nitrogen is inert and will not aid in corrosion.
2. By putting the container under pressure, even if it does develop a slow leak, it's leaking out instead of drawing air in (and bringing in the moisture and O₂ that is in the air).

We do exactly that at work with some of the refrigeration equipment that we make. After the equipment is leak checked and the testing charge is pulled, we draw a vacuum in the system then pressurize it with nitrogen to about 15psi for the reasons above.

Possibly overkill but if you're that serious about long term storage, I think something like this would be better than vacuum packing.

You would need a chamber with a window and a means to use your hands inside, a vacuum pump, and some dry nitrogen.

1. Load the ammo into boxes.
2. Place the boxes in an air tight container. Add a couple teaspoons of silica gel and/or an oxygen absorber if you desire.
3. Place the container into the chamber.
4. Draw the chamber to a vacuum. It doesn't need to be pulled to 5 microns; just enough to evacuate the air.
5. Pressurize the chamber with nitrogen to 10psi-15psi.
6. Seal the container.
7. Vent the pressure in the chamber.
8. Open the chamber and remove your pressurized and sealed ammo container.

I've thought about doing this, but it's WAY to complicated for minimal returns. Many of us are shooting 60+yr old ammo that was stored in nothing more than a metal spam can filled with the air that was in the ammo plant when it was canned. That 1950s production 7.62x54R that I bought a few years ago blasts the shoulder just as well as the new production stuff.

[bangerjim]

Unless you are storing your ammo in a swamp or under water, vac sealing should not be required. Just keep it in an airtight container with some desiccant dryer material in there. That is all you should ever need. I have ammo that is 50+ years old, stored in a drawer in my parents home in the midwest (humid), and still wroks like new. No special storage at all.

I have one of those silly high-end vacu-seal things and most of the bags I seal food in end up leaking and the food goes bad just like in standard freezer zip-lok bags.

[LakeviewBulldog]

I've vacuum sealed 00 Buckshot rounds and old Spanish .308 rounds that have remained sealed for well over 12 years now. Purchased a ton of it at a gunshow. They do sell thicker vacuum sealed bags that can prevent the pin hole effect.

[ole 5 hole group]

I have never done this myself, so not "proven" by me, but military ammo is sealed at factory. Asphalt product of some form between bullet and case and a primer sealer like a lacquer at the primer.
Perhaps your ammo could be sealed in a similar way.

Bullet and primer sealers on the market today will safeguard your ammunition for your grandkid's lifetime, it that's your plan. Cases tarnish over the years but that can be remedied as well.

[TXGunNut]

I seal boolit samples when I mail them, prevents rattles and spills. Never thought about the air in the cartridge pushing a primer out, haven't given much thought to sealing ammo.

[farmerjim]

"From what I have read, the primers will eventually pop out because the outside of the round is in a vacuum and there is pressure sealed inside the round."
I started thinking about this and put my old High School math to it.
SPP = .175 in dia = .0875 Radius. .0875 squared times 3.14 = .024 .024 times 15 psi atmospheric pressure equals about .36 pounds of force on the primer. If 1/3 of a pound of force will unseat a primer I think that would be a plus that you didn't shoot that cartage.
Am I wrong in my thinking? Please let me know.