Vacuum sealed ammo?

[jimlj]

I'm not sure where to ask this. If I have it in the wrong place please move it..

I had my vacuum sealer out for some Canadian bacon I made and got to thinking, what about storing ammo this way long term?? So I took a hand full of freshly cast, powder coated boolit clad reloads and put them in a bag and sealed them up. Has anyone done this? Does it cause any issues with primers or powder long term? All the surplus ammo I've ever had in sealed cans seem to have just a bit of pressure in the can when opening. You get that lovely hint of (7.62X39) 50 plus year old Chinese air wafting out when you first poke a hole in the can. What about ammo stored under vacuum instead of pressure?

[2A-Jay]

I have several 20 Round boxes of 30-06 sealed in my Vacuum Sealer bags, Same with .45acp. 30-30 and .38dpl in my Bug-out bag. These are all Reloads. I tried loose ammo once the Conical Bullets poked holes in the Vacuum sealer bags. Round nose bullets were no problem.

[Winger Ed.]

I used to store loose reloaded ammo in vac. bags.
I wore one of the machines out, and just started using 1 quart zip-lok ones.
Some have been in storage for several years.

The game plan is to keep the air and Oxygen away from them.
From looking at the amount of tarnish on the cases, I can't tell any difference from one kind of bag to another.

[reddog81]

If was storing ammo in a swamp I’d do it. But I store ammo in my air conditioned house so it seems unnecessary.

[Mk42gunner]

My problem with the vacuum sealing idea is that fifteen to twenty years ago I went through three or four of the consumer grade sealers. The ones I had would work for a short while, then develop a very small open circuit in the heating element.

If you get or have a good one, it is a fine idea for long term storage of just about anything.

Robert

[wills]

If was storing ammo in a swamp I’d do it. But I store ammo in my air conditioned house so it seems unnecessary.

Until the the electricity goes out.

[dverna]

I plan on vacuum sealing primers as I have too many to store in the house.

[slim1836]

I plan on vacuum sealing primers as I have too many to store in the house.

Now your bragging.

Slim

[GhostHawk]

My cast boolits once lubed if I have more than I need go into small food storage containers, airtight lids plus the BLL keeps them from oxidation.

Loaded ammo is almost all in MTM 100 round flip top boxes. Much easier at the range. Plus I can see at a glance how many are left.

But, if I was going down to the coast, with high humidity and salt and wanted to keep my ammo dry and corrosion free.
Vacuum sealed bags would certainly be the ticket.

[swamp]

I have not had very good luck with loaded ammo. The bags seem to lose vacuum. No problem with anything else.
swamp

[Tripplebeards]

I vacuum sealed some 5.56 loads with 60 grain vmax. About 250 per bag. All the bags lost their vacuum over time but the ammo still looks like brand new. Did this about 4 years ago.

[Omega]

These are going on about 3 years, they have not lost vacuum yet. Better to not handle them too much though, else they may develop leaks.

[cwtebay]

Not sure if this is exactly what you mean, but I received 200 - 32 special rounds that were vacuum packed. Dates handwritten on them was 1997 from eastern Kansas. They were factory loads, I've fired dozens of them with zero issue.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[CoolHandMoss]

I haven't been doing it more than a couple years but I do vacuum seal ammo if I intend to store it. In the box or loose. generally I double bag it to make sure it will stay sealed. I have no concerns.

[Winger Ed.]

All the bags lost their vacuum over time but the ammo still looks like brand new. Did this about 4 years ago.

I always thought the bag didn't leak, but it was fumes from the powder's solvents evaporating.
I figure it works like when you open a ammo can, and there is that strong solvent/powder smell.

[jimlj]

My concerns with storing long term under vacuum were will it damage powder or primers. It appears some here have done it for several years without problems.

Thanks for the reply’s.

[reddog81]

Until the the electricity goes out.

The ammo would tolerate loss of electricity better than I would.

[Winger Ed.]

My concerns with storing long term under vacuum were will it damage powder or primers. .

I don't see how.
Exposure to the air is a problem.
Look at all the artifacts they recover and they start deteriorating as soon as they come into contact with fresh air.

[Tripplebeards]

I always thought the bag didn't leak, but it was fumes from the powder's solvents evaporating.
I figure it works like when you open a ammo can, and there is that strong solvent/powder smell.

Dont know. I'll have to dig them out and post a picture. I tried to use my vaccum sealer the other day and it would vaccum. Took it all apart and still nothing. I watched some youtube videos about removing a s cleaning the seals. Ill have to try that next. It's an original food saver from when they first came out. Bought it brand new at the time. Its always been finiky. If I remember I did a 150 or more in each batch. They are at least still nicely sealed in bags. Just wished they stayed sealed. I re did them because the vaccum didn't take. The others stayed vacuumed for a couple of days and then let loose. I'm sure the 60 grain vmax bullets must have poked a hole?

I also watched people use zip lock bags in their vacuum sealer to save money. If I get mine working I'll try the lip lock bag method and see If it works.

[Markopolo]

i have about 40k in primers vacuum sealed in 50 call ammo cans.. we do live in ultra high humidity and salt living on a island in SE Alaska Rainforest. i started doing this when I started getting FTF on primers that were sitting on the shelf.. just too dang moist all the time. i did start using a decent woodstove in my shop and keep it running all the time, but with vac Pak, I do t have to worry about it as much.