Sealing process for military ammunition

[Naphtali]

I have been informed that military ammunition is sealed from the environment to assure its successful firing from time of manufacture for decades in the future. How is this done? How would a reloader emulate the environment seal using commercial jacketed bullets?

[Winger Ed.]

The cases tend to be a little thicker than civilian ammo so they're a little stronger against corrosion penetrating them.
The bullet is coated with something like tar as it is seated in the case.
The primer is sealed with basically lacquer paint.
Then stored in sealed steel ammo cans.

Years ago, I got a deal on surplus West German 7.62NATO ammo.
It came in the original wooden crate, with thick plastic vac. sealer bags of 'battle packs'
with a couple hundred rounds or so in thin brown paper/cardboard boxes of I think 20 in each one.

I'm not too worried about going the extra, extra step for water proofing like military ammo is.
To long term seal my reloaded ammo, I use GI ammo cans and/or put it in a home vacuum sealer bag.
Leave the can open and out on a hot day for a few hours, then close it up.
I've had most where the lid seals up with the vacuum from when it cools, ya have to fight it to get it open.

Keeping ammo out of extreme heat or cold, and dry with no (fresh) air circulation is the goal.
Moisture and Oxygen in the air is what causes problems. Keep those away, and you're good.
Using the good, name brand 'seal a meal' vacuum bags, I've got some still sealed and rock hard from 10-12 years ago.
I have some brass cases still shiny after 20 years from being stored like that.

[country gent]

Asphaltic varnish was used on the bullet neck and a varnish type sealer was used on the primer case. With good neck tension the neck shouldnt need much more. Same with primers the press fit should be seal enough.

What should work would be a thinned varnish. A small drop of the thinned varnish in the chanulere and then crimped should seal the bullet end. Another small drop in the seam between the case and primer will seal it. There is a sealant sold to reloaders for this. Im thinking the lee liquid alox thinned and applied in the chanulere and crimped will provide a good seal. Nail polish should work sealing the primers again this could be thinned to get a thinner coat

[725]

Naphthali ~ Brownell's sell a kit to seal bullets / primers. It is tedious work, but once you are into it, it goes faster and faster. Pretty easy, really. Check their site out to find it.

[Outpost75]

The bullet sealant is known in the trade as Black Lucas. The primer is Glidden Purple Indicator.

[popper]

My reloads don't last that long.

[firefly1957]

For my use I sealed the primers but never worried about the bullets if they are properly seated in a tight case mouth . I used finger nail polish but found it is a poor choice it tends to be brittle and piece would get in the firing pin channel . I have unsealed reloads I gave to my grandfather in the 1970's I recently fired and they shot fine (38 sp & 30-06 ).

When I worked security my partner sprayed his model 28 and S&W factory ammo with WD-40 and swapped carry ammo monthly . He found out doing so will kill the primers in a month so that practice stopped ! By the way I did say "TOLD YOU SO" to him at the range when he had six duds!

[atfsux]

Here in AZ where our air is already very dry most of the time, putting the ammo in a surplus ammo can with a good rubber seal and a desiccant silica pack is probably plenty for most people's purposes. Other than moisture, your next likely problem is the composition of the primers and how well they age. The formerly corrosive primer mixtures of old did eventually break down, and if you have shot old military surplus ammo from back when the primers were corrosive (usually pre-WW2) you likely have experienced hangfires and failure to fire. But the newer non-corrosive mixtures that most western countries adopted post-war were either Lead Styphnate or Lead Azide, and have proven to be much more stable and less likely to degrade. Combined with western NATO standards of packaging, we have all experienced ammo from the 50s and 60s that fires as fresh today as when it was new. And with a good airtight seal and dry internal air, there's no reason to not expect your ammo to also last as long.

HOWEVER,...the newer "lead-free" primer compounds are still a bit of a mystery as to their longevity. My choice is to stick with the standard and proven primer types used since WW2 (lead styphnate and lead azide) to have peace of mind that my ammo can last long enough for grandchildren and great grandchildren if it comes to that.

[20:1]

My reloads don't last that long.

Mine do. When I get bored, I cast. I'm on hiatus right now, I'm running out of storage space. Besides, I don't want to be known as "that guy" if for some reason my stockpile is uncovered.

[poppy42]

I don’t know how long your talking about storing but I’ve shot ammo I reloaded 10 years ago with no problems lol

[243winxb]

https://www.creedmoorsports.com/prod...Gaxq7FWXFz0jfc

Another company, Gi type, cost more https://www.hernon.com/

The Hernon is also used as a coating inside large GI shells. This keeps the powder from attacking the case/ brass over many years of storage.

[Wayne Smith]

A few years ago I inadvertently did an experiment. I load 44-40 with a 200gr lead boolit and black powder. After a shooting session I apparently had a couple loaded rounds in my pocket. They went through the washing machine and dryer in that pocket. I took them out and they fired fine. Just to prove this (?) I, a few months later, found another round in a pocket that had gone through the same process. It fired fine also. I stopped worrying about sealing my ammo!

[.429&H110]

One of my favorite days at the range, I was gifted 820 .223 wolf brand.
Fellow had an AR on the pistol range (that's Cushman street range, you get used to that), and his AR just would not cycle, bolt wouldn't close, he said to me "This Wolf junk... ... ... do you want it?"
Sure.
Was frozen in a block of ice, the varnish swelled, no it wasn't going to feed.
Took it home spread it on the heated slab, rubbed them to get the dirt off
they all fired, ran fine in a bolt action.
Wolf is waterproof.
I have taken some handloaded Keith boolits swimming, and they fired no problem.
If you need fall off a boat with a firearm, I recommend a stainless SRH.

[WRideout]

I have been informed that military ammunition is sealed from the environment to assure its successful firing from time of manufacture for decades in the future. How is this done? How would a reloader emulate the environment seal using commercial jacketed bullets?

I guess it would depend on why you want to duplicate MILSPEC ammo. If for long-term storage, I believe a sealed container would do everything you need. If using something like a GI ammo can, be sure to put in a packet of desiccant before you seal it up. Any steel container with airspace will sweat with changes in temperature, and eventually fill with water. I have seen empty steel drums in a humid environment fill with three inches of water.

Wayne

[Rapier]

A note about storage of open or loose small arms ammo, corrugated cardboard is one of the worse storage containers. Most of it is intended for short term storage and contains chemicals that react badly with polished brass. Plus cardboard, unless treated with fire retardant, is highly flammable. Vacuum sealed plastic bag(s) is probably the best storage container for home use, especially when combined with steel GI ammo cans for stacking and water proofing. Those military steel ammo cans are fire resistant and each style can is built to contain the primers and bullets from detonation of the ammo inside due to exterior heat, a cook off.
If you have a basement, always remember that with a fire, the basement gets flooded by the fire department, if the sump pump fails or stops, the basement gets flooded, etc.
The real danger to firemen is stored ammo in containers that allows primers to be launched freely at 22 Rimfire velocities. I as a Fire Commissioner, have intentionally tested rimfire and centerfire ammo in steel cans, canned ammo, twelve tests, in an exterior blazing wood fire to see how dangerous loaded loose ammunition actually was. Bullets were not much of a danger. However, the primers launched like they were fired from a gun barrel. Primers ignited in a cartridge will go right through a steel tin can. Makes it necessary for firemen to wear their full "bunker gear" with a full face shield. So, as a reloader, if you have a house fire, please do warn the FD at the driveway about powder and loaded ammo in the house.