Yesterday the USPS dropped off some tins of .177 pellets I had ordered from a popular on-line auction site. They were advertised as "NOS" for four tins, with the fifth as "about half filled". I opened to inspect the open tin, to note the pellets seemed darker than (imho) they should be, and a teeny bit (technical term ) of what looked like minuscule corrosion and or oxidation seemed to coat them.
I peeled the yellow tape which was on the seam of another tin -- and the pellets were both lighter in colour as well as free of corrosion/oxidation. They looked as if they were made "yesterday"!
Hence -- my question:
I was thinking, maybe, the purpose of the tape (in addition to not having tin open and pellets spilling all over the place) is -- assuming, say, they are packed in, maybe, a pure Nitrogen atmosphere -- is what preserves them?
Curious George... Is there an answer -- e.g., does the tape also keep oxygen/air from the pellets?
If so...this brings up (to me) of a new means of long-term storage of my cast bullets -- perhaps using Zip-Lock freezer bags with air vacuumed out with a Food-Saver appliance, and replaced with Nitrogen? (I have a tank in my shop...)
Any ideas/comments?
geo