Vacuum Sealing Ammo: Yae or Nae?

PlatypusWithaGun · Saturday at 6:55 PM

I'm sure many of us are familiar with this argument: cycle our ammo every 6 months to a year VS ammo will last for decades if not stored in a swamp. I understand how cops and military, hunters and range rats, people who regularly burn through boxes of bullets argue for regularly cycling ammo. But those of us who only go to the range once or twice a month and only have a gun for self-defense purposes obviously don't want to have to constantly buy new self-defense ammo if we can store our current supply long-term. (to say nothing of the preppers amongst us with whole pallets in the cellar. No shame, if I had a cellar, I'd do the same) Anyone have any valuable wisdom to share on this subject?

tlawler · Saturday at 6:59 PM

Whatever floats your boat. Mine's all in ziplock bags inside military ammo cans stored on shelves in my hot and humid garage. It all goes bang when I need it to.

22hipower · Saturday at 7:05 PM

I occasionally find a box of reloads I put together back in the '70s. They've been tucked in to whatever box was available and been stored in air conditioning sometimes but more likely in the hot Texas garage for decades but they all work when needed. I would lose no sleep worrying about vacuum sealing ammo, especially any I intended to use in the next decade or so.

SS336 · Saturday at 7:10 PM

I have ammo that I have reloaded years ago and never had a problem. Keep it in the house stored in plastic 100 round boxes. I have more ammo than I can shoot most times.
My problem is I like to reload as much as shoot. I really don't think it would matter unless you keep your ammo outside in a shed.

i have shot WW2 .45 ACP and every round has fired.

ferider · Saturday at 7:42 PM

Have used military ammo cans with a couple of Desiccant bags added on top of the ammo for years now. You can see that it works as the brass stays shiny.

duke2002 · Saturday at 7:45 PM

Ammo cans. Steel or plastic. With a gasket lid. Ususlly throw some disectent packets i. Each can for good measure.

imashooter2 · Saturday at 7:45 PM

My bulk factory is stored loose in ammo cans for convenience.
Pistol reloads are made 1k or so at a time and stored loose in ammo cans. New goes in on top of old. No thought given to FIFO. There could be some in the bottom of those cans that are already 20+ years old.
Low useage rifle reloads are in MTM boxes stacked on a shelf.

All of that is in an unfinished basement with a dehumidifier. It never gets particularly hot or cold. I expect anything that doesn't get shot in this life will be fine for my heirs to consume.

rockquarry · Saturday at 8:08 PM

imashooter2 said:
My bulk factory is stored loose in ammo cans for convenience.
Pistol reloads are made 1k or so at a time and stored loose in ammo cans. New goes in on top of old. No thought given to FIFO. There could be some in the bottom of those cans that are already 20+ years old.
Low useage rifle reloads are in MTM boxes stacked on a shelf.

All of that is in an unfinished basement with a dehumidifier. It never gets particularly hot or cold. I expect anything that doesn't get shot in this life will be fine for my heirs to consume.

Store ammo in original packaging in your house, off the floor. You don't need dehumidfiers, vacuum sealing, ammo boxes, dessicants, or anything else that reeks of ritualitsic storage procedures unless you want to turn ammo storage into a sub-hobby of its own. Simple works best and your ammo will last a very long time.

ferider · Saturday at 8:13 PM

This is how we moved last year (~1200 miles), 1st of two trips (movers wouldn't take ammo):

The U-Haul trailer had a nice low center of gravity, and gross weight was just about max'ed out

30-30remchester · Saturday at 8:14 PM

I used an original 1865 Sharpes in 50/70 to harvest an American bison. Decided to use an original round loaded with black powder from the 1880's. Didn't know any history of the ammo since its manufacture. At the pull of the trigger, a huge cloud of black smoke and a stumbling bison that expired in 30 seconds. Just cause its old, it can still function.

Phenix · Saturday at 9:21 PM

PlatypusWithaGun said:
I'm sure many of us are familiar with this argument: cycle our ammo every 6 months to a year VS ammo will last for decades if not stored in a swamp. I understand how cops and military, hunters and range rats, people who regularly burn through boxes of bullets argue for regularly cycling ammo. But those of us who only go to the range once or twice a month and only have a gun for self-defense purposes obviously don't want to have to constantly buy new self-defense ammo if we can store our current supply long-term. (to say nothing of the preppers amongst us with whole pallets in the cellar. No shame, if I had a cellar, I'd do the same) Anyone have any valuable wisdom to share on this subject?

Centerfire ammo will keep almost indefinitely if not exposed to prolonged dampness. Extreme sealing in a bag or watertight container is not usually necessary under normal circumstances. Rimfire is a little more iffy sometimes.
I have about half of mine in plastic and metal ammo cans.
If I lived where flooding or hurricanes could be an issue, I would keep all of it stored in some manner that it would never get wet.

bigggbbruce · Saturday at 9:37 PM

I have some vintage ammo, about 100 years old. In the original cardboard box on the shelf it's entire life. Look fine still go bang.

kadams · Saturday at 10:11 PM

I keep My ammo climate controlled and have no problems, However, A few yrs ago I was hunting in an area that gets seasonally inundated with water ( with a shotgun) I stopped for a break on a big log that i regularly use as a stopping point evidently I lost my 5 shotshell holder. The following year 11months later, I stopped for a rest on the same log spotted the shell holder sticking out of the leaves, The shells looked fine other than a bit of oxidation on the brass. Just out of curiosity I loaded three shells and fired each one at a stump, loaded the last two and shot the stump twice more. The shells functioned properly in the pump shotgun. These shells were literally in a swamp for a year in Southeast Louisiana. After that experience I don't know what it would take to to cause ammo to fail.

imashooter2 · Saturday at 10:27 PM

rockquarry said:
Store ammo in original packaging in your house, off the floor. You don't need dehumidfiers, vacuum sealing, ammo boxes, dessicants, or anything else that reeks of ritualitsic storage procedures unless you want to turn ammo storage into a sub-hobby of its own. Simple works best and your ammo will last a very long time.

For me, the ammo cans are for convenience. It is hard to get more compact than ammo poured loose into a .50 and .30 cans. That they stack and have a convenient handle for carrying doesn't hurt either. The basement has a dehumidifier because it is an unfinished basement and damp. I like to keep fabric from molding and tools from rusting.

Alk8944 · Saturday at 10:54 PM

30-30remchester said:
At the pull of the trigger, a huge cloud of black smoke and a stumbling bison that expired in 30 seconds. Just cause its old, it can still function.

Black powder generates white to light gray smoke! If you got black smoke something was wrong! Or did you mean to say black powder smoke? I have been shooting black powder in both cartridge and muzzle loaders for over 65 years.

Back to OPs question. Properly loaded or factory ammunition will last your lifetime and probably your kids. Totally unnecessary to vacuum seal, but it will do no harem either!

Culina · Saturday at 11:46 PM

I have done it, makes more sense if you live in a flood zone or an area with high humidity.

cracker57 · Sunday at 6:45 AM

I used to vacuum pack my ammo, not because I thought it would go bad. I liked how the bags became like a log, a solid tube of ammo. in 100 round bags it was easy to grab a bag or 2 and off to the range. I didn't like loose bags of ammo in a zip lock. also I would vacuum my extra hunting ammo for in my pocket as it would not rattle.

Cities n Dust · Sunday at 8:13 AM

I'm using a standard 5 shelf metal cabinet that I have reinforced at the sides and front & back with 1/2 in flat stock on all the levels. This makes it more ridged so it can hold as much as I want to put on it. I use Dessicant packs all over the shelves and in my Ammo cans as well as my safe. I get 5" X 5" packets by the $h!t ton from work. I grab about 100 and replace every 3 months. All the Ladies in the office use them for their Food Pantries. I know that can be expensive for people who have to buy them, but since they are free, I don't mind changing as often as I do.

Cities

sousana · Sunday at 9:14 AM

Way back circa 192, as a Corpsman stationed at PNH before my tenure with the Marines, I purchased a used medical vacuum system, started vacuum sealing all gun boxes and receipts from gun purchases, loose ammo, and gun parts plus guns I had no intention of shooting for a while. I'd oil the gun and seal it. Just recently took out a colt python 4" nickel that I sealed back in the late 80s. Mint condition. Every gun I own I have the box/paper/oem mags vacuum sealed. Got quite a collection. Circa 1986/87 I purchased a literal ton of Essex frames, slides and parts, enough to build 70 or 80. Still got loads of parts in factory mint condition.

rifle · Sunday at 10:19 AM

PlatypusWithaGun said:
I'm sure many of us are familiar with this argument: cycle our ammo every 6 months to a year VS ammo will last for decades if not stored in a swamp. I understand how cops and military, hunters and range rats, people who regularly burn through boxes of bullets argue for regularly cycling ammo. But those of us who only go to the range once or twice a month and only have a gun for self-defense purposes obviously don't want to have to constantly buy new self-defense ammo if we can store our current supply long-term. (to say nothing of the preppers amongst us with whole pallets in the cellar. No shame, if I had a cellar, I'd do the same) Anyone have any valuable wisdom to share on this subject?

I have ammo saved along with spare guns. I trust a properly used vacuum sealer, I cook a lot and have meal shares saved up as well.

Vacuum Sealing Ammo: Yae or Nae?

PlatypusWithaGun

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tlawler

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22hipower

SS336

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ferider

duke2002

imashooter2

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rockquarry

ferider

30-30remchester

Phenix

bigggbbruce

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kadams

imashooter2

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Alk8944

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Culina

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cracker57

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Cities n Dust

sousana

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rifle

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