Vacuum Sealing Ammo: Yae or Nae?

[moparclan]

I have an old cardboard box with metal ends and a plastic stopper of Pyrodex I bought in 1977, though I don't shoot much black powder or substitutes it still works great. I bought a sardine can of Evansville Chrysler 1943 steel cased ammo that UPS was abusive to and dented & cracked the can. Shot one box and vacuum sealed the rest and put in a GI ammo can. Most of the rest of my ammo is in a climate controlled vault or in GI ammo cans.

 

[sjmjax]

For general storage, I don't think it's necessary or worth the effort.

In the other hand, for storage in your vehicle, boat, airplane, camping trip or other situation that may expose the ammo to water, high humidity or other adverse conditions, it might be a good precaution.

 

[Michigan Jim]

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.

What was the brand and type Please?

 

[sactownjames]

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

Good to know about movers and ammo. I like how you were able to secure the ammo cans and keep it discrete. Looks like you left Calif. Unfortunately for us, were stuck here for now. I hope Californians vote NO on Newscums Prop 50.

 

[ferider]

Good to know about movers and ammo. I like how you were able to secure the ammo cans and keep it discrete. Looks like you left Calif. Unfortunately for us, were stuck here for now. I hope Californians vote NO on Newscums Prop 50.

Thanks ! Sorry

I was happy that everything fit and wanted to move the bikes myself, anyways.

If you move like this, just check total weight, trailer and car specs ... the bikes are > 700 pounds each, and a full 50 cal ammo box (if I remember right) can be > 80 pounds. Weight adds up quickly.

 

[Nanook]

I use ammo cans, usually with boxed ammo in them and some dryer packs. Lots of .50 cal cans, some 40mm and 20mm cans, plus some .30 cal and plastic cans for portability. The problem is, I have a few...dozen...cans now, and it takes up a ton of room.

 

[budhall]

Ammo that's stored indoors at room temperature, and not subjected to oils, solvents, or extremely high humidity will be reliable for many years. The net is rift with stories, however anecdotal they are, of pre WWII surplus military ammo working fine after all the years.
That said, IMHO, the ammo that we suggest you shoot up every so often is that in your loaded magazine that's in your EDC gun. Shoot it, then after cleaning and drying your gun load & carry the previous spare mag(after getting all the belly button lint out of it, of course), and put fresh ammo in a new spare mag. Repeat every 6 months or so, more often if your in a varsh environment.
As for SHTF ammo stashes, I just store it in ammo cans with a few desiccant paks.

 

[thefresh2o]

I reckon that ammo stored long-term in reasonably dry conditions is good-to-go. Vaccum bagging is probably a waste of time, but if you feel better, go for it. A decade or so ago, I had the opportunity to buy a few hundred 1971-stamped (a good vintage, IMO) european military 12g buckshot. The cardboard inner boxes were crumbling to dust in the GI tins. I also regularly shoot wartime and pre 1950 .303 mkVII ammo (I bought a whole bunch loose in a box) that's never given me trouble.
It still goes bang, every time.

 

[A-300 Dave]

Well, I think that the primer & powder are pretty well sealed in a brass case by a tightly seated bullet! To support my reasoning: back in the 80's and 90's I did a lot of salt water spear fishing and used "bang sticks" (usually .357 mag or .44 mag) for shark defense. Most of the underwater hunting was done between 60 to 120 ft which equals 3 to 5 atm of pressure. My first trip to a range after the spear fishing trips I always fired the rounds used during the dives and never had a failure!! Further, I have been reloading since the late 60's and I am still firing 9mm & .30-06 rounds reloaded that far back and don't recall any "duds". I store my ammo in the mTm plastic boxes simply because they stack well and easy to inventory. Finally, I live in Fla. where the humidity STAYS high and I haven't experienced any problems. Basically, I would go with whatever I felt comfortable with.