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Picture of signewt
posted
cleaning out the back recesses of the old boonker & was startled to find evidence of mildew both on the external package as well as some dark coloration across the external primer cup.

Never a leak or actually wet, these are marked when put into storage late in 2009.

Inclination is to dispose of affected boxes. What's the best method of dealing with these?


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"I've been on this rock too long to bother with these liars any more."
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Posts: 9849 | Location: sunny Orygun | Registered: September 27, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I would try a few and see how they work. If just for range use.
I have been vacuum bagging my bullets and primers in my stash. The basement is dry but want to avoid the problem you are running into.
 
Posts: 402 | Location: NH | Registered: March 29, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Geaux Tigers
Picture of Alcapone396
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Living down south with the humidity we have, vacuum sealing has been my choice since before Katrina...I pull down just enough vacuum to remove the air and then seal..I probably have thirty five to forty thousand primers sealed up right now. Works well on brass and bullets also but you have to watch the sharp edges on the brass will cut your bags..I put mine in a heavy piece of plastic first and then into the bag!


Al______________Capone396



P220 Combat, P220 Sport, P220EL, X-5 Comp 9mm , P226 BlackWater, P226 ST.357 Sig, P226ST 9mm, P229ST .40, P228, P232 SL, Glock 19, CZ75BSS, CZ-83, S&W 29, S&W 640, S&W 642, Ruger MKII, Ruger Charger,, HKP7,,Browning Hi Power, Colt Anaconda, S&W 460 Mag, RRA 9mm CAR, Robinson Arms XCR, FN-SLP ,Arsenal SAS-M7,, Built AR-15 with lots of goodies,,Etc, Etc, Etc.....
 
Posts: 1263 | Location: Down South in Bayou Country | Registered: January 28, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Avoiding
slam fires
Picture of 45 Cal
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I have touted this for as long as I been on this forum.
Ammo cans,they might look pretty on the shelf in those factory shipping boxes but put them in 50 cal ammo cans when they arrive,has worked for me for five decades.
 
Posts: 22407 | Location: Georgia | Registered: February 19, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of sigcrazy7
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Man, we are so spoiled in Utah when it comes to storing stuff. Put it in the basement, and twenty years later everything looks just like the day you put it there.



Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus
 
Posts: 8200 | Location: Utah | Registered: December 18, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Conveniently located directly
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Appreciate the comments gentlemen!

Odd occurrence for sure, as there are other boxes stored the same location, for longer periods, with no such damage.

However, this has given excuse...er....REASON enough to finally Go Vacuum!!!

I've got a few primers left from the 80s showing no similar growth.

And there is opportunity coming up for a few more ammo cans.....


**************~~~~~~~~~~
"I've been on this rock too long to bother with these liars any more."
~SIGforum advisor~
"When the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of change, then change will come."~~sigmonkey

 
Posts: 9849 | Location: sunny Orygun | Registered: September 27, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Spread the Disease
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All:

I do NOT recommend vacuum sealing primers. You will eventually see degradation in performance due to vapor loss of some of the energetic constituents into that free volume. I've had to dig the primer compound out of hundreds of these at work, and we then perform chemical analysis as well as performance testing on live units. The primary conclusion from these tests was that vacuum sealing is a NO GO for primers, especially long term. Granted, we are more concerned with the slightest change in performance; in reality, it may not be noticeable in most reloading applications. I'd rather not chance it on thousands of my primers.

Store them in a sealed container with desiccant.


________________________________________

-- Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past me I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. --
 
Posts: 17244 | Location: New Mexico | Registered: October 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Knows too little
about too much
Picture of rduckwor
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
All:

I do NOT recommend vacuum sealing primers. You will eventually see degradation in performance due to vapor loss of some of the energetic constituents into that free volume. I've had to dig the primer compound out of hundreds of these at work, and we then perform chemical analysis as well as performance testing on live units. The primary conclusion from these tests was that vacuum sealing is a NO GO for primers, especially long term. Granted, we are more concerned with the slightest change in performance; in reality, it may not be noticeable in most reloading applications. I'd rather not chance it on thousands of my primers.

Store them in a sealed container with desiccant.


This finding is curious. It seems to me that unless vacuum storage encourages "leaking" or leaching of low volatility components, the storage in a larger free space even with desiccant in place would encourage even more component loss.

I would like to see the analysis of the components to get a better idea of what is happening. Not disputing your findings at all, but curious.

RMD




TL Davis: “The Second Amendment is special, not because it protects guns, but because its violation signals a government with the intention to oppress its people…”
Remember: After the first one, the rest are free.
 
Posts: 20302 | Location: L.A. - Lower Alabama | Registered: April 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Geaux Tigers
Picture of Alcapone396
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by rduckwor:
quote:
Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
All:

I do NOT recommend vacuum sealing primers. You will eventually see degradation in performance due to vapor loss of some of the energetic constituents into that free volume. I've had to dig the primer compound out of hundreds of these at work, and we then perform chemical analysis as well as performance testing on live units. The primary conclusion from these tests was that vacuum sealing is a NO GO for primers, especially long term. Granted, we are more concerned with the slightest change in performance; in reality, it may not be noticeable in most reloading applications. I'd rather not chance it on thousands of my primers.

Store them in a sealed container with desiccant.


This finding is curious. It seems to me that unless vacuum storage encourages "leaking" or leaching of low volatility components, the storage in a larger free space even with desiccant in place would encourage even more component loss.

I would like to see the analysis of the components to get a better idea of what is happening. Not disputing your findings at all, but curious.

RMD


I'm keeping mine sealed until some rock solid proof shows me that it's not the way to keep my primers!! Most of mine have been that way for many years and still function fine without any loss in power or ignition!!!


Al______________Capone396



P220 Combat, P220 Sport, P220EL, X-5 Comp 9mm , P226 BlackWater, P226 ST.357 Sig, P226ST 9mm, P229ST .40, P228, P232 SL, Glock 19, CZ75BSS, CZ-83, S&W 29, S&W 640, S&W 642, Ruger MKII, Ruger Charger,, HKP7,,Browning Hi Power, Colt Anaconda, S&W 460 Mag, RRA 9mm CAR, Robinson Arms XCR, FN-SLP ,Arsenal SAS-M7,, Built AR-15 with lots of goodies,,Etc, Etc, Etc.....
 
Posts: 1263 | Location: Down South in Bayou Country | Registered: January 28, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Knows too little
about too much
Picture of rduckwor
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Well, mine are sealed as well, but not vacuum packed.

There are proven ways to analyze the chemical composition in the headspace surrounding the chemicals. I was curious about the methodology of this study.

RMD




TL Davis: “The Second Amendment is special, not because it protects guns, but because its violation signals a government with the intention to oppress its people…”
Remember: After the first one, the rest are free.
 
Posts: 20302 | Location: L.A. - Lower Alabama | Registered: April 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Spread the Disease
Picture of flesheatingvirus
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by rduckwor:

This finding is curious. It seems to me that unless vacuum storage encourages "leaking" or leaching of low volatility components, the storage in a larger free space even with desiccant in place would encourage even more component loss.

I would like to see the analysis of the components to get a better idea of what is happening. Not disputing your findings at all, but curious.

RMD


It's not about free volume. It's about free volume in vacuum vs free volume with ambient air pressure. Volatile components will vaporize much more easily under vacuum, and many barely at all under atmospheric pressure.

quote:
Originally posted by Alcapone396:

I'm keeping mine sealed until some rock solid proof shows me that it's not the way to keep my primers!! Most of mine have been that way for many years and still function fine without any loss in power or ignition!!!


That's your choice. As I said, for our uses, we may not ever see a difference. For me, the extra effort to vacuum seal just isn't worth it. A sealed, dry environment works just as well without any risk of loss.


________________________________________

-- Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past me I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. --
 
Posts: 17244 | Location: New Mexico | Registered: October 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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