? about reloaded stored ammo

[cycloneman]

Take a 50cal ammo can full of reloads, any cal doesn't matter

Now take a 50 cal can full of factory or mil surp ammo, any cal doesnt' matter

Lets say you take both cans and store them away for a year. Come back a year later and open the reloaded ammo can and you can smell the powder. Open the factory stuff and you usually dont.

My first thought is that i am not sealing my bullets.
I seal my primers but not my bullets. Should i be sealing them for long term storage? If so what is the best way and product to use.

[American Leader]

They sell a product for this clone, but I would think a lacquer or nail polish would work ok also. Just need to make sure you get a seal I believe. Unless someone knows better I would go for the cheapest thing I could find.

[ryan42]

Thats a good question,It will be interesting to hear the answer.I store my powder in my closet where its warm and dry but I reload in the garage where its cooler then I bring ammo inside as well.

[todd51]

I've never sealed primers or the bullets, never thought to do it. I just "store" my reloads in those 50 or 100 round plastic boxes. I occasionally run across a box of various calibers that may be over ten years old. I take it to the range and shoot it never anticipating any problems and have never had any. But I am not stocking ammo for any purpose other than range use.

[The_Rifleman]

I had reloaded some military surplus cases long ago, then I started seating that load a little deeper. When I went to seat the some of the old cartridge bullets a bit deeper, they felt glued tight and made a snap when they broke free.

I figured it was some sort of glue for if they handle the ammo carelessly, the bullets would stay seated correctly.

I have seen red sealant on the primers of surplus ammo, I've heard of people using fingernail polish as a sealant for primers.

[gun-nut]

I have used nail polish to seal good stuff! As far as the ammo powder smell i have never had any problems with that. I do notice that old ammo can smell. That smell is something that i smell when i open some of them old sardean cans of ammo from the military surplus as well. so i would not worry to much IMO.

[bntyhntr6975]

Any ammo that I don't plan to use relatively soon gets sealed up in the vacuum sealer, usually 50 round bags for pistol ammo, whatever is decided for rifle ammo. I write the date and load on the inside of the bag before it gets sealed (won't rub off that way). I also try to limit skin contact with ammo that I'm not loading into a gun. This keeps the oils from your fingers off and limits the tarnishing. I have bags several years old, still look and function like I just loaded it. And when I open one of the cans, all you smell is the can. The FoodSaver ain't just for deer steaks.

[gdmoody]

I have never sealed a primer or a bullet. I have some that I reloaded 20-25 years ago and every one of them go bang. I also store mine in military ammo cans.

Out of curiosity, I just opened several of the cans so I could smell of them. The only one that I could smell anything, other than a musty smell, was a can of surplus 7.62X25 ammo. That can had a slight sell of gunpowder!

[76Highboy]

I have never sealed a primer or a bullet. I have some that I reloaded 20-25 years ago and every one of them go bang. I also store mine in military ammo cans.

Out of curiosity, I just opened several of the cans so I could smell of them. The only one that I could smell anything, other than a musty smell, was a can of surplus 7.62X25 ammo. That can had a slight sell of gunpowder!

I have a partial can of Bulseye and a partial can of Unique that I have had opned for at least 10 years. I have done it on purpose. I open them periodically and check them. They are fine. I keep them in my garage year round with no problems.

[mikld]

I haven't used sealer on my any of my reloads. I have some .44 Magnum and .357/.38 Special ammo I loaded in '95 that still shoots OK. I store all my ammo in surplus ammo boxes and haven't noticed the smell you describe (newly loaded ot several years old). But as noted above, nail polish or modle car paint will surely work.

[medalguy]

You're comparing reloads to commercial ammo, but please note that commercial ammo is almost NEVER sealed, either primers or bullets. Military ammo is usually always sealed to keep moisture out. I wouldn't worry about the smell.

[Boogieman]

I've shot ammo loaded in the mid 70's with no sealers .had no problems Wife found 3 38 spc. shot loads in the washer came out of HER pockets they were loaded with Speer shot caps. & hadwent through the wash & rinse cycle. I put them in my ruger to destory the primers suprise all 3 fired.

[The_Rifleman]

Wife found 3 38 spc. shot loads in the washer came out of HER pockets they were loaded with Speer shot caps. & hadwent through the wash & rinse cycle. I put them in my ruger to destory the primers suprise all 3 fired.

That reminds me of this test.

The Box O' Truth #39 - Oil Vs. Primers - Page 1 (http://theboxotruth.com/docs/bot39.htm)

He tested to see if penetrating oils would seep into the case through the primer and case gap. Soaking for 5 weeks didn't kill the primers using Winchester White Box 9mm ammo.

[gun-nut]

That was intresting! Thanks for the imfo.

[al45lc]

I deliberately put away reloaded ammo for my 5.56 in '85, I opened and chrony-ed some of it two years ago ('10 ). No problems. It was stored in ziplock bags in a .50 cal miitary ammo box in my basement. No sealers or dissecant was used. I also just recently used 20 year old Red Dot for some reloads, they worked fine. Proper storage is the key.

[carver]

I don't see any need to "seal" reloads! But if I did, I would be carefull of what I used. How many of you like to shoot the lacquered bullets from Russia in your rifles? Those of us who do understand that we have to clean that junk out of the guns from time to time. If I had to seal my bullets, I would be thinking more along the lines of using something like hair spray, and very little of it.