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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Need Help!! Ammo is rusting!!! (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 1/15/2012 11:55:14 AM EDT
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Went to gather some ammo for a little shooting this weekend....and I discovered that I had moist boxes and rusting ammo.
All of my ammo is stored in ammo cans (separated by caliber), indoors. The cans are 30s and 50s. I keep almost all of the ammo in the original boxes they came in and stack them in the cans. What is rusting, is steel cases 223 and 762 that was on the bottom of the cans. The packaging was damp and the cases are rusting, some of it pretty bad. Enough that it does not look safe to shoot. All in all its prob close to 100 rounds that dont look good to shoot. 
What is going on here? I dont live in a humid climate and these cans are clean and closed all the time. Is the moisture in the packaging? Would it be better too keep them loose out of the original packaging? The packaging was damp and soggy, so a considerable amount of moisture. There is no signs of moisture in any of the ammo cans that have brass ammo in them. I originally had some sillica in there but took it out a year or too ago. |
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Were your cans stored on the floor on bare concrete?
I don't know if it's some sort of electrolysis or what, but I've come to the belief that nothing should be stored on bare concrete. Either on a piece of wood, or some sort of plastic pallet. Looks like you have some sort of reaction between the can, the paper packaging, and the (I suspect) concrete floor. Interesting though..... |
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My SWAG is that it was in a garage next to a vent causing it to be cooler than ambient which would draw moisture out of the air.
Those ammo boxes are waterproof when the seals are good, but they're not airtight, they'll breathe every time the temperature changes. [Edit] Holy reduced capacity batman! Quoted:
i store all my ammo in those baggies i can get 20mags per .50 cal can(the small .50 cal can) I got 1300 rounds on strippers in a small 50 can. 
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Quoted:
you need to get some of these http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa273/SinlesSorrow/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_9381.jpg i store all my ammo in those baggies i can get 20mags per .50 cal can(the small .50 cal can) PMC XTAC |
| The can probably had moisture in it when the ammo was put into it. Assuming you bought used USGI ammo cans to use as storage cans, its pretty common for those cans to have a a lot of moisture in them, typically it condensates on the inside walls or bottom of the lid and it can be hard to detect if you are not looking for it. |
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Quoted:
My SWAG is that it was in a garage next to a vent causing it to be cooler than ambient which would draw moisture out of the air. Those ammo boxes are waterproof when the seals are good, but they're not airtight, they'll breathe every time the temperature changes. [Edit] Holy reduced capacity batman! Quoted:
i store all my ammo in those baggies i can get 20mags per .50 cal can(the small .50 cal can) I got 1300 rounds on strippers in a small 50 can.
http://i.sawblade-tx.com/223stash.jpg trust me where i store mine if i didnt use the bags they would look like the OP's i honestly dont need 1300 rounds per can for my SHTF stash, if i use up my cans without ever resupplying in fucked anyways so 20 mags per can is fine 1 can M855 1 can TAP 75gr 1 can Barnes 70gr TSX now here i store them like you do cause they are in a controlled environment |
Well thats what you get with steel cased ammo. You've learned a very valuable lesson- steel cased ammo not good for long time storage! They will corrode from the inside out!  Russian ammo is known for using corrosive powders- thats why it smells like cat piss when shot! Demil the bad ones atleast you can resue the bullet everything else is trash!
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Quoted: Well thats what you get with steel cased ammo. You've learned a very valuable lesson- steel cased ammo not good for long time storage! They will corrode from the inside out! Russian ammo is known for using corrosive powders- thats why it smells like cat piss when shot! Demil the bad ones atleast you can resue the bullet everything else is trash!The ammo in that picture is not corrosive and steel cased ammo stores just fine. Please don't just pull bullshit out of the air. |
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Quoted: Well thats what you get with steel cased ammo. You've learned a very valuable lesson- steel cased ammo not good for long time storage! They will corrode from the inside out! Russian ammo is known for using corrosive powders- thats why it smells like cat piss when shot! Demil the bad ones atleast you can resue the bullet everything else is trash!dude really, don't be ignorant. OP: condensation in the ammo can or a chem reaction with the paper, a al DAG ammo. Dont store it in paper boxes, make sure the ammo is warm, packed in a warm place and the seals ore good. If not then it will condensate, even at low humidity. |
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Quoted: Buying steel cased ammo for long term storage is strange. More likely to rust combined with typically poorer quality projectiles. I buy steel cased ammo to shoot, for long term storage ammo i'll stick with brass. Yeah I can't say I would buy Wolf to squirrel away v. shoot. |
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I have had many cans of steel case ammo from the 60's through the 80's with no rust, and these were from poor storage as evidenced by rust on the outside of the cans. I buy and shoot lots of lacquer coated steel case ammo with no evidence of rust. This stuff is kept in the original paper packaging and stored in ammo cans. You can't blame it on steel cases.
On the other hand, I have found corrosion on some CMP Greek .30-06 brass case ammo. These were the rounds packed in cardboard boxes. The common factor is storage environment. At some point, the OP's ammo has gotten wet and/or been stored in a wet environment. If the HVAC is not working right, or there is some undiscovered leak somewhere, that's the problem. In the hill country where it's dry, you still have moisture in dwellings due to all the human activity. I'd sort out and clean, dry, and re-pack the ammo and move it somewhere else in the building. Then I would go looking for where that water came from. |
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Quoted: The brass case guatamalen we used to buy was brass cased but had nasty corrosion because it was stored in cardboard boxes inside wooden cratesI have had many cans of steel case ammo from the 60's through the 80's with no rust, and these were from poor storage as evidenced by rust on the outside of the cans. I buy and shoot lots of lacquer coated steel case ammo with no evidence of rust. This stuff is kept in the original paper packaging and stored in ammo cans. You can't blame it on steel cases. On the other hand, I have found corrosion on some CMP Greek .30-06 brass case ammo. These were the rounds packed in cardboard boxes. The common factor is storage environment. At some point, the OP's ammo has gotten wet and/or been stored in a wet environment. If the HVAC is not working right, or there is some undiscovered leak somewhere, that's the problem. In the hill country where it's dry, you still have moisture in dwellings due to all the human activity. I'd sort out and clean, dry, and re-pack the ammo and move it somewhere else in the building. Then I would go looking for where that water came from. |
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You can just imagine the storage conditions in some of the Guatemalan or former Warsaw Pact countries. The Greek .30 ammo that corroded was also in cardboard. The other stuff in Garand clips was perfect.
I ran into a guy at an Appleseed shoot who had some of the polymer coated Wolf that had corroded, but he acknowledged that his home had a humidity problem. |
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Aimless
Well gee looks like the steel didn't last long in the pics! You do know about dissimilar metal corrosion don't you? You have three different metal types in one peice of ammo- brass/steel primer, case and copper plated bullet, all powders are some what corrosive. And unless they were loaded in a climate controled environment there was moisture in the air encased within the cartridge. the perfect environment to start corrosion.
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So you guys don't store your ammo in the boxes it comes in? . Much of it I do. However I check to make sure the boxes are dry. Ammo is packed in the cans inside the house (in the dry temp controlled environment. If I bough the ammo in the summer or winter - I let it sit out overnight at least to make sure it reaches room temp before packing it away. The longer term storage gets a dessicant pack as well. |
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So you guys don't store your ammo in the boxes it comes in? I neatly stack my ammo (in its original box) in 50 cal cans off the floor. Is this bad? But I also shoot the shit out of it. I keep some reserves, but those get shot up once I replenish my supply. Nope. I put it all on stripper clips or into mags if I have empties laying around. |
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I use dry packs of desiccant silica gel that are encased in aluminum with a clear window on the side. They are dark blue when when are active and then turn pink when they need to be reactivated. I just use the oven preheated to 300 degrees for 3 hours to reactivate. I go though my ammo cans a least once a month the see if any are pink or not.
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Aimless Well gee looks like the steel didn't last long in the pics! You do know about dissimilar metal corrosion don't you? You have three different metal types in one peice of ammo- brass/steel primer, case and copper plated bullet, all powders are some what corrosive. And unless they were loaded in a climate controled environment there was moisture in the air encased within the cartridge. the perfect environment to start corrosion. What you see is not galvanic corrosion. You come across as a clueless person trying very hard to sound smart. It's not working. |
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Quoted: Aimless Well gee looks like the steel didn't last long in the pics! You do know about dissimilar metal corrosion don't you? You have three different metal types in one peice of ammo- brass/steel primer, case and copper plated bullet, all powders are some what corrosive. And unless they were loaded in a climate controled environment there was moisture in the air encased within the cartridge. the perfect environment to start corrosion. I guess chemistry was not your best class either. You're digging a hole and looking dumber by the post, please stop.Explain how the 40yo 7.62 russian steel ammo from the spam can is still good then. |
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Quoted:
So you guys don't store your ammo in the boxes it comes in? I neatly stack my ammo (in its original box) in 50 cal cans off the floor. Is this bad? But I also shoot the shit out of it. I keep some reserves, but those get shot up once I replenish my supply. I do, but that's all reloads in the picture, so there never were boxes. |
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Thanks gents. I'll keep it in mind. I would hate to buy $300 dollars worth of ammo and find that it is shit after a year or so of storage. It usually doesn't last that long, but it is good to know everyones system. I'll check what I have now. It will give me a reason to inventory what I have and get me out off the couch for a few hours.
Thanks again! |
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I put one of these in every ammo can and it's gtg. Watch the demo.
Zorb-it |
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Quoted:
Aimless Well gee looks like the steel didn't last long in the pics! You do know about dissimilar metal corrosion don't you? You have three different metal types in one peice of ammo- brass/steel primer, case and copper plated bullet, all powders are some what corrosive. And unless they were loaded in a climate controled environment there was moisture in the air encased within the cartridge. the perfect environment to start corrosion. What's your explanation for surplus Soviet/Communist Block steel-cased ammo from the 1950's to 1980's that shows no corrosion whatsoever? You have no clue what you're talking about. |
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Dissimilar metal corrosion happens between the layers of two different metals that are sandwiched together. Not external rust pulled out of the air. Russian ammo has bi-metal jackets, not copper.
Guess the polymer coating does not do as well as lacquer. Something is funky with your cans. Might try the plastic ones. |
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Quoted:
Aimless Well gee looks like the steel didn't last long in the pics! You do know about dissimilar metal corrosion don't you? You have three different metal types in one peice of ammo- brass/steel primer, case and copper plated bullet, all powders are some what corrosive. And unless they were loaded in a climate controled environment there was moisture in the air encased within the cartridge. the perfect environment to start corrosion. What you see is not galvanic corrosion. You come across as a clueless person trying very hard to sound smart. It's not working. +1 Absurd theory considering all the history of steel cartridge cases. |
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How many times, are you going to post this?  Huh.......
Im sorry if once in GD and once in the Ammo Forum is too much for you....high and mighty much? Go did a hole. Response to some questions: ammo was stored inside and not on a concrete surface, but on a metal rack with grate style shelves. I bought the ammo and it sat out for a few days before the ammo (in original packaging) was sealed it ammo cans. All clean condition cans with good seals. Non of my other cans have this issue, only the cans packed with steel. Non of the brass packed cans have moisture on the packaging. At this point I am assuming the moisture was in the packaging and I will be removing all of the old packaging, and repacking in cans with silica packs. And Ill def be keeping an eye on the ammo. |
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Response to some questions: ammo was stored inside and not on a concrete surface, but on a metal rack with grate style shelves. I bought the ammo and it sat out for a few days before the ammo (in original packaging) was sealed it ammo cans. All clean condition cans with good seals. That should have eliminated condensation as a possibility. At this point I am assuming the moisture was in the packaging
For that much rust did you notice if the boxes were damp? Were the boxes by any chance sealed in a thick clear plastic sheath? (some dealers call them 'battlepacks'.) Did anyone else have access to the area where the ammo was kept? Maybe poured some water in the can? |
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Quoted:
Response to some questions: ammo was stored inside and not on a concrete surface, but on a metal rack with grate style shelves. I bought the ammo and it sat out for a few days before the ammo (in original packaging) was sealed it ammo cans. All clean condition cans with good seals. That should have eliminated condensation as a possibility. At this point I am assuming the moisture was in the packaging
For that much rust did you notice if the boxes were damp? Were the boxes by any chance sealed in a thick clear plastic sheath? (some dealers call them 'battlepacks'.) Did anyone else have access to the area where the ammo was kept? Maybe poured some water in the can? The packaging is soggy and damp. Only on the packages that were on the bottom and only on the bottom side, ie all the moisture worked its way to the bottom of the can. These cans are stored in my home office on shelves. No one else has had access, no flooding, no drunk beers poured in, and no cat pissed in them. None of it was in plastic packs, I have some brass that is in battle packs that I check and is just fine. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Response to some questions: ammo was stored inside and not on a concrete surface, but on a metal rack with grate style shelves. I bought the ammo and it sat out for a few days before the ammo (in original packaging) was sealed it ammo cans. All clean condition cans with good seals. That should have eliminated condensation as a possibility. At this point I am assuming the moisture was in the packaging
For that much rust did you notice if the boxes were damp? Were the boxes by any chance sealed in a thick clear plastic sheath? (some dealers call them 'battlepacks'.) Did anyone else have access to the area where the ammo was kept? Maybe poured some water in the can? The packaging is soggy and damp. Only on the packages that were on the bottom and only on the bottom side, ie all the moisture worked its way to the bottom of the can. These cans are stored in my home office on shelves. No one else has had access, no flooding, no drunk beers poured in, and no cat pissed in them. None of it was in plastic packs, I have some brass that is in battle packs that I check and is just fine. My guess is that the seals aren't really sealing, and you're getting condensation combined with humidity transfer. Test with something mildly reactive, like a teaspoon of baking soda and some vinegar... Pour a bit in the can, it'll start foaming up, then close the can. You'll hear hissing if not air tight. Or clean the inside, seal it, then submerge in a tub for a while to check for leaks on the inside. BTW the first method will make a mess, so do it in the back yard. Wear safety goggles, have a blast shield, all that lawyer stuff too. =P |
[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Need Help!! Ammo is rusting!!! (Page 1 of 2)
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