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Storing Primers?

Can a person vacuum seal primers in those vacu-seal bags? I know it may not be necessary but what harm would it do? I already have the machine and bags from food storage
 
If I could find a frined locally that had that machine I would have them do all the primers I don't intend on using this year as well as some of my loaded ammo to keep it from corroding.
 
alf said:
How do you know you're not locking moisture in?

Alf,

I think that the word "vacuum" would ensure that there is no anything in the bag. I have one ...you can't get a perfect vacuum, obviously, but they do a dam good job. I never thought about storing my primers that way.

I think that if you live where it is cold...I mean North dakota cold, the humidity is non existant. Bag em up in the dead of winter and you would be GTG.

Tod
 
alf said:
How do you know you're not locking moisture in?

Or having it "sucked in" as the bag looses it's seal. (Not "If", just "when").

When storing items like this I prefer to use a desiccant pack with a vapor tight container. Zip Lock Bag or Tupperware container, anything that will allow access to the desiccant to check and rejuvenate as needed.

Ditto for ammo although I prefer ammo cans for that.
 
Part of the thought of my response was tongue-in-cheek.....but....

Vacuum sealing does remove the air, but doesn't address the moisture content of the cardboard itself....food for thought...not an argument....
 
I first got started in re-loading some 35-40 years ago, loading for a couple of years. I had a couple of pistols and an AR style rifle. My work schedule soon took over and I hadn't done anything with it till a couple of years ago. I retired, bought a new rifle and started shooting again and updated my loading equipment.

During that 35 or so year span I had about 800 primers and a couple of pounds of powder that were just stored in their original containers, nothing special. Sometimes in the basement and sometimes out in the garage as I moved several times during that period. I used the powder up last year and I'm working on the primers, shooting club matches @ 300 yards with a .223. No fail to fires or any other kind of problems at all.
I have totally abused these components with no problems whatsoever.
 
alf said:
Part of the thought of my response was tongue-in-cheek.....but....

Vacuum sealing does remove the air, but doesn't address the moisture content of the cardboard itself....food for thought...not an argument....

If you can create sufficient vacuum, long enough, then the moisture evaporates and is drawn out.

This is how Air Conditioning/Refrigeration units are prepared for charging. Both Air AND Moisture are bad for them. In a near perfect vacuum, neither air or water vapor remain. Most vacuum sealers don't achieve the kind of vacuum necessary to remove water though.

Another argument for desiccant.
 
I have been using a FoodSaver for years and received a new HD one for Christmas. It will crush an empty coke can flat during the vacuum process. Additionally, when you vacuum out the air from a jar of marshmallows, they expand to twice their size. I wonder if this could damage the primers. If they are sealed and there is air behind the anvil and cap, the vacuum could cause the cap and anvil to move. Thoughts?
 
I too use a food saver to vac-seal bricks of 22 ammo, the boxes crush in against the ammo and their racks, holds a seal for several years of bumping around (and no loose bullets from over-vacuuming the airspace in the cases).

If you were to keep the primers in their boxes with the plastic holders I see zero risk of creating so much vacuum as to pull the primers apart.

Given AndyTaber's experience this is just belt and suspenders security anyway.
 
i started vacume sealing primers when the shortage hit several years ago. i then put them in a plastic storage box. the seal has leaked only 1 or 2 times. when opening a sealed pack the box is crushed and the individual 100 primer box is also and can be a pita to open. when sealing a box of 1000, leave the sealing bag long so you can reseal after retrieving 100-400 primers. if you REALLY want to be ANAL, add a container of dessicant and FREEZE the suckers like we used to do 35 mm film...that ages me, huh? like others, i suspect primers can endure long after our grandkids have gone.
 
The idea of vacuum seal is to prevent whatever is in the bag from absorbing the moisture from the atmosphere which has of course infinite amount of everything including moisture. In contrast, the small amount of moisture in any packing material would be small.

IMHO this is better than desiccant since that stuff by definition has a finite capacity to absorb moisture and will eventually fill up and become useless. As with every problem, the best method is always to address the source of the problem and not to treat the symptoms. The source in this case is clearly the atmosphere. You prevent access to the moisture in the air, you are GTG.
 
jlow said:
IMHO this is better than desiccant since that stuff by definition has a finite capacity to absorb moisture and will eventually fill up and become useless.

Ah, isn't that why the plastic bag is used? To keep a vapor barrier between what's stored and the atmospheric contaminants (moisture). If the vapor barrier remains intact then the desiccant will absorb ALL the moisture there is then the vapor barrier keeps more out.

As many have also pointed out, nothing works too unless you go through a flood or store the primers under a leak in your roof 8)
 
Yea, if you put them in a plastic bag with the desiccant then you are GTG.

The reality is that the primers even when submerged will still work after they dry out! They are tough buggers to kill…. ;D
 
jlow said:
Yea, if you put them in a plastic bag with the desiccant then you are GTG.

The reality is that the primers even when submerged will still work after they dry out! They are tough buggers to kill…. ;D

You make them sound like my two ex wives ::) ::)
 
amlevin said:
jlow said:
Yea, if you put them in a plastic bag with the desiccant then you are GTG.

The reality is that the primers even when submerged will still work after they dry out! They are tough buggers to kill…. ;D

You make them sound like my two ex wives ::) ::)
Hope you are not speaking from experience! :P
 
jlow said:
amlevin said:
jlow said:
Yea, if you put them in a plastic bag with the desiccant then you are GTG.

The reality is that the primers even when submerged will still work after they dry out! They are tough buggers to kill…. ;D

You make them sound like my two ex wives ::) ::)
Hope you are not speaking from experience! :P

Not with primers but why do you think I used the number "2". I was a slow learner. I got smart before I "jumped in" again and I'm now happily married. For 27 years now and it's looking good for the next 20+ assuming I have that much time left.

Remember the story of the guy who was crying at his 25th wedding anniversary? When asked by his lawyer why, he said "remember when you talked me out of killing her back in the beginning?". The lawyer then said, "yes, I remember but how does that explain your tears now?"
The guy responded "I just realized that I would just be getting out of prison and FREE!"

Now back to our regularly scheduled program-------
 
I had thought about vacuum sealing but then worried it could cause other problems.

If there is a small amount of gas trapped inside the priming material drawing vacuum would make a pressure difference between the trapped gas and the vacuum outside. The pressure inside, pushing out, could cause a cracks in the priming material.

In my opinion sealing the primers in the bags with out a vacuum would be ideal.
 
I think there is some truth to what you say, but if you pull a vacuum and seal the bag, the degree of degassing is very self limiting and would stop as soon as the gas comes out and gets the atmosphere inside the bag to room pressure.

Even if the primer would out gas a bit, it would be much less than say just keeping it in the normal trays where the gas would escape and replace by more gas leaking. So the logic is if the lost of this gas from the primer material would lead to the material cracking, you should see cracked primers frequently which at least I have not seen.

My guess is the manufacturer is wise to this and do not make primers with a compound that could dry out and crack. Just my two cents.
 

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