Sealing Primers ?

[necchi]

What is or can be used to seal primers?
 I'm planning to load some rounds for stock/storage, with perhaps a year or two between rotation of this stock pile.

 I guess I've read that some will use something to seal around the pocket and have seen red stuff around primers while cleaning up at the range.

 Is this even an issue when storing ammo for an extended period? I mean it's obvious that high, dry and temp control is an issue, Is sealing the primer a stability issue as well as moisture?

[JoeG52]

Don't worry about it unless you plan to store it under water.
I have ammunition that I loaded 20 years ago that is still shooting just fine.

[Siskiyou]

Huntington’s carries George and Roy Primer Sealant.
GEORGE & ROYS PRIMER SEALANT
http://www.huntingtons.com/primingaccessories.html

[PowPow]

Don't worry about it unless you plan to store it under water.
I have ammunition that I loaded 20 years ago that is still shooting just fine.

JoeG52 - How do you store yours? (not to imply that I store mine underwater) in a conditioned area, unconditioned, unheated? vapor-tight plastic containers?

[JoeG52]

Don't worry about it unless you plan to store it under water.
I have ammunition that I loaded 20 years ago that is still shooting just fine.

JoeG52 - How do you store yours? (not to imply that I store mine underwater) in a conditioned area, unconditioned, unheated? vapor-tight plastic containers?

It just sits in boxes on shelves in my basement. My basement isn’t finished and I do not run a dehumidifier. The friction fit of the primer and bullet will keep normal atmospheric moisture out of the cartridge.

[wncchester]

"...unconditioned, unheated? vapor-tight plastic containers?"

I too have stored mine, some for decades, in unconditioned, unheated areas in small vapor tight containers (the brass case).

Some twenty-thirty years ago I tried sealing primers (with light coats of finger nail polish - brushing lacquer actually) and it seemed to hold up at least as well in storage as the unsealed stuff.  ??

[mechanic]

A lot of my Dad's stuff was stored in my brother's un-conditioned barn for over 20 years until I pulled it out last year to clean up and use.  The powders are fine, the primers are fine, and the reloads shoot just like he loaded them yesterday.

Just stick them in a dry place and don't worry about it.

[PowPow]

"It just sits in boxes on shelves in my basement. My basement isn’t finished and I do not run a dehumidifier. The friction fit of the primer and bullet will keep normal atmospheric moisture out of the cartridge."

That answers it for me. Of course, you can raise catfish in Alabama's "normal atmospheric moisture", but my garage is somewhat conditioned. Thanks.

[Siskiyou]

I have been out in some rather serious storms that have caused me some concern but I have not had an ammunition failure.  Admittedly I was happy with issue ammunition that had sealed primers.  If you are stocking ammunition for an emergency scenario then sealing primers makes since.  Storage may not be the issue, but potential use might be very wet. 

There is a long narrow drainage off a high peak that I like to watch during stormy weather.  The deer filter down it when it snows on top.  They drop below the snow level to escape the storms and feed.  I have been returning to that location for more than half century.  I was back there in the rain in 2008.  I shot a buck with a handload that did not have a sealed primer.  I was well covered in rain gear, but the potential for failure was there.  It was the only buck I spotted that season.

A hunting partner fell in a stream dunking the works.  We were crossing to get to a distant grain field.  His shotgun, ammunition, and he got a real soaking.  A couple hours later his shotgun failed to fire.

[Foxfire Rod & Gun]

I use GI ammo cans with good gaskets of various sizes and packs of decadent for ammo storage in most any environment with no problems what so ever. I have store bought & reloaded ammo without sealed primers that is 25 to 30 years old which has been stored in this manner. I purchase my packs of decadent from ULINE. The cost is very reasonable and they have several different types and sizes of each type.

FR&G

[HAMMERHEAD]

I've had CCI Blazer ammo primers go bad from being stuffed into a plastic bag wet when I got caught in a downpour. They spent about three days in the bag wet, and when I shot them, about half failed to fire.
Never has any go bad from my humid basement though,
Sealant can be bought from Midway, but all it is is lacquer based fingernail polish.

[kctibs]

Don't waste your time or money. I have had ammo stored in ammo cans for years and have never had a problem. I do live in a dryer climate but even if not I don't think I would change anything.  If you worry about the conditions that you are in at the time you probably better seal the bullet and case neck also. But I still think it is over kill and unneeded.

[Steve P]

Lots of my WWII ammo has no primer seal.  I have a lot of surplus rifles and ammo and have had no problems.

I have loaded 1000s of rounds and have them in storage pending the day I can no longer get what is needed.  I have mine in 50 round packages, vacuum packed, and packed in GI ammo cans. 

My grandchildren will be able to shoot when I am gone.

Steve

[Foxfire Rod & Gun]

Now the vacuum packing via maybe a Food Saver is an idea that I had not considered. HMMMMMMMMMMMMM. I got to try this one.

FR&G

[Dezynco]

I have thought about vacuum sealing a couple of thousand 22LR's.  I know that the vacuum bags would keep out any moisture as long as they do not get punctured.  I could see where shotgun shells might benefit from a vacuum bag for long term storage also.  Heck, it wouldn't be a bad idea to vacuum seal a rifle and/or a shotgun for long term storage or just in case it's needed in the future!

[gary0529]

Not meaning to hijack this thread but I have vacuum packed my reloads for a number of years now using a Costco purchased food sealer and it is the cat's meow.
Did find that I prefer to not box the reloads as I can get the same # of rounds in a much smaller amount of sealer bag without the styrofoam holder or cardboard box.
Once you apply the vacuum and seal it up those puppies are snugged in there nice and tight and will not be rattling around.
Also easy to stack and store once they are sealed up.
Yeah, it too may be overkill as I have continued to test fire reloads I did as a kid on a Lee "pound 'em in the die with a mallet" kit in the mid 1960's and stored in various basements and garages over the past 45 years and have yet to have a FTF.

Anyway, like all the previous posts, I don't think sealing primers needed unless you are expecting direct contact with water or they are your "WTSHTF stuff and it simply must work or you can die" loads.

Gary