Tech Tip: Keep Cartridges Horizontal During Long-Term Storage
Ever wonder why fine wine is always stored on its side? That’s not just for looks, or easier access when the sommelier (wine steward) visits the wine cellar. Wine bottles are stored horizontally, at a slight angle, to prevent the wine from oxidizing:
“By intentionally storing a wine on its side, you will help keep the cork in constant contact with the wine. This will keep the cork moist, which should keep the cork from shrinking and allowing the enemy of wine, oxygen, to seep into the bottle. When oxygen comes into contact with wine the result is not good – the wine starts to oxidize and the aromas, flavors and color all begin to spoil“. — About.com
Ammunition Should Also Be Stored Horizontally
So what does wine have to do with shooting? Well, it may surprise you, but over time, our cartridges can spoil, just like wine can — though not for the same reason. We don’t have the issue of oxygen seeping past the bullet (the “cork” as it were). However, when ammunition is stored nose-up or nose down, problems can arise. In a nose-up or nose-down configuration, over a long period of time, the powder column will compress, and the powder kernels can actually break down. This can lead to erratic ignition and/or dangerous pressures.
To avoid the problems associated with powder column compression and kernel break-down during long-term storage, take the time to orient your cartridges like wine bottles, i.e. placed flat on their side. Of course, this really isn’t necessary if you burn through your ammo relatively quickly. But, if you are storing cartridges “for the long haul”, take the time to arrange them horizontally. That may require a little extra effort now, but you’ll reap the rewards down the road.
This tip courtesy Anette Wachter, www.30CalGal.com.Similar Posts:
- Long-Term Powder Storage — What You Need to Know
- Long-Term Powder Storage — Important Guidelines to Follow
- Recall of Accurate 2520 Powder — One Lot
- Powder Storage Q & A — What Are Signs of Problems?
- Smart Advice on Powder Storage — What You Need to Know
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Tags: Ammunition, cork, Pressure, Storage, wine
Ha-Ha, APRIL FOOL!!!
Somewhere out there are shelf life studies done by places like Frankford Arsenal, Picatinny and the Army testing labs in Maryland the name of which escapes me. I’m wanting to say it starts with Al–senior moment.
TA
So, how long is long term storage? What’s the minimum amount of time to be considered “long”?
Folks – its April 1st – got it?
April fools dudes!!!
They need to be turned every month or so if you really want to keep them in pristeen condition….
Just set the ammo box on its side.
Using the above rational for horizontal storage for loaded ammo we should store our powder canasters the same way. I worked at Picatinny years ago and if ammo was stored in low humidity and moderate temperature it was good to go for decades.
april fools people!
Another reason for short & fat cases.
Your best bet is to use your thimbles tumbler and add a rheostat. I’ve been doing it for years and my brass looks great too when I pull it out if storage!
Just remember, it is April Fool’s Day, so we may be getting spoofed here….
SORRY, BUT IM NOT BUYING THIS….IVE GOT POWDER THAT IS 20 YEARS OLD…..STILL GOOD, NO OXIDE, NO RANCID SMELL, NO YELLOW DUST…..AND STILL SHOOTS WITH EXCELLENT BALLISTICS….
I’m with you Steve, I recently got back into reloading and long range shooting. I had some 30-06, .357 and .38 rounds that I’d loaded in 1979-80 tossed back in my safe that had been stored standing on their tips in boxes all that time and I’ve yet to have one to not go ‘bang’ yet when I pulled the trigger. Same for powder and primers, I gave a friend 300 CCI Large pistol primers for a .45 LC he began loading for and he has yet to have a dud out of them.
I would suggest that it might be April?
This is why ammo companies design their boxes like they do. Rifle ammo is more susceptible to this due to the larger amounts of powder, that is why in rifle cartridges the have designed the box so that when it sits on the store shelf it is sat with the cartridges laying on there side. In Pistol cartridges it doesn’t matter as much so that is why the boxes have then nose up. Also Powder should be laid on it side as well, Most powder makers use round bottles, so that they can be turned like wine bottles, and high end powders like Vihtavuori have flat sides to promote side placement. I never buy powder that is sat on end on a shelf. You guys that have loaded cartridges and had then nose up or vise versa, have dodged the bullet. (Pun intended.) You may want to take head of the advise in the April 1 post.
I don’t have to worry about that problem. I lubricate the inside and outside of my cases with unicorn tears. Due to the molecular composition of the tears the powder isn’t affected by the laws of physics/gravity. Due to this the powder floats in the case until its ready to be fired. This inturn makes 5 fps extreme spreads for 22 shots the norm. Since unicorn tears are hard to come by I only lubricate the bullets with them for big matches. When I do this the bullets leave the barrel in a happy state of mind and my x count rises substantially.