Comments on: Tech Tip: Keep Cartridges Horizontal During Long-Term Storage

By: ryan pierce

ryan pierce — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 19:32:13 +0000

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.

By: patrick kennedy

patrick kennedy — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 14:11:58 +0000

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.

By: Jurgens

Jurgens — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 08:15:32 +0000

I would suggest that it might be April?

By: Nora Cress

Nora Cress — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 04:48:39 +0000

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.

By: Steve Roemer

Steve Roemer — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 03:42:38 +0000

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….

By: Outrider27

Outrider27 — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 02:59:53 +0000

Just remember, it is April Fool’s Day, so we may be getting spoofed here….

By: Jerry

Jerry — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 02:00:51 +0000

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!

By: Dasher

Dasher — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 00:58:02 +0000

Another reason for short & fat cases.

By: lee

lee — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 00:24:07 +0000

april fools people!

By: bill puleo

bill puleo — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 21:37:53 +0000

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.