Don’t know if this is the correct forum to place this thread, but as it deals with long-term ammo storage, I figured here was as good a place as any.
I have a number of USGI ammo cans, of various sizes, which I use for storage. All seem in very good to like new condition. I use them mainly for ammo storage, but I do keep other items in them. Some are currently empty, as they were purchased for future use.
All my ammo is kept in the original 50 round count plastic tray within the cardboard box it came in. These boxes are them placed within the ammo can. This is the most inefficient use of space, but it keeps lot numbers seperate and it seems to offer each round the greatest level of protection. I can store 18 50-round boxes of 9mm and 8 50-round boxes of .223 in a 50 cal can. There is some room left over, and I place one of those metal dessicant packets with the window in each can - blue dessicant and it’s dry - pink and it needs to be re-charged in the oven.
Here is my recent observation - I went to check on my ammo can contents and I noticed the dessicant packets were in various stages of turning pink.
Some were clearly saturated, some were simply not as blue as when they were first placed into the can. However, this was only for those cans which held ammo. My empty cans, which also had dessicant in them, were all in prime condition - bright blue dessicant.
Either all my cans in use are not airtight, but all my cans which are waiting for somthing to be placed within them are airtight (doesn’t seem likely), or something about the contents of my cans is causing a high moisture content.
The only thing I can think of is that the cardboard of the individual ammo boxs placed within the ammo can is holding enough moisture to saturate the dessicant. Seems unlikely, but I can’t think of anything else to account for what I observed.
Any other ideas out there?
Definitely curious about this. I also use cans, the metal tins with the color change desiccant and most is still in cardboard. I have not seen any accelerated change in the desiccants color in the cans with cardboard vs without. You’re logic seems correct though so I don’t know. Could just be I live in a usually low humidity area. Interested in others input as well.
Also, I may have just missed it but how much time passed between when you put the desiccant in with the ammo and when you checked it and it was pink?
Slightly less than one year. Ammo cans stored in cool basement. While not exactly arid, it’s also not the rain forrest.
This is the dessicant I use…
http://www.silicagel.com.au/products/Hydrosorbent-Silica-Gel-Dehumidifier-40-grams.html
Protects 3 cubic feet of space - far less than the largest ammo can I use - the 20mm cans. Most of my ammo is in 50 cal cans, and some supplies kept in 30 cal cans.
Again, some 50’s and some 30’s are currently empty.
Finally, when I began buying ammo cans for storage use, I did some on-line research to see if, and how, I should maintain the cans (as they are almost all used).
It was recommended to apply some silicone grease to the rubber gasket to “rejuvenate” the gasket. Seems to have worked, but I don’t know - perhaps I made things worse. However, the “good” cans also have had the gasket treated with the silicone grease, so if that was the problem, it should have effected all cans equally.
Bottom line - I want to keep my ammo dry, and what I’m doing doesn’t seem to be working.
I’m stumped.
Well, there is no proof that what you are doing is not working to keep the ammo dry. The desiccant is doing its job.
I do not know if the cardboard is at fault but I would guess so. If you live in a more humid area I would assume that the cardboard has stored moisture in it and that that is being given off. Due to the enclosed nature of the can, the moisture level goes up and the desiccant does its job (which causes it, or the test strip part, to turn color).
I would not worry about it. Recharge your desiccant and check in a year.
ETA: that small amount of moisture is not going to hurt your ammo
RE: OP
I store my ammo in cans, either in the box or on stripper clips, and have encountered the same situation for both varieties. I check my cans about every month and have found that after the first couple of recharges, (of dessicant canisters), the time between recharges has appeared to steadily increase. At the current rate they will not need to be recharged for a long time, barring frequent opening of the can(s). Although, how clean, dry ammo on stripper clips could hold enough moisture to saturate a 40 g. dessicant canister a couple of times over is still a mystery.