Protecting Ammo For Long Term Storage

[Cpl. Ashencheeks]

A couple of months ago I came across a leather poke that had contained some .535 round balls.

These had a lot of white oxidation on them and I proceeded to clean them off with a old toothbrush in soap and water and then I think I used some break free for the tougher to clean lead, then wiped most of it off after I felt it was clean enough. I also had to clean the leather bag they were in after turning it inside out.

Earlier today I came across the box of round balls that originally the ones in the bag came from. There was about 25 to 30 and they were also covered with the lead oxide crud. I cleaned them the same way as the previous ones in leather poke.

I really don't want to leave break free on these lead balls, so I was wondering what could be used to keep them from oxidizing again.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Nitrogen.

Or, store them in plastic or glass. I keep mine in old pickle jars. The oxidation is because or the permiability of the leather. It's fine to shoot oxidized balls, by the way.

 

[necchi]

I really don't want to leave break free on these lead balls,

There's nothing wrong with doing just that.
Leave the lube on and wipe it off when you use'm.

 

[Cpl. Ashencheeks]

I can understand the ammo in the poke oxidizing because of the leather reacting to humidity and the breathability of leather. The other ones were left in a plastic speer box, yet they still oxidized. perhaps it jarred open somehow.

I have a lot of round balls of the same age in .454 in thick mil plastic bags and they have not oxidized at all. Somehow I think they might have coated with something, but nothing petroleum based. Perhaps they were lightly greased with tallow and oil, but I can't feel any grease on them.

Hornady makes their round balls with some kind of coating but I stopped buying ammo some time ago and mostly cast except not for .535 or .54 caliber.

 

[FishDFly]

This question has been asked 5,113 times here and the answer is always the same.

 

[nkbj]

At the GreatWal they sell really low priced spray paint but the decision would have to be made on whether the color needs to blend in with the sky or the ground.

 

[azmntman]

Would one be shooting game or fowl? Sky for fowl, ground for game :idunno: Make sure its lead free paint however...........

 

[rodwha]

Another of your very helpful posts. Thanks for your time and effort in helping people less knowledgeable than yourself!

 

[Kansas Jake]

I came across a cheap plastic food contain when cleaning the garage this summer that contained .490 RBs that I cast 20 years ago. They were still bright. Maybe the old plastic container is the secret. I also have some Maxiballs that were cast 40 years ago in an old plastic ball box. Those are badly corroded. I think keeping air out is the secret as others have suggested or coating with oil etc.

 

[Rifleman1776]

No need to worry or fuss. Just shoot 'em. Wash your hands at end of day.

 

[Black Hand]

I came across a cheap plastic food contain when cleaning the garage this summer that contained .490 RBs that I cast 20 years ago. They were still bright. Maybe the old plastic container is the secret. I also have some Maxiballs that were cast 40 years ago in an old plastic ball box. Those are badly corroded. I think keeping air out is the secret as others have suggested or coating with oil etc.

You can't "keep the air out". The white stuff is oxidation - if you can keep them dry, you might avoid the issue. As an aside, the lead oxide (white powder/bloom on the lead) can be absorbed through skin, so wear gloves if you are going to treat & wipe the RBs....

 

[Dewey]

I came across a cheap plastic food contain when cleaning the garage this summer that contained .490 RBs that I cast 20 years ago. They were still bright. Maybe the old plastic container is the secret. I also have some Maxiballs that were cast 40 years ago in an old plastic ball box. Those are badly corroded. I think keeping air out is the secret as others have suggested or coating with oil etc.

You can't "keep the air out". The white stuff is oxidation - if you can keep them dry, you might avoid the issue. As an aside, the lead oxide (white powder/bloom on the lead) can be absorbed through skin, so wear gloves if you are going to treat & wipe the RBs....

And DEFINITELY keep the powder away from kids - adults can eliminate a certain amount of lead, but a kid's metabolism processes haven't developed enough to do that, so it is a LOT more toxic to them. Lead compounds are a lot more dangerous than pure metallic (unless someone is shooting at you!).

 

[hanshi]

I keep mine in coffee cans, cookie tins and plastic jars. They don't oxidize but sometimes ones I've left in bags, etc. will. Doesn't matter; they shoot just the same as shiny ones. And, yes, wash the hands.

 

[nhmoose]

Roll the clean balls in Johnsons liquid floor wax like a teaspoon full for a couple hundred in a cool whip container and let dry on wax paper they will not oxidize in a decade or so.

 

[ohio ramrod]

A little WD 40 goes a long way to prevent balls from oxidizing. Since I roll all of my balls, I use lard as a lubricant when rolling never had an oxidization problem, with balls that I have rolled. My nephew uses WD 40 on all of his after casting and he has no problem either. :idunno:

 

[Kansas Jake]

I know the plastic container wasn't completely air tight, but it must have been tight enough to reduce the amount of air change and was able to retard oxidization.

 

[Grimord]

I give all of my cast round balls a light spray of "Pam". Never had an oxidation issue since doing this, and I believe "Pam" is vegetable oil based.

 

[Cpl. Ashencheeks]

I give all of my cast round balls a light spray of "Pam". Never had an oxidation issue since doing this, and I believe "Pam" is vegetable oil based.

This is along the lines of what I was thinking of using. Either that or a light coat of olive oil.

So either use products like break free or WD-40 and wipe them before use, or use a vegetable oil product.

 

[hanshi]

These corroded balls are indeed very dangerous; I've seen deer die after being shot with them. :grin: :dead:

 

[Cowboy]

I asked the same question that you have. Now I do not store any of my balls in my leather bag long term. Since I've been casting my own I have an over abundance of balls. I keep them in plastic containers coated with a little WD-40. When I go to the range I just take out what I plan on shooting and wipe them off with a little bit of alcohol or windex and put them in my leather bag and I am off to the range.