Ammo/Reloading Question

[devous1]

I was talking to a friend a few weeks ago about ammo/reloading supplies storage. The only precaution I have ever made was to keep my powder dry and in a stable environment. However he was talking about his concerns about his brass corroding and/or oxidizing. I normally keep my ammo in my safe which has dehumidifiers so I guess it has never really been an issue.

I do have some older military brass that has been in storage for a very long time and does show signs of oxidation.

At this point the amount of ammo and reloading supplies exceeds what I can fit into my safe and has to be stored in a cabinet in my garage. The garage has a fairly stable environment but temp and humidity can vary.

Is this a serious concern for fairly large amounts of supplies intended for long term storage? One thing I'm thinking about doing is using a food sealer and bagging 50/100 round lots.

[jeep45238]

I honestly don't worry about it at all, and I have 5 gallon buckets full of brass that have had to sit dormant for the last 2 years.

A vibratory tumbler will shine them back up. I don't worry much about handgun ammo, though I also don't make some cooker rounds either. I have found it costs more to reload rifle ammo than simply buying Wolf - match grade (sub MOA) ammo is a different story though.

[devous1]

I really don't care so much for the cheaper stuff I buy either. I'm mainly concerned about the handloads because it is getting expensive. I'm putting together a Rem 700 XCR in 300 Win Mag and finding anything but hunting rounds is tough. Any type of match ammo, empty brass or even quality bullets is really tough. I have some Hornady A Max on backorder and Midway estimated something like November. So I think I ordered a couple thousand which would last me a long time.

[jeep45238]

Honestly, it's just boiling down to what you're going to use the ammo for. I shoot stuff that's horribly oxidized in my .22 conversion for my Glock, because I can actually get some random practice for malfunction drills - normal ammo and it runs like a glock should.

If you're just making plinking ammo, I doubt it'll matter at all. If you're planning on getting into F class or anything of the sort, well, it does. Those guys care about everything down to the primer brand to create consistant ammo for their match rifles.

[ibstrokin]

If your powder containers are unopened it shouldn't matter if they are stored in the garage or inside the house. If your container has been opened, I would definitely keep it inside the house.

As for your 300WM, 76 grains of h1000 and 208 amax's are working great for my buddies xcr. Of course you will want to start low and work up. His velocity is 2950 fps, with the 648 b.c. Of the 208, it has excellent ballistics. But the 208's are very hard to find, Hornady had them on the suspend list.

[devous1]

I ordered 208s, the only powder I could find that was listed in my manual is Reloaders 25. I keep a supply of that and a couple different IMTs. It took me a few weeks just to find primers and if your buddies are looking for brass Midway just got some in but its likes 7?.00 for 50.

I'm primarily building the gun for Thunder Valley I'm only about 40 miles from it and my local gun club only goes up to 200 yrds.

Has your buddy had any custom work on his gun? I'm gonna shoot mine as is this year and maybe have a couple things done next winter if I find a good armor.

[ibstrokin]

We shoot at TVP, Tom (the owner) built my Remington 700 chambered in 260 Remington, I would highly recommend him, especially if your only 40 miles away, he is 165 miles from me, and I won't use anyone else.

The h1000 is an extreme extruded powder, which means it's temp stable. I would definitely use h1000 over RL25 for long range use. The H1000 will be more consistent from morning to afternoon, and yes, that does matter.

My buddy had Tom install a muzzle brake and a Jewell trigger.

[devous1]

I have talked to Tom, I was gonna have him do some work on the gun but I think this year I'm just gonna run it as is. I have to save for the scope and that will be expenditure for this year. Next year probably some bolt/chamber work and a magazine conversion.

Finding h1000=Finding Pixie dust (impossible/doesn't exist) I've looked everywhere online and instore. Woodbury/Cabellas/Vances/Ohio Valley/Sportsmans Den etc.

[ibstrokin]

I hear you, I run H4350 and for a while it was impossible to find. I had better luck finding powder at gun shows. There is a small shop in Lebanon called Country Attic Treasures that usually has powder, you might want to check with Olde English Outfitters in Vandalia. These places arent close too you, but they might have H1000. I have 2 lbs. of H1000, but I'm reluctant to sell, I like having various powders on hand for testing. The rl 25 has a similar burn rate to H1000, and at short range would probably be as accurate. But Tom has told me to stick with Hodgdons extreme powders for temp stability.

One of the guys at a TVP match suggested 76 grains of H1000 (with the 208 amax) to my buddy, and that load shoots great at 100 yards (1/2-3/4") and has no problem hitting steel at 1 mile. I don't remember what primer or seating depth he's using, but I can find out if you want.

It seems to me that the 208's would be harder to come by than the H1000, but I haven't looked for either in a while.

[ibstrokin]

Here is a link to 4 lbs on Gunbroker, they are too much, but they have it, and that would give you plenty of powder to shoot for a while while you looked for a better deal on more powder.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=386041090

Here is a link to a guy in London OH with 100 208 amax's

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=386143135

[devous1]

I have been to Olde English but I have a hard time getting in there because there is a low overpass right before you hit their lot and I'm always afraid to dry it with a box truck. I travel all around Ohio so I usually hit the larger gun stores when I'm close and have time.

If you don't mind asking what primer their using I would appreciate it.

Man I feel like a total tard, I go on Gunbroker at least a few times a week and have bought and sold several guns including my 700 off there. I have never thought to look for supplies on there. I did throw a bid out on the 208s, I'm curious if that's the guy Davidson that owns Davidsons Gun World in Hilliard?

Thanks

[devous1]

I did get an email awhile ago stating that Midway shipped half my 208 and will be here on the 8th.

[ibstrokin]

He's using Federal gm210m primers. You may need to play with the seating depth a little bit.

[devous1]

I did get my 208s yesterday and I stopped at Vances Buckeye Outdoors and they had a shit ton of reloading supplies. I think they every type of powder there EXCEPT h1000.

[ibstrokin]

My buddy went to Woodbury on 71 today, he said they had h1000 in stock, I don't know how much.

[devous1]

Thanks for the info, I stopped on the way to Cavalcade and got the last two lbs.

[ibstrokin]

Your Welcome, glad to help. You should be good for a while, but you'll need to keep an eye out for the 208's and H1000, it's nice to have enough components to be ahead, in case they dry up again.

You may want to consider a muzzle brake for your 300, it really tames the recoil, and Tom does a great job on them. If you buy a trigger, buy a Jewell, they are more expensive, but worth it.

[devous1]

If I get time this week I may try to meet up with Tom this week. I talked to him about suppressors and he seems to think I could obtain one but it sounds like a huge hassle to me.

I've been looking for a .22lr for plinking and groundhogs around our warehouse and found a local guy on Armslist that had a decked out S&W 22-15. I met him at Ohio Valley in Lancaster this morning and bought it. After which I went inside and they had about 10-1lb canisters of h1000. If your friends are interested let me know with tax its right at 33/lb and I will probably buy them out this week. They do have a 1lb per day limit so it will take me all week.

[ibstrokin]

Thanks, but I think my buddy with the 300 WM has enough powder.