The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Conference Center > General Discussion Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old January 28, 2013, 01:55 PM   #1
9mm
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 9, 2011
Location: Land of the Free
Posts: 2,834
Desiccant Silica Gel harm ammo?

I bought a large pack of these little packets 1oz or so and I throw 3-5 in each ammo can of mine. Will it harm ammo as it removes air I believe? someone remove the nitrogen w/e powered/is in ammo. I heard ammo could be fired in space because it is all sealed up, so don't know.
9mm is offline  
Old January 28, 2013, 02:09 PM   #2
Spats McGee
Staff
 
Join Date: July 28, 2010
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 8,819
I'm not even close to being a Dessicant Expert, but I don't think they remove air. I think they remove moisture from the air. I'm hoping that you get some solid answers to your questions, as I have some dessicant packs that I am about to put in with my ammo.
__________________
I'm a lawyer, but I'm not your lawyer. If you need some honest-to-goodness legal advice, go buy some.
Spats McGee is offline  
Old January 28, 2013, 02:36 PM   #3
7n6
Member
 
Join Date: January 8, 2013
Location: missouri
Posts: 51
Desiccants absorb the moisture in the air, they dont suck up the air.
7n6 is offline  
Old January 28, 2013, 02:40 PM   #4
ScottRiqui
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 27, 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 2,905
You've already gotten good answers about the desiccant, but I'll address the "shooting in space" part of your post.

Yes, firearms would function just fine in space (at least, the combustion part would - some of the moving parts might not work too well in the cold vacuum of space).

Combustion requires oxygen, but both the primer compound and the gunpowder itself contain oxygen-bearing chemicals that release their oxygen to support combustion. Essentially, the rounds "make their own oxygen", allowing them to work even when there's no atmospheric oxygen available.
ScottRiqui is offline  
Old January 28, 2013, 02:44 PM   #5
DaleA
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 12, 2002
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 5,292
Well 9mm since you'd like a real answer and not the normal internet uninformed I'd suggest you ask one of the ammo companies...send 'em an email. I know they're busy nowdays but with all the profit they're making they should be polite and answer a sensible question like yours.

And now playing the role of the internet uninformed I can personally assure you dessicant will not harm ammunition, it really does take the moisture out of the air and does not remove the air and gunpowder burns just fine in space because it chemically supplies its own oxidizer (air).

And goodness...we haven't had a 'guns in space' thread in weeks and weeks. Almost as long as 'guns and bears' and 'guns and snakes'. (And that's okay with me.)
DaleA is offline  
Old January 28, 2013, 02:47 PM   #6
DaleA
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 12, 2002
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 5,292
Sorry Scott Riqui. I was typing my answer and didn't see yours until after I hit submit.

It has been suggested I could double my typing speed if I'd use two fingers instead of the just one but that could take some training.
DaleA is offline  
Old January 29, 2013, 09:26 PM   #7
dstryr
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 14, 2012
Location: IA
Posts: 132
Are ammo cans air tight? If not, once the dessicant absorbs whatever amount of water/humidity it is designed to hold, then it will no longer matter if it is in with the ammo, the air will have the same humidity in the can as outside the can.
__________________
dstryr, since 1986.

http://www.dstryr.com/
dstryr is offline  
Old January 29, 2013, 09:32 PM   #8
ScottRiqui
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 27, 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 2,905
They're air-tight. I've got ammo cans that have been closed up for years with a desiccant pack in each one, and the indicator on the desiccant still shows blue, meaning that it still hasn't yet absorbed its "fill" of moisture.
ScottRiqui is offline  
Old January 30, 2013, 07:54 AM   #9
Hal
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 9, 1998
Location: Ohio USA
Posts: 8,563
Quote:
And goodness...we haven't had a 'guns in space' thread in weeks and weeks. Almost as long as 'guns and bears' and 'guns and snakes'. (And that's okay with me.)
It's been even longer yet since we've had a good "bullet in a microwave" thread....
Hal is offline  
Old January 30, 2013, 12:07 PM   #10
Nasty
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 18, 2008
Posts: 323
Can you cook off a round of ammo in a microwave while shooting at a bear in space?
__________________
Above is based on the opinion of a 20 year Small Arms Marksmanship and Training Unit USAF instructor with more than 30 years in competitive shooting sports. Your mileage may vary.
Nasty is offline  
Old January 30, 2013, 08:33 PM   #11
Rusty35
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 25, 2011
Posts: 140
Quote:
Nasty
Senior Member



Can you cook off a round of ammo in a microwave while shooting at a bear in space?
NO!

But , If you shoot a bear you can cook it in a microwave if there is enough space.
Rusty35 is offline  
Old January 30, 2013, 09:18 PM   #12
berettaprofessor
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 23, 2008
Posts: 1,091
No, dessicants packs don't remove air. They sequester moisture.

And even if they did, they wouldn't be as effective as a vacumn seal...and I do that to ammo all the time. And it shoots fine.
berettaprofessor is offline  
Old January 31, 2013, 01:50 AM   #13
Aaron1100us
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 19, 2011
Posts: 235
I have reusable silica packs in all my ammo boxes. They are blue then turn pink/clear when they are full. You just microwave them to refresh. Works great to keep out moisture.

Looks like these.

uploadfromtaptalk1359614918873.jpg

Sent from my PB99400 using Tapatalk 2
Aaron1100us is offline  
Old January 31, 2013, 09:32 AM   #14
adamc
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 3, 2013
Location: Stalingrad Connecticut
Posts: 216
I never thought of it..

at work some of my $$$ test gear I protect with desiccant,,

so why not guns & ammo ?
__________________
**** NRA Life Member *****

Connecticut was the Cradle of the Gun Industry, NOW it is just a Pine Box,
Courtesy of our Governor "Chairman MAO Malloy"
adamc is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:39 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.08514 seconds with 11 queries