Dug up two of my caches today and results not so good

[helomech]

They have been buried for a few years now. I used pvc schedule 80 pipe and sealed the bottom with pvc cement. The top was a screw on design. I used thread sealant and wax. Everything was inside vacuum sealed bags, and that was the only reason I didn't loose everything. I had about 3 inches of water in the bottom of the tube. Some corrosion on some of the ammo, will now just use it for for target ammo. Going to pass the worst of it through the media to polish it a bit. The fire started and lighters did not make it. All the magnesium fell off the fire starters and both lighters are locked up. Compass, knives, and so on are fine. I filled all the vacuum bags with rice, but there was still some moisture on the paper ammo boxes. Phone was dead so did not get any pics. I will try to get some pics when I open up the other caches. Hope the guns are fine, it is pouring down raining now, so no more digging them up today.

[Sniper-T]

wow!! just wow! I am way interested in hearing about the entire process from selecting area to disappointment. That is such a catastrophic failure that it blows me away. sux dude!. I KNOW you are still established, so not as bad as it could be... but still... we all have considered this. Document well. let us dissect. we can all learn here.

first Q. was it under the water table?

first emote.

sorry to hear bud! major wastage!

But ALL!!!! think of this as a reason to check your cache's if you have them

[helomech]

Not much waste yet, I can still use the ammo. Most of it is fine, some of it has a little corrosion on it. I will run it through the brass media for a few minutes to clean up. Will still be able to use it for training, just won't depend on it.

They where both way above water line, by at least 50 feet. Top of a iron ore hill, nothing near them to cause issues. Just really glad I had rice in them, and decided to check them.

[helomech]

Well I had about 50 rounds of wolf 9mm and they are messed up. I fired 10 rounds had 1 with dead primer, and two weak. One very weak see pics. Those are getting thrown away. The high point is the test weapon. No way I was going to use my sig. Fired about 20 of my brass 9mm reloads and they ran perfectly.





- - - Updated - - -

Here are the 30 carbine ammo that got corrosion. About 500 of them are in perfect shape going to fire some of them later. About 100 to 150 have some corrosion on them. This is the worst one I found.


The only bag of 30 carbine that has some corrosion

[Vodin]

Thank you for the detailed info Helo. Good thing you have found out before an issue arose.

[helomech]

Thanks. Most of the 30 carbine came out great with a few minutes in the vibration cleaner. Going to fire some this weekend to see how they do. Don't think i will have any issues with them. So far all the 5.56 and 7.62X39, and 7.62X51 are all fine. No issues.

[bacpacker]

Sorry to hear about this. I am glad you found out before you needed to rely on them. Being above the waterline, what do you suppose caused the issue? Any thoughts on why just the .30 cal and not the other ammo?

[helomech]

The 30 carbine ammo was on the bottom and sitting in water. Not sure how the water got in, it makes no sense to me. The tube threaded portion was sealed with thread compound, and then wax was put on top of the seam. Guess I should pull them up and see if I can find anything.

- - - Updated - - -

The only ammo that is not working is the steel cased tula 9mm ammo. It was in the same package as the brass reloads, and they work fine. Just a little corrosion on the case, but does not effect function. I guess the steel cased ammo is not sealed as good as the brass cased stuff.

[bacpacker]

Steel vs brass I can see having issues.
Just makes me wonder if the moisture was seeping in through the PVC? I know we have had some plastic conduit that had been buried and was full of water. Makes me think plastic isn't so great for keeping things dry.

[helomech]

This is the real thick pvc pipe. Heck they keep water in, all my pipes are pvc. Can't see how they could leak. I think it has to be the threaded portion, or condensation. Trying to figure out how to remove the moisture from the air before I close it up. Maybe I can put a connection on it to pull a vacuum on the container.