CO2 for a bural vault

spcantwell

spcantwell

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Thinking about putting together a burrial vault for an extra toy I will be getting up. The plan is a PVC pipe with solvent ends (not screw on). Vacume storage bags for the rifle and a seperate one for some HP... My question is, what about dry ice in the bottom to kick out most of the air? Will dry ice put off to much moisture? Any ideas?

BTW, sorry if this has been done to death, but I didnt see anything on a search and the web in general has a lot of contradicting advice (shocker)
 
Dry ice has no moisture, it turns into gas, never heard of it used in firearm storage though.
 
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second said:
Dry ice has no moisture, it turns into gas, never heard of it used in firearm storage though.
Click to expand...

I just assumed that the 'mist' gas that is produced by it had a moisture content. I figured that dry ice can remove the 02 (by replaceing it with heavyer co2). easyer to get then nitrogen or some other innert gas and unless someone knows why it SHOULDNT be used?....
 
What kind of setup do you have for doing this? Are you going to have the tube in an airtight container with a one way valve while you seal the ends?
As for the dry ice having some moisture content, I suppose it's possible. There are different grades of gas you can buy for industrial/lab work, one of the variables being "dryness". I have no idea what is used to produce dry ice.
 
I would avoid co2 also since it combines with water to form carbonic acid.
Perhaps just sealing it up with a load of desiccant. and use a good runt preventative treatment on all metal surfaces prior ro storage. vacuum-sealing has the problem that everything is trapped inside good or bad. Avoid wood stocks as they contain significant amounts of moisture.
 
If you have a friend with a kegerator, they might let you use one of their CO2 tanks to fill the tube with gas. If take them to the range, they might even give you a beer.
 
OCB said:
What kind of setup do you have for doing this? Are you going to have the tube in an airtight container with a one way valve while you seal the ends?
As for the dry ice having some moisture content, I suppose it's possible. There are different grades of gas you can buy for industrial/lab work, one of the variables being "dryness". I have no idea what is used to produce dry ice.
Click to expand...

no, my plan was sitting the tub upright and just putting the dry ice in at waiting until most of it 'melts'. If I remember HS chemisrty right, CO2 is heavyer then air so it will force the o2 out. After the ice is mostly gone, rifle and ammo go in, seal the top... presto... (maybe some silica packets too).
 
I can get you all the argon or co2 you need from my welding tanks. Argon is inert and is used for document preservation. For extra measue I could filter it through my hypertherm moisture trap. It will take all the water ( doubt there would be any trace) out of the gas.
 
From my experimenting - nothing fancy is needed - not even desiccant.
Motor oil on metal parts (inside & out) then wrapped in plastic sheeting. Some items vacuum sealed in recycled mylar bags.
After 5+ years looks like the day it went in.
PVC tube with screw cap sealed with grease.
 
Do not reinvent the wheel.

Manufacturers use desiccant, and if the container is sealed, you should be good to go, especially with the oil, as Archilocus notes, above.

The only way to remove all the O2 is with a vacuum purge, and re-fill of inert gas, and that's a pita, unless you have the stuff.

The .mil uses cosmolene for a reason.
 
I think I woud wait for all the dry ice to evaporate, otherwise the psi will rupture your pvc. Why are you looking to bury your stuff?
 
people have said make sure not to use any silicone glue sealant as it emits a corrosive acetic acid vapor when drying.
 
I have CO2 (I'm a brewer), fittings and such so that we could use it to purge the oxygen/air from the vessel and replace it with low PSI of CO2. IF you still want to give that a try that is.
 
netra709 said:
I think I woud wait for all the dry ice to evaporate, otherwise the psi will rupture your pvc. Why are you looking to bury your stuff?
Click to expand...
just an extra firearm (have anouther one just like it) that I can live without and wouldnt mind haveing as a back-up someplace. Not even positive that I would 'bury' it underground. May just 'bury' it in some corner someplace (not in the house) so if something happens I will always have a back up. Just looking for a cheaper way to preserve it long term.

- - - Updated - - -

Golddiggie said:
I have CO2 (I'm a brewer), fittings and such so that we could use it to purge the oxygen/air from the vessel and replace it with low PSI of CO2. IF you still want to give that a try that is.
Click to expand...

thanks for the offer. Chances are that nothing is going to happen on this for a while, just thinking of possibilites while comeing back from a range trip...
 
If this is a pistol (or handgun), consider using a 50 cal (or 40mm) ammo can with a desiccant pack in there too. Get one with a good gasket and you should be fine. That way you can easily get into it without issue when you need/want to.
 
CO2 won't help. Descant works best. You could in theory flush the tube with any very dry gas and dry out the contents of the tube but depending on your grade (quality) of CO2 or dry ice it may contain as much water as your environment.

This would be my choice: https://www.zcorrproducts.com/pages/how-it-works

The technology is commonly used for many parts. This company just makes them in long rectangles and sells them for rifles.
 
Golddiggie said:
If this is a pistol (or handgun), consider using a 50 cal (or 40mm) ammo can with a desiccant pack in there too. Get one with a good gasket and you should be fine. That way you can easily get into it without issue when you need/want to.
Click to expand...

no such luck, its a carbine rifle. Though if you or anyone else has seen any of the 40mm ammo cans arround SE mass area I am in the market for a few more for ammo storage. No matter what I will be tossing some desiccant in there (I have a box full of silica gell which works great in tea bags). Thanks for all the help everyone and keep in comeing... More info is always good...
 
CO2 is referenced here as an alternative to nitrogen for preserving ammo specifically but just as relevant with guns. Just search the text for carbon dioxide it will save some time. Ammunition preservation packaging and storage system - Ammunition preservation packaging and storage system - Ready Reserve Ammo, Inc.

From the research I have done CO2 is acidic when it mixes with water and creates carbonic acid. As long as you have some moisture absorbers in the container to dry out any remaining moisture then corrosion won't be a problem. Or so I have read on several occasions.
 
xtry51 said:
It doesn't matter if there is water in the tube as long as there is no oxygen.

Water is not corrosive.
Click to expand...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if there is water in the tube...there IS oxygen. The iron in ferrous metals will molecularly bond with the O part of the H20, and form iron oxide (rust) leaving free hydrogen left behind. Interesting note about water...it does not conduct electricity. Really!
 
Cosmoline is great if you have the time to clean it off before you plan to use the item you are storing but If you want instant use of the item I would bite the bullet and purchase nitrogen to purge air from your container. You can also use the nitrogen to displace the air in the containers your storage food is in before its sealed. Use a voltive candle at the top of the container when you fill the container with nitrogen when the candle is extinguished the container is filled.
 
SemiAutoSam said:
Cosmoline is great if you have the time to clean it off before you plan to use the item you are storing but If you want instant use of the item I would bite the bullet and purchase nitrogen to purge air from your container. You can also use the nitrogen to displace the air in the containers your storage food is in before its sealed. Use a votive candle at the top of the container when you fill the container with nitrogen when the candle is extinguished the container is filled.
Click to expand...

Sam! Glad to see you!

I would just say if you have time dig up the item, you probably have enough enough time to clean it, but not a bad point. Take into consideration the time required to return it to usable condition.
 

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