[Finmac]

There have been many discussions on this site around burying or storing ammo or food and even money. I've been working with burying techniques for years so I thought that I would make a short video that instructs on how to use PVC pipe and Argon or nitrogen gas. It's a technique used by the Germans to preserve weapons and the U.S. Air Force to preserve aircraft engines during WWII. Colt Manufacturing has used Mylar bags purged with nitrogen instead of cosmoline. The food industry has used inert gas to preserve prepper food and the same technique works well with brown and white rice. The method depicted on the video link has been tried and proven for as long as five years but will certainly last far longer.
Ammo and powder can be easily stored for long periods using Argon gas both in-ground as well as above. Introduction of Argon into powder kegs can eliminate the formation of the brown deterioration powder that results from long term storage. It's a 30 minute video but it covers each step for the novice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca2Yio0Q9Ag

 

[MikeK]

The food industry uses O2 absorbers, which are more effective than gas purging. And even at that, it's not terribly effective for things such as brown rice.

 

[Hick Industries]

Not a bad idea, but the inert gas Argon is very expensive to purchase in pure form.
Most Argon tanks have a substantial amount of moisture.
While nitrogen is not inert, it is easy to obtain as a pure, dry gas.

 

[Writer's Block]

Cannot see where an O2 absorber in a Mylar bag would not get a better result than gas purge.

 

[woozy]

Cannot see where an O2 absorber in a Mylar bag would not get a better result than gas purge.

People don't realize that most of what left is Nitrogen.

It took Zeke and MikeK forever to get me to quit sucking the excess air out of my Mylar before adding the O2 absorber.

 

[charliezero3]

Argon is dry

All commercially available gases (O2, N2, Ar) are produced in a cryogenic process that ensures they are clean and dry. This means the air is cooled to the point of liquefaction and then the different components are separated. The O2, N2, and Ar that you purchase in a cylinder come from liquid stored in a tank.
The N2 is not a truly inert gas. To be truly inert a gas must not be able to bond with O2 on a molecular basis. However, the purpose of using either N2 or Ar is to displace O2 in order to prevent oxidation on any level. For that purpose either will work.
FYI welding O2 and medical O2 are the same product. They come from the same liquid tank but the cost difference is staggering. Medical O2 is only available with a prescription and costs about 120 dollars a cylinder. Technical O2 is about 7 dollars a cylinder. The only difference is the certification paper work and the fact that typically insurance or the government pays for medical gases, so companies that sell this product take advantage.

 

[john1969]

Use of Argon was discussed in a book long ago. And the Author favored it. The absorbers sound so much easier to use.

How to Bury Your Goods
The Complete Manual of Long Term Underground Storage
by Eddie The Wire

http://www.paladin-press.com/product/How_to_Bury_Your_Goods/110

 

[Finmac]

So you think storing food is not disaster preparedness ? How about storing ammo ? Exactly what kind of disaster are you preparing for...beer store being hit by a tornado ?

 

[Finmac]

The "Walking Methane Factory" evidently has not watched the video. Per cubic foot Argon is far cheaper than moister absorbers or oxygen absorbers. Additionally, absorbers will break down over time, are inefficient and both do not act immediately which allows moisture and oxygen time to attack venerable metals or food products. Absorbers are not for critical storage.