Methane hydrate has been directly observed or inferred to exist in continental margin and deep sea sediments around the world as well as in arctic sandstones beneath permafrost. Since methane hydrate is not stable at surface temperatures and pressures, it is very difficult to retrieve intact samples. There is also ample evidence that individual hydrate deposits cover large areas and are complexly distributed in the subsurface. For these reasons, remote sensing techniques are required to study the properties and distribution of natural hydrate accumulations. The most efficient method for exploring large subsurface volumes is seismic reflection profiling. To improve the interpretation of seismic and well log data for hydrate distribution, we are measuring compressional and shear wave speeds through pure, low porosity, polycrystalline methane hydrate samples made in the laboratory. Methane hydrate samples are created by warming granulated ice in a pressurized methane atmosphere from 253 to 293K. After the reaction is complete, temperature and methane pressure are reduced to 277K and 10MPa, respectively (well within the hydrate stability field). Samples are then uniaxially compacted in the synthesis vessel between a fixed and hydraulically-driven piston. Each piston contains either a P- or S-wave piezo-ceramic crystal. The P- and/or S-wave speed through the sample is measured throughout the experiment by dividing the sample length by the signal transit time through the material. Because precursor P-wave signals can be clearly seen in the S-wave data, compressional and shear wave speeds can be measured simultaneously when using the shear wave transducers. Four different techniques are employed to determine the signal transit time. All generally agree to within 1%. Sample length changes are tracked by measuring the position of the hydraulically-driven piston with a displacement transducer. The maximum observed P-wave speeds through six compacted samples range from 3400 to 3700 m/s. The maximum observed S wave speeds in four samples range from 1800 to 1900 m/s. The largest P- and S-wave speeds observed to date (3700 and 1900 m/s) were measured simultaneously using S-wave transducers. Wave speed differences between runs are likely due to differences in final porosity between samples. Calculations suggest that final porosities of <5% have been achieved, but porosity is difficult to measure because material extrudes from the sample chamber during compaction. An annealing or cementing effect is observed when the compaction process is stopped for a few hours. The P- and S-wave speeds through the porous hydrate become larger without the sample length changing significantly. We attribute this observation to bonding between hydrate grains, implying that water molecules on the hydrate surface are mobile. Resuming compaction leads initially to a velocity decrease as the newly formed grain-to-grain bonds are broken. Continued compaction increases the measured wave speeds along the previous, well-defined wave speed vs. sample length trend.