How do you store your ammo?


PDA






horsemen61
November 11, 2012, 07:56 PM
How do you guys store your ammo do u keep it in ammo boxes .Ammo cans bury it a friend of mine and I got into a debate about this and I would like to hear your thoughts.

If you enjoyed reading about "How do you store your ammo?" here in TheHighRoad.org archive, you'll LOVE our community. Come join TheHighRoad.org today for the full version!
Scuba_Steve
November 11, 2012, 07:59 PM
Mine are in cheap plastic bins from target

ColtPythonElite
November 11, 2012, 08:09 PM
Zip lock bags.

Blue68f100
November 11, 2012, 08:13 PM
Boxes, bags (zip-loc and vacuum seal) and ammo cans.

tightgroup tiger
November 11, 2012, 08:23 PM
Peanut butter and applesause jars.

REDMASTA
November 11, 2012, 08:45 PM
Ammo can with a dessicant pack thown in and make sure to store in a dry area.

Walkalong
November 11, 2012, 08:58 PM
Ammo cans, military first aid kit cans (http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=158770&d=1328915420) which have the rubber seal and clamp shut tight (http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=166430&d=1339960337) just like ammo cans, plastic boxes like MTM (http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=101343&d=1247345818), Midway USA blue boxes (http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=166428&d=1339960180), Bag Master bullet bags (http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=166429&d=1339960193), etc.

None of which are buried.

wgaynor
November 11, 2012, 09:05 PM
I do the trash can digging at the range and save the boxes/trays for the calibers I load for. A piece of duct tape goes over the top to mark the specifics of the load.

I then store them in Ammo Cans. One can for "the stash" and the other for regular range shooting. Each Ammo can has a piece of duct tape on it where I can see at a glance whats inside and how much. As it's used up or I add to it, the information is updated.

I'm kinda particular about this.

moonzapa
November 11, 2012, 09:28 PM
I have ammo that is approximately 9 years old and store the majority of it in the over the counter available MTM plastic ammo boxes. A buddy of mine who frequently uses a chrony tells me that he noticed reduced velocity in ammo stored from 5-7 years. He further stated that his groups weren't bad, but they had dropped several inches from the original zero.

I don't want to contradict the thread you posted here, but I don't plan to keep any ammo more than 3 -5 years. I have a very limited quanitity of military ball ammo that was made during the Korean War and I wouldn't be afraid to protect myself and loved ones with it, however, I wouldn't use it for deer hunting either.

My 2 cents.

Walkalong
November 11, 2012, 10:37 PM
A buddy of mine who frequently uses a chrony tells me that he noticed reduced velocity in ammo stored from 5-7 years. He further stated that his groups weren't bad, but they had dropped several inches from the original zero. A little lost velocity? Maybe, just maybe, Dropped several inches from the original zero? Doubtful. I sure haven't seen it. At 5 to 7 years old, it is in its infancy.

KansasSasquatch
November 11, 2012, 11:01 PM
The 7.62x54R from the 70s that I have shoots a foot high at 100 yards through my Mosin. If 5-7 years makes a big difference this stuff must have shot 3ft high when it was first made :)

I keep the majority of my ammo in ammo cans that I've picked up in various places. Most of them have a rubber gasket that apparently seals them up well enough. I wouldn't ever think about burying ammo. It can't do me any good if its in the ground. Stashed away in a nondescript location in my house is another story.

Clark
November 11, 2012, 11:04 PM
Plastic cartridge boxes from MTM or Berry's for rifle ammo.

Pistol ammo can go in plastic boxes for work ups, or coffee cans for carry.

bbuddtec
November 12, 2012, 12:40 AM
^ what he said, ammo n dessicant, plus a host of other vessels, most of which are precluded by ziplocs

but my room is in a typical basement...

James2
November 12, 2012, 01:13 AM
Regular ammo boxes like factory ammo comes in if available.
Zip Lock Bags. Cottage Cheese Containers. The boxes bullets come in. I once used a Money Bag for 30-30. OK, I think you get the idea, what ever is handy. One thing is in common with any container, it gets labeled with the contents and the date/recipe. Some is in a cupboard, some is under the bench in a box, some is stacked on one end of the bench. Some is in the safe. I carry some in my pocket. I try to shoot the oldest batch next so none of it gets stored for too long. Maybe 2 years max.

I think for long term storage an ammo can with a desiccant pack would be good. Here in high and dry Utah the moisture in the air doesn't seem to be much of a problem though.

Twiki357
November 12, 2012, 01:50 AM
I use the MTM plastic boxes for most of my ammo. the MM's in 50 cal ammo boxes, one or more, appropriately labeled, for each caliber. But for my high volume plinking reloads, I use the large plastic peanut jars from Costco that hold about 4 to 5 hundred rounds.

b money
November 12, 2012, 02:55 AM
Cardboard(factory) or plastic(mtm) boxes then all of that goes into 30cal, 50cal, SAW, 40mm, or 20mm surplus ammo cans. Whatever fits better with the amount of ammo I have for a certain round. I try to keep each can caliber specific but that doesnt work all the time. My reloaded ammo I always write down load data and date on a slip of scrap paper and put in the box. 22's I just dump into a 30cal ammo can and whenever I see deals on bricks I pick them up and dump them in the can. I'm not to worried about old ammo because the Lake City, Twin Citys and HXP I have has been from as early as 1952 and it has always shot well so I don't think a few years will hurt as long as the ammo is stored in something air tight.

Twmaster
November 12, 2012, 03:09 AM
I store mine in ammo cans under a workbench.

evan price
November 12, 2012, 05:58 AM
I dig the factory 50-round ammo boxes and liners out of the trash can at the gun range and reload my reloads into them. I stick a piece of masking tape on the box with the load info and date. Then they get stacked in a closet, locker, or under the bed in cartons.

Reloadron
November 12, 2012, 06:12 AM
Ammo can with a dessicant pack thown in and make sure to store in a dry area.
Ditto...

Ron

beatledog7
November 12, 2012, 08:58 AM
Bulk handgun (that is, tested and proven recipes I've built in large quantities) go into zip-locs counted into 4, 5, or 6-mag qtys or 10-cylinder qtys then into ammo cans with desiccant. Frankly, there isn't that much in this category. I seem to always be experimenting rather than simply churning out standard loads.

Loaded magazines and speedloaders are in the safe.

Handgun lots for testing go into MTM-type boxes because that facilitates keeping charge weights and different powders separate and makes it easy to track the results.

I store all my rifle rounds other than .223 in MTM type boxes. For .223, I use 9mm trays I scavenge from a range as loading blocks and often just stack them in that manner inside an ammo can until I get around to testing them. Tested and proven .223 rounds might get stored like bulk handgun ammo if I ever decide on a recipe to build by the hundreds.

All the stored ammo that's not in ammo cans goes into a wooden cabinet or a wooden trunk inside the climate-controlled part of my house. No matter how you store ammo, always remember to label it fully so you know exactly what it is months or years later.

medalguy
November 12, 2012, 11:02 AM
I store my ammo in military .50 cal ammo cans. These have been battle tested by the military for 100 years and they have withstood everything possible thrown at them. I don't think I can imptove on the quality of a good metal ammo can.

I don't use dessicant, don't think it's necessary with these cans. The military doesn't use it, so why would I?

bds
November 12, 2012, 11:32 AM
For match/range practice ammo I am going to use within 6 months, tall Folgers coffee cans from Costco or tool bags from Sears (http://www.sears.com/search=tool%20bags?storeId=10153&catalogId=12605&vName=Tools&viewItems=25&autoRedirect=true&redirectType=CAT_REC_PRED) (buy the heavier duty bags).

For long-term storage/"just in case" ammo, vacuum packed with FoodSaver bags in bulk/100 round "battle packs" and placed in 3-5 gallon buckets with lids/ammo cans. 100 round "battle packs" fit easily into pockets and I cut "V" notches at corners for easier tearing.

Kyle M.
November 12, 2012, 02:10 PM
Ammo cans, bottles, jars, tupperware containers, mtm ammo boxes, cardboard boxes, empty component boxes, pretty much any where I can put it.

zoom6zoom
November 12, 2012, 03:34 PM
I just stack the cases in the basement.

Hondo 60
November 12, 2012, 05:17 PM
Top shelf is cleaned brass waiting to be reloaded.
2nd shelf is ammo waiting to be fired. ;)

http://www.jbabcock.net/guns/ammo.jpg

W.E.G.
November 12, 2012, 05:22 PM
Once you have an ammo supply beyond "a few boxes," those little plastic 50-boxes, and 20-boxes become impractical for anything other than a range trip.

USGI ammo cans.

All the way.

I will admit that I use ziplock bags inside the cans to segregate the contents.
There can be issues with this if the cans are rough handled. I don't think its beyond possibility that if you picked up one of the cans containing loose ammo, and you dropped that can hard, that a primer might be struck with sufficient force to make the round pop.

TFL
November 12, 2012, 05:54 PM
.223 on stripper clip, 10 clips in a plastic bag sealed and a label on every bag with reload information. And in a USGI ammo can.
Pistol 100 to a bag with label, and in a USGI ammo can.
Other rifle in plastic shell boxes, labeled, ina USGI ammo can.

Reefinmike
November 12, 2012, 06:41 PM
When Im not scouring up all the 38, 357, 380, 44, 45, 223 brass that I can at the range, Im digging through the trash like a raccoon. I love the trays that federal 9mm, 38, 357 and 380 come in. 4 of them fit perfectly in the bottom of a 50 cal can with almost zero wiggle. this way I can fit 800 38/357 in a 50 cal can and 1,200 380 in a can. I would just bulk loose pack my 38 in a 50 cal can and call it a day but I cast my own and the tumble lube leaves the bullets sticky a tad which makes the cases not look so pretty if theyre all jumbled together.

bobwhip66
November 13, 2012, 12:08 AM
I put mine in gallon oil jugs with a four or five inch hole where the spout was. Pistol only and keep about 500 rds in each one.

Certaindeaf
November 13, 2012, 12:18 AM
^
I like it.. sounds like a good idea.

handyman163
November 13, 2012, 03:24 PM
I reload 45 ACP mostly, and load up 2 loading blocks (100 rounds) at a time and put those in a quart-size slide-lock bag with powder, charge wgt, bullet wgt, date, crimp, OAL details written in Sharpie on the bag.

I put the bags of loaded rounds into 2 separate 30cal ammo cans with a 50cal ammo can as overflow if needed. 800-900 (can't remember) rounds fit in one 30 cal ammo can. I take 1-2 bags for a shooting session, and old bags are used to put the spent brass in at the range.

I load single stage, so the brass is kept in Sterilite bins (shoebox size) labeled for each of 3 stages (clean, deprimed, primed and flared). Dirty brass goes straight to the tumbler after shooting, then through the bins, then powder and bullet seating/crimping as one uninterrupted stage to finish.

I gave old factory 50 round ammo boxes and the reloader MTM or other such boxes a thought, but then I realized I could have $100 in boxes pretty quick - so I opted for ziplock (slide-lock) bags. They fit into my range bag, or a pocket easy too. The Gladware food containers that are about a 6" square and 2" tall or so make a good size to hold 100 rounds of 45 ACP if you wanted a "stackable" option. These still are much cheaper than the MTM boxes.

Cmeboston
November 13, 2012, 03:58 PM
308, USGI ammo cans on stripper clips in Bandoleers.... 200 round a can.
everything else, (.22 30-06, 30/30 12ga) in ziplock bags in USGI ammo cans

If you enjoyed reading about "How do you store your ammo?" here in TheHighRoad.org archive, you'll LOVE our community. Come join TheHighRoad.org today for the full version!