Ammo in a fire resistant safe

[akshooter18]

I am looking at buying a fire resistant safe. It seems most of the lower to middle of the road safes are rated to stay below 350 degrees for some amount of time in a fire. Would it ruin ammo to reach that temperature or make it unsafe? I have read before that temperature has a big effect on powder and primers.

 

[Skillet]

you might have a problem with the powder igniting inside of the cases at that temp. I would set the ammo in a seperate safe or just in another room in a safe spot. I always store ammo and guns seperate.

 

[divemedic]

All safes have a rating that specifies that they will keep the contents below a particular temp for a particular amount of time. The interior temp is usually 350-500 degrees (the lower the better) and the time is usually 30-240 minutes (the higher the better) when exposed to 1200 degree exterior heat.

Ammo can cook off from 250-350 degrees. It is not wise to store ammo in a gun safe. If you are looking for a cabinet to store ammo, why not a flammable materials cabinet like this one?

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1YNL6?Pid=search

 

[a1abdj]

Ammo can and will cook off in a safe during a fire. Keep in mind that most gun safes will not perform as well as the manufacturers will lead you to believe.

A large amount of ammo stored in a non vented container can create an explosion hazard. Small amounts would be fine. A chambered weapon can shoot through the safe. Military ammo cans are actually designed to store ammo and are self venting in the event of a fire. Keep large quantities of ammo or powder in a ammon can or a lighter weight type of cabinet.

 

[akshooter18]

Thanks for the info guys. Would being stored in an outbuilding that gets up to 120 farenheight in the summer degrade ammunition?

 

[bobelk99]

120d Building

I left some shotgun shells in my workshop last summer. Come hunting season I found they had swelled enough that they would no longer chamber in my 1100.

I also stored some odd caliber rifle centerfire in the building to get it out of the way. Left it there more than one summer. It looked fine, and when we needed one caliber, it grouped like buckshot. I have assumed that the heat did that.

I am now waiting for opinions or knowledgable posts on that one.

 

[xx7grant7x]

With the price of .308 i gotta keep it locked up...