charleslee
Member
Need some suggestions on where to safely store ammo, inside a townhouse, in case of, God forbid a fire. Safe is full, so that's out. Thanks!
Ammo storage help!
- Thread starter charleslee
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rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Surplus steel GI .30 or .50 cal ammo cans.
In the event of a fire, the lid seal will melt, or the lid will spring open enough to vent gasses.
The steel can will contain all the flying primers and case frags.
That is what they were designed to do, among other things.
rcmodel
In the event of a fire, the lid seal will melt, or the lid will spring open enough to vent gasses.
The steel can will contain all the flying primers and case frags.
That is what they were designed to do, among other things.
rcmodel
The Bushmaster
Member
At the neighbor's...But don't tell them it's ammunition or they will probably use it...
K3
Member
I'll hang on to it for you.
I may have do do weekly function checks with it though. Your inventory may vary a bit....
I may have do do weekly function checks with it though. Your inventory may vary a bit....
jjohnson
Member
Dry, cool.
Yep, ammo cans or similar is good. They don't have to be airtight if it's in your furnace room or something (do NOT get the stuff close to open flame
)
I used to put mine in a closet, since the shirts hanging there were two or three feet above the floor. Good ammo will keep for years in a closet that's not humid. You can get a Goldenrod dryer if you worry about humidity.
If you have ammo that you can fit into a safe, you must either have a walk-in safe or not reload enough
I keep my excess ammo in a big locker (and I mean "lock"er). If I lived in a condo, I'd probably ask the Super if there's storage space for stuff like lawn chairs.... and put the locked locker there with the excess tonnage of ammo.
Yep, ammo cans or similar is good. They don't have to be airtight if it's in your furnace room or something (do NOT get the stuff close to open flame
) I used to put mine in a closet, since the shirts hanging there were two or three feet above the floor. Good ammo will keep for years in a closet that's not humid. You can get a Goldenrod dryer if you worry about humidity.
If you have ammo that you can fit into a safe, you must either have a walk-in safe or not reload enough
I keep my excess ammo in a big locker (and I mean "lock"er). If I lived in a condo, I'd probably ask the Super if there's storage space for stuff like lawn chairs.... and put the locked locker there with the excess tonnage of ammo.
charleslee
Member
re:ammo storage
Thank-you to all. Good advice!
Thank-you to all. Good advice!
nambu1
Member
I use GI ammo cans and through in a couple discadant packets. I have ammo I loaded 20 years ago and it works fine and has almost retained the appearance they had when they were put in the boxes.
inserthumorhere
Member
I too have been keeping my reloads in surplus ammo cans. Gander Mountain had a good selection for $6 a piece. They looked to be pretty new...still had sand on them. Any suggestions on where to find desiccant packets?
closetgunnut
Member
Make your own desiccant packets
inserthumorhere,
I made some some of my own desiccant packets. They are really easy to make and cost about 25 cents each.
Here is a link to some info: http://www.alpharubicon.com/prepinfo/desiccantpacksgvi.htm
The only bad thing is that you have to go into a CRAFT STORE to get the desiccant. Unless you have your wife or girlfriend get them for you.
PM me if you want. I'll try to answer any questions that you have.
Closet
inserthumorhere,
I made some some of my own desiccant packets. They are really easy to make and cost about 25 cents each.
Here is a link to some info: http://www.alpharubicon.com/prepinfo/desiccantpacksgvi.htm
The only bad thing is that you have to go into a CRAFT STORE
to get the desiccant. Unless you have your wife or girlfriend get them for you.PM me if you want. I'll try to answer any questions that you have.
Closet
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I've seen that link info before - why do folks have to make things so complicated?
Get some 100% silica kitty litter - read the labels, most are merely silica - and some cheap anklet-style nylons.
Pout 1/2 cup kitty litter into a nylon.
Tie knot.
Toss into ammo can.
Go do something fun - like shooting.
Get some 100% silica kitty litter - read the labels, most are merely silica - and some cheap anklet-style nylons.
Pout 1/2 cup kitty litter into a nylon.
Tie knot.
Toss into ammo can.
Go do something fun - like shooting.
closetgunnut
Member
I agree!
I used some Ziplock baggies and old pill bottles myself.
The teabag thing just seemed like a PITA to me.
Closet
I used some Ziplock baggies and old pill bottles myself.
The teabag thing just seemed like a PITA to me.
Closet
evan price
Member
I store my reloads in the original ammo cartons with plastic dividers that factory ammo came in- most shooting ranges will let you have them out of the trash if you ask really nicely.
Then those get stored in USGI ammo cans.
Then those get stored in USGI ammo cans.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
You don't need them.
New GI ammo in GI ammo cans doesn't come with desiccant packs in the cans!
Unless you seal the lid down with water already inside the can, no mosture is going to get to the ammo.
The cans are air-tight & waterproof when you lock the lid closed!
rcmodel
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
No venting for escaping gas in the event of a fire.
Limited ammo storage would be fine.
A large quantity would constitute a large pipe-bomb.
rcmodel
Limited ammo storage would be fine.
A large quantity would constitute a large pipe-bomb.
rcmodel
Steve H
Member
A safe is NOT safe.......like rd states king size pipe bomb.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
It would have to have enough holes to release gas faster then a large quantity of ammo would generate in a fire.
And after you have that many holes you no longer have any semblance of humidity control for the stored ammo.
Why fight it.
GI ammo cans were designed to safely store ammo long-term.
They are cheap, available, stackable, humidity proof, safe in a fire, and small enough to move so you can clean under them once and awhile, whether it needs it or not!
rcmodel
And after you have that many holes you no longer have any semblance of humidity control for the stored ammo.
Why fight it.
GI ammo cans were designed to safely store ammo long-term.
They are cheap, available, stackable, humidity proof, safe in a fire, and small enough to move so you can clean under them once and awhile, whether it needs it or not!
rcmodel
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
It is quit easy to fashion a padlock stud on an ammo can.
You can make them out of a drilled bolt if you're handy with tools.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ZAA030-1.html
If you are only worried about kids, I think the snap-latch on a GI .50 cal ammo can would discourage most rug-rats until they get to be hard-as-nails pre-teens that should know better then to mess with dads ammo cans!
rcmodel
You can make them out of a drilled bolt if you're handy with tools.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ZAA030-1.html
If you are only worried about kids, I think the snap-latch on a GI .50 cal ammo can would discourage most rug-rats until they get to be hard-as-nails pre-teens that should know better then to mess with dads ammo cans!
rcmodel
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
But GI ammo cans are not pipe bombs by any stretch of the imagination.
They are designed for the lid seal to melt and release gas, as well as the latch to pop and release the lid partway in a fire.
Side wings on the lid contain flying primers and case frags.
rcmodel
They are designed for the lid seal to melt and release gas, as well as the latch to pop and release the lid partway in a fire.
Side wings on the lid contain flying primers and case frags.
rcmodel
actually,
It's for my wife's peace of mind. (she's not a fan of guns at all, but i've convinced her to let me keep mine even though we're married now... it just has some conditions on it) .... am i whipped?.... maybe .... or maybe I just like to keep the peace in my house.
Most of the "fire-safes" will not get hotter than 350 deg F on the inside, unless they are in the fire for more than an hour.
How hot does it have to get before primers start popping?
It's for my wife's peace of mind. (she's not a fan of guns at all, but i've convinced her to let me keep mine even though we're married now... it just has some conditions on it) .... am i whipped?.... maybe .... or maybe I just like to keep the peace in my house.
Most of the "fire-safes" will not get hotter than 350 deg F on the inside, unless they are in the fire for more than an hour.
How hot does it have to get before primers start popping?
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