Ammo Storage Options Away from Home

[VMass]

Over the years leading up to retirement I acquired a good amount of ammo in various pistol & rifle calibers. I also have smokeless and black powders and primers for reloading 45 Colt. There was a fire this past week in Sylmar, CA that apparently may have been triggered or worsened by ammo or powder stored in the garage. There was at least one fatality, but it's not clear if that was the result of any ammo cooking off.
Does anyone have any suggestions of where excess ammo and powder can be stored safely (and economically) away from home?

 

[Will Munny]

I doubt storing it away from home is very practical. Any kind of storage facility will almost certainly have boilerplate prohibiting the storage of anything like ammo.
An underground or basement bunker/vault of some kind might be feasible, but moisture would be a concern.

 

[reddog81]

There are lots of ideas for a powder cabinet online. They generally use 1" thick wood put together in a manner that doesn't contain pressure and explode, yet delays fire from reaching the contents to give time for the fire department to show up. Some use hardi-backer boards or fire resistant dry wall to make more fire resistant. I just used shelves in my basement and lined them with fire resistant dry wall panels. It's not perfect but it was cheap and maybe better than nothing...

I'd use the same thing for ammo storage if I deemed that necessary however at the point ammo is cooking off I'd assume the whole house is up in smoke and a total loss. I doubt ammo cooking off is going to kill anyone. If your inside a house fire and ammo is cooking off close enough to hit you, you're probably past the point of being saved.

 

[StrawHat]

Unless your smokeless powder is confined in a very tight container, it is not a problem. Unless your ammunition is confined in the chamber of a firearm, IT IS NOT A PROBLEM.

Fire Departments have done studies and tests, so have powder and munition companies, unless confined, it is merely a flammable solid.

Black powder is different and will explode even if stored in the original can. But, new stuff is in plastic bottles so I would expect the plastic to melt before it lit off. But, I believe the old system was not to store more than 5 pounds at a time in close proximity to each other.

Kevin