Bad idea ?

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horsemen61

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Question guys a friend of mine was talking about displaying some of his reloads I simply asked how and what caliber and he said oh those "BIG GLASS JARS AT WALMART" 380 9mm and 45 acp as far as calibers, I told him no way in hell would I do that because that could end up as one hell of a bomb so "QUESTION COULD THE PRIMERS GO OFF IN A LARGE GLASS JAR IF YOU JUST FILLED IT UP AND LEFT IT"???????
 
NO.

I put 1,500 rounds of 38spl in 50 cal cans loose as my range ammo, they spend about 18 months in those cans before i get around to shooting them up. haven't had any ammo spontaneously explode and don't plan on it ever happening. Primers wont reliably set eachother off when loaded into cases as they would if you just poured a bunch of loose primers into a jar.

I have stored empty primed brass in those very large 64oz ball jars- I forget the exact number of 38 cases they held but shaking as I loaded them, they were just a few cases shy of a nice even number. I added those extra few cases, sharpie'd the lid with the details and left them on the bench. One week later- one of the jars spontaneously splits. another two weeks later a second jar does the same thing. I no longer store empty primed brass in glass.
 
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I store primed brass ready to load in Walmart Plastic canisters with the screw-on lids, and have since they invented them.

1. Loaded rounds are not very subject to Exploding, in fact, they can't.
2. Commercial loaded ammo is sold & shipped all over the world loose packed in plastic bags in boxes, plastic or steel ammo cans, etc.
3. I would not recommend using glass jars for anything you aren't willing to get glass splinters in if you drop one.
4. See my SIG line!

Rc
 
I've got a glass gumball machine full of loaded rounds that have been in there for over 30 years. I got the idea from the cover of an old Handloader Magazine. It sits in our livingroom and gets lots of comments from first time visitors, but I've never been worried about it "going off", because it won't.

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
A Gum-ball Machine???
Full of ammo?
In your living room???

I gotta see that!!

Picture or it didn't happen!!! :D

rc
 
No danger of explosion, but heavy metal objects in a glass jar is usually not a great idea.

The gumball machine is an awesome idea! I'd expect people to steal that idea. :) Would love to see a picture.
 
Primers by themselves are considered haz-mat for shipping. Primed cases are not. Very telling info right there.

Glass containers? An accident waiting to happen, but only in regards to cleanup.
 
I don't like the idea with the glass jar. But the only danger I see is from broken glass. I can think of a lot of storage containers that would be better. If its for decoration, I would say go for it.

In my recent retirement I have started collecting cartridges and cartridge cases. I'm building a "what not shelf" to display them on and actually plan to finish it today! It will be in the loading room though.
 
Some of the Dollar General type stores sell what look just like a huge glass Mason jar - but they are made of plastic. A huge glass jar loaded with heavy stuff is just an accident waiting to happen.
 
Why not put loaded rounds in a tumbler?

Loose ammo is shipped in semi filled ammo cans all the time without incident. And I'm sure there is a lot more jostling and jolting around on the "Brown Bus" heading to it's destination.
 
Don't store them in the oven, the microwave, or the wood stove. Other than that, you should be fine. My friend accidentally ran a few .243 rounds that were in his pocket through the dryer and the didn't go off. On the other hand, my mom vacuumed a 22lr up off my floor when I was 12 and it shot a hole through her vacuum.
 
<*(((>< said:
Why not put loaded rounds in a tumbler?

Loose ammo is shipped in semi filled ammo cans all the time without incident. And I'm sure there is a lot more jostling and jolting around on the "Brown Bus" heading to it's destination.
Click to expand...
I was kidding. Walkalong and Snuffy (I think that was his name) tested it extensively.
 
I'm just CHEAP!

One of my son-in-laws eats lots of ice cream (and is still skinny). I get all of his used plastic square ice cream buckets. They have lids and plastic bails and stack very well.
I also us a lot of clear plastic peanut jugs, 1 lb 10 oz of cashews. Those things hold a lot of .40 S&W and .45 ACPs. I normally put processed and primed brass in them till I need to load and can quickly see what is available.
Plastic cat litter buckets work very well also. The cat's dead now, so, no more litter buckets.
I used to use a lot of paper chicken buckets, but a bucket of chicken is now in boxes (how is that a 'bucket' of chicken?). Still have a few filled with tumbling media.

Buy... spend money... not when something else is free. I 'll put my cash into brass, primers or.....
 
Loaded ammo in glass jars? Nope, won't spontaneously erupt/explode/detonate, but I don't have any glass jars, drinking glasses, picture frames, etc., in my shop. Just a habit from long ago...
 
Thanks for the replies RC your sig line is the main reason I'd thought I should ask
 
As you can see they will not explode but using glass is still a bad idea.

ReloaderFred, we just have to see a picture of the ammo in the gumball machine!
 
Guys this will be in his study it won't move often if ever just a way to show off his ammo I guess
 
Love the lamp ReloaderFred, thanks for the picture.

horesmen61, I guess if it's just for display and not storage there is no reason why your friend shouldn't do it.
 
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