how do you store your reloaded ammo ?

[cemjr]

I presently reload .380 auto for the wife's gun, 9mm & 45acp for my pistols and 223/556 for my AR. I have one 30 cal metal ammo can now and was considering getting two more.(opt #1) I would fill one with rifle ammo and the other two with pistol rounds, I re-box ammo in the manufacture box. (opt#2) A mix of rifle and pistol in all three cans. My question is two fold, preparedness for emergency and organization for range trips, with the emphasis on the former. I havn't been at this too long so don't be shocked by the limited amounts.

 

[10 Spot Terminator]

AMMO STORAGE

LOTS OF OPTIONS HERE,,,

If cost is an issue there are tons of retail outlets such as the dollar stores where you can get the food saver cartons of various sizes to sort small amounts of ammo and are air tight to boot. For seperating these into types such as rifle, pistol, rimfire, shotgun etc. watch the thrift shops for small ice chests with handles like coleman makes. They come in a host of different colors and the old felt marker labeling makes this easy. If money isnt an issue you can use ammo cans for sure and just google up military ammo cans and find the best current deal. Recommend keeping your precision rifle ammo in specific cartridge boxes or cases to keep them in precision form. NEVER pack your reloads into factory ammo boxes unless you put lables easy to read on them showing they are handloads and even then make sure they have full details. Forums like these are full of HORROR STORIES of things gone wrong when hot or incorrect ammo ends up where it doesnt belong . Best not to use the factory boxes at all . For long term storage using air tight cartons adding air dry silica packets is a good idea as well.

 

[rondog]

These white boxes from Midway are very hard to beat. Cheap, and each size box will work with several different calibers. Just write your load data on the end of the box, or get some removable labels at an office supply store.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=314443

Ammo cans are great, but you need more of them. And look for some .50 cal. cans, those are even better. Craigslist is a good place to find ammo cans.

Personally, I use the white boxes and ammo cans both, with labels on the boxes detailing the loads inside and labels on the cans too.

 

[LiveLife]

My various range pistol ammo get stored in Folger's plastic coffee cans and transferred to smaller plastic bins/boxes for range trips (100-500-1000).

Match grade pistol ammo and .308 rifle ammo are stored in 50/100-round ammo boxes. Bulk .223 plinking ammo in ammo cans.

For longer-term storage, especially SD/HD ammo, are battle packed in 100 round plastic vacuum packing (like Food Saver) with a "V" notch cutout for easy tearing.

 

[cfullgraf]

I use ammo cans. Generally, I find the 50 caliber cans more useful than the 30 caliber cans as I fill the 30 cal cans up quickly. One cartridge per can.

Inside the cans, I put the ammo in plastic boxes with a card indicating load data in the box. White boxes mentioned above or re-using retail purchased ammo boxes would work as well.

When I run short of the plastic boxes, i use Zip-Loc(r) bags. Again with the load data in the bag.

Berry Mfg sell plastic boxes in bulk pretty reasonably.

Generally, I find the best prices for surplus ammo cans at gun shows but I am sure there are other low cost sources. I prefer to be able to touch and see the ammo cans as sometimes they are pretty rough. I have re-painted a few over the years. Midway sells new ammo cans in grey, tan and olive drab. I have caught them on sale. A little more expensive than surplus but much nicer condition.

 

[slowr1der]

I have a few plastic ammo boxes, but 80% of my reloads I store in just plastic zip lock bags and I throw in a sheet of paper with the load data and the date they were loaded.

 

[LiveLife]

Berry's makes plastic 30 cal ammo boxes with or without clear box (helps you readily see the contents and water/rust proof) - http://www.berrysmfg.com/product-i14540-c7-g8-b0-p0-30_Cal_Plastic_Ammo_Can.aspx

One caliber per box for bulk pistol shooting at the range ($9 each or $7.50 when purchased in 12 pk).

 

[Hondo 60]

Top shelf is tumbled brass ready to be loaded
2nd shelf is loaded ammo

 

[cemjr]

rondog, 21, 30cal. cans and 10, 50cal. cans, I'm having a serious case of ammo inventory envy.

 

[dbarnhart]

My local indoor range was selling these MTM dry boxes for about $9 each:

http://www.mtmcase-gard.com/products/shooting/ammocans-ac50c.html

I bought a bunch. I try lo reload 500-1000 rounds at a time. Each box easily holds 1000 45ACP or 223, or 500 308. They stack nicely.

I also use them for brass and bullets as well.

 

[rondog]

rondog, 21, 30cal. cans and 10, 50cal. cans, I'm having a serious case of ammo inventory envy.

Heh, that's just the stash in the basement, there's another in the garage! Someday I'll get 'em all together in one place in the garage, I hate schlepping those things up and down the basement stairs.

Oh, and I've filled up several more since then! I know a guy that buys surplus from the military bases and sells ammo cans for cheap.

 

[jack44]

I have alot of plastic ammo boxes for that.

 

[natgas]

I store all reloads in Berry's and Dillon's ammo boxes, labeled with complete details and stored in my safe

 

[REL1203]

Funny enough, i just ordered 50 100round Dillion Ammo boxes today from my LGS (I found out they can order stuff so I dont have to pay shipping, but i do pay tax)

 

[armoredman]

rondog, seriously, my press just turned green. Oh, wait, never mind, it's an RCBS, it was already green.
I have some old 30 cal ammo cans I use, would love some more.

 

[1SOW]

For smaller quantities, I always pick up the 50 rd 9mm WWB boxes people throw away (Once fired & FREE) at the range. Remington boxes are the same, but I don't like green-- I keep about 25 of these I re-lable for my reloads. They use styrofoam inserts that won't bang the cartridges around. I also use the MTM 100 ct plastic boxes. I try to keep 1000-1200 9mm boxed & RTG.

The ammo cans work for longer term storage.

 

[Josh45]

I never store my reloads cause I end up shooting them all with in a day or two. But until then, The green MTM cases is what I use or some boxes I had bought factory ammo in

 

[FROGO207]

I use the 30, 50, SAW and 40MM ammo cans. I prefer the SAW over 50 cal as the are slightly larger. The 40MM are too heavy to move when full so they stay on the floor and I just remove the tops to access the ammo. I also hate schlepping the full ammo cans around at all. Those large ones will work great if you want to store shotgun ammo as it is rather bulky. Then inside the ammo cans I will use factory boxes for factory ammo only. For reloads I use quart freezer bags bought in bulk at SAM'S club and include a paper label that has load data, I will save the label in the baggie along with the fired brass to remember what I used and to reload it the same for restock. I am at the point of a SAW can for each individual pet load for the individual firearm on my high volume ones. Some ammo is 30 years old and I have fired a batch or two lately to check it--still works the same as when I made it. BTW the wall in the garage is heavy steel shelving with single stacked ammo cans motif.

 

[bigfatdave]

dbarnhart I use those MTM cans, also ... they're great, but if you really load them up the handles have a tendency to pop off of mine.
Just a warning for your toes, my near-miss was one of those cans entirely stuffed with .22lr ... I picked it up and the handle came free about 6 inches off of the floor, higher and I might have had that weight over something more delicate then carpet.

 

[dbarnhart]

Bigfatdave - Already been there and done that. ;-)

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I put mine in ziplock bags. I label the bags with labels from Midway. I have a rolling tool chest with a drawer for each caliber that I store the bagged ammo in.

 

[HK SD9 Tactical]

White boxes from Midway as well for pistol cartridges. Made my own boxes out of the USPS bulk rate boxes (free) for storing my .223 ammo. 250 rounds per box in 25 stripper clips. A little cut here, trim there and voila! They work very well and are not as heavy as ammo cans full of ammo.

 

[Kingcreek]

ziplock bags, ammo cans, buckets with lids, etc
But I really like the "Border Shift" ammo bags from Dillon for pistol rounds.

 

[Bwana John]

.30 cal ammo cans, .50 cal ammo cans, and SAW ammo cans.

 

[ZCORR Jay]

I don't reload my own ammo.... yet. I do store ammo though in our Parts & Ammo bags. They use the same anti corrosion technology as our gun bugs and use a water right zipper closure.