Long term ammo storage in car

[1911JMB]

In a recent issue of Small Arms Review they warned that humidity and heat in a trunk or glove box can destroy ammo if its left in there long term. I tend to store a tackle box filled with ammo for whatever my trunk gun is at the time in my trunk, so I want to know if I should perhaps be storing the ammo differently.

 

[Preacherman]

Best way is to rotate the ammo regularly - every three months or so, take out what you've been carrying, shoot it, and replace it with a fresh supply.

Some folks I know use a small cooler box to store their ammo in the trunk. They claim it keeps the temperature more regular. I wouldn't know about that . . . if the box is always in the trunk, surely it'd take on the same temperature as the trunk?

 

[Librarian]

Since propellant is produced in particular grain sizes and shapes, is there any risk that the vibration from driving around will change the shape/size, thus changing the burn characteristics?

 

[1 old 0311]

If you look at the surplus stuff out there from India, Packistan, South Africa, Israel, and some of the Eastern European countries, you got to think this stuff was just left in TERRIBLE storage conditions. I just shoot it, and not worry about it.

Kevin

 

[kfranz]

Since propellant is produced in particular grain sizes and shapes, is there any risk that the vibration from driving around will change the shape/size, thus changing the burn characteristics?

Any risk? Perhaps. Consider though, that commericial ammo is shipped from the factory to the wholesaler, from the wholesaler to the retailer, and from the retailer to you. Military ammo would likely have additional shipping methods. Mostly it goes bang

 

[Sungun09]

I don't know if this actually helps, but I vacuum pack some ammo using my foodsaver by Tilia.

(For some reason they don't show this use on their instructional tape).

 

[NukemJim]

a small cooler box to store their ammo in the trunk. They claim it keeps the temperature more regular. I wouldn't know about that . . . if the box is always in the trunk, surely it'd take on the same temperature as the trunk?

Uhmm.. the above would be true if the trunk stayed at the same temperature all the time but (at least in Chicagoland) the temperture varies significantly thourghout the day. A insulated container minimizes the range of temperature changes. I believe (as always could be wrong) that there is a wider range of temperature changes in summer rather than winter.

I ran some tests last summer and found that an insulated container would be up to 30-40 degrees lower than a non insulated container (it's been a while so i do not remember the numbers exactly).

I was concerned about MREs I keep in the van, not sure how well this relates to ammo

NukemJim