Safe ammunition storage

[Factfind]

Knowing that shootists often store appreciable amounts of their favorite rifle, pistol, ammunition,I pose the following questions:

1. What type of container (if you use a container) do you keep your ammo in?
and..

2. If god forbid you had a fire in your home would you immediately advise the fire department?

3. Does your town,city,state have limits on what may lawfully be stored?

I think it is in all of our interests to raise the bar on safe ammo storage,that's just good citizenship.
Your thoughts?

 

[Sir Aardvark]

I keep mine in a steel box bolted to the wall in my garage.
The box looks like one of those cheesy Sentry "security cabinet" things.
It is steel, so it has some modicum of fire resistance, and it is locked, so it keeps the kids out of it - I think that this would be the very minimum of "Safe" storage of ammo - a locked steel box (locked because I have children)

I don't know how much Firemen actually worry about ammo cooking-off in a fire.
I asked one of my Firemen buddies about this once and he said that since the ammo is not in a chamber of a gun the rounds just sort of "pop", they don't actually shoot, so by the time they "pop" out of whatever container they're in and have to go through a few sheets of drywall and studs and whatever else there isn't too much to worry about.

My City has no limits on ammo - but, since I live in Kwazy California, I am just waiting for them to pass an "Arsenal" law. There has been talk in the past that if you have more than 1,000 rounds of ammo, you have to register your home as an "arsenal".

 

[GRIZ22]

I asked one of my Firemen buddies about this once and he said that since the ammo is not in a chamber of a gun the rounds just sort of "pop", they don't actually shoot, so by the time they "pop" out of whatever container they're in and have to go through a few sheets of drywall and studs and whatever else there isn't too much to worry about.


I agree, generally no problem unless it hits your eye.

 

[Dumpster Baby]

I used to work with a guy that came to the company straight from the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. He said that ammo that failed QC was put in steel drums, doused with gasoline, and burned. The drums were heavier steel than the regular 55 gallon drums but were not much heavier. After fires were out they would dump out the scrap metal and box it up for recycling. He said it sounded like popcorn.

 

[Jacka L Ope]

These days, I use these (have added 3 cans since):





While there remains some ammo in my gun safe, the bulk of it is in those cans and "other".

(That's my version of a subdued woodland camo pattern.)

 

[strickjc]

I keep my defense ammo in those 50 cal cans with some damp rid and my range ammo in the cases they came in.Not really worried about it.

 

[amlevin]

Old GI Ammo Cans work great. I store my ammo boxed, loose, or in stripper clips in them. I found a large 40mm Grenade box that works great to hold .223 ammo in pre-pack bandoliers. If you are storing it for any length of time be sure to insert some dessicant packs to control moisture.

As for fire, I would worry more about that revolver you hid in the bedroom, fully loaded. THAT will do some damage.

 

[rcmodel]

As for fire, I would worry more about that revolver you hid in the bedroom, fully loaded. THAT will do some damage.

+1,000!

Loaded guns should be kept pointed in a safe direction.
(Straight up isn't a safe direction.)
Fire fighters WILL be on the roof of your house in the event of a serious house fire!

GI steel ammo cans are the best there is for storing ammo.
That's what they were designed for.
In the event of a fire, the lid seal will melt out and the can will release pressure, but contain all the flying primers and scrap metal.

Handgun & .22 rim-fire ammo is more dangerous then rifle ammo.
(Because of the fast powder and light weight cases used.)
It will impart dangerous velocity to the light cases, whereas rifle ammo will just pop the bullet and burn off the powder.

Results of cook-off's on furnace duct sheet metal.










rcmodel

 

[evan price]

I put my reloads back into factory ammo boxes (the 50-rd boxes with a tray or foam insert) and these get stored in GI ammo cans. Or on a shelf.

 

[TAB]

1. Factory boxes inside factory pakced cases or lose boxes inside of file boxs( these are never more then half full. Reloads are in tubs or ammo cases.

2. Run up wind as fast as I can... its not the ammo I'm worried about...

3 Only in limits to the numbers you can have in your home with out taking "protective" measures.

 

[dtalley]

I usually store them in 50 or 100 round Plastic boxes (Frankfort Arsenal) then place them in Ammo Cans. Some in "MTM Dry Boxes" and I have recently started buying the Military Surplus Ammo cans to store in. Surplus cans are much cheaper than the "Dry Boxes". These are all either stored in a closet in my "Man Cave" or just stacked up against the wall.

Like others I am not too worried about fire.

I have never seen anything that says I can't store as much as I want in my City, County or State. I am kind of in the mind frame of it is easier to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission

 

[W.E.G.]

What would the Army do?

Ammo goes in ammo cans.

 

[MilsurpShooter]

Ammo cans, surplus ammo is in steel tool boxes. And don't know if I would tell the fire department... Read an article posted here a looong time ago (don't know if it was true or debunked) can't find it now, guy told the fire department he had ammo. Chief advised his men to "let it burn" due to hazards to their safety. Started dousing it once the popping stopped. I'll search around at work tomorrow, see if I can't find it.