Storing ammo
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kingpin008
Member
Absolutely. Ammunition is tough stuff, and very hard to damage with most day-to-day environmental temperature and weather fluctuations.
Think of it like this - there are millions of rounds of ammunition sitting in un-airconditioned shipping containers at military installations all over the Middle East. Temps in those areas routinely reaches 120 degrees or more, and that ammo still does fine. If those conditions don't damage it, nothing you or I could do at home would come close.
Think of it like this - there are millions of rounds of ammunition sitting in un-airconditioned shipping containers at military installations all over the Middle East. Temps in those areas routinely reaches 120 degrees or more, and that ammo still does fine. If those conditions don't damage it, nothing you or I could do at home would come close.
Ohio Gun Guy
Member
^ If the manufacturers box is cardboard I would buy a us 50cal ammo can for 10-15 dollars and store it in there. I think it depends on humidity more.
Most likely it will be fine, but I would put it in an ammo can..... IMO
Most likely it will be fine, but I would put it in an ammo can..... IMO
Nimble1
Member
Ammo cans
Store all my ammo in ammo cans in my utility room in SW Fla...never have had a problem.
Store all my ammo in ammo cans in my utility room in SW Fla...never have had a problem.
kingpin008
Member
Keep in mind that ammo cans in decent shape usually have rubber gaskets that seal the can when closed, so if you're concerned about humidity/condensation you might want to toss in a dessicant pack or two.
That being said, unless you live in a VERY humid area it's not likely to be much of an issue.
That being said, unless you live in a VERY humid area it's not likely to be much of an issue.
Ramone
Member
I live on a boat, and my apartment is coastal, and have learned to NEVER store anything in cardboard. I recommend some sort of gasketed box and dessicant for storing ammo pretty much anywhere.
Average Joe
Member
Yes, its safe.
kingpin008
Member
Ammo cans. Sold various places online, and at pretty much every gun show on the planet.
ZCORR Jay
Member
I'm a little biased in my storage options
photo courtesy of gunblog.com
photo courtesy of gunblog.com
Nimble1
Member
Yes,crazybmt...I have shot there some but when the wife wants to go, we go to Shoot Straight. I know its more expensive but it is ACed and I do like the ability to check targets quickly.
W.E.G.
Member
JustinJ
Member
It ultimately depends on how long you plan to store it. For long term storage, ecspecially of brass cased ammo, i'd improvise some sort of method to store under vaccum like stolivar using a food sealer. Another way is to find an air tight container and install a ball valve that you can use to pull a vaccum and then seal. I don't know if this can be done with an ammo can or not but i think i may have to give a try to find out. The old standard way is a large PVC pipe with a capped off end and a threaded cap and gasket on the other with ball valve installed. Throwing a dessicant in there too wouldnt hurt but may not do anything to help either. Ideally a vaccum pump would be used to pull a low vaccum and you can install a gauge to measure and verify it holds. There are also cheaper vaccum pumps that use the venturi effect with water or air to pull a vaccum but dont pull as deep. Harbor Freight used to sell one but i don't know if they still do.
KCFirepower
Member
A secret most people don't know about ammo cans: the Government GIVES THEM AWAY!
There are a few catches:
It helps if you know someone on an army post, especially someone who turns in ammo/cases from the range, and it also helps if you live near a military base.
They don't have to turn in all the cans the ammo comes in, only enough to hold the leftover cases. Every time they give them to me they have like 100 sitting in a pile unused.
All you have to do is go to the place where they turn in the empty cases, and ask...sometimes they hand you a can of spray-paint and make you cover the writing on them, but they are free. They aren't really tracked for turn-in.
I have at least 20 empty .50 caliber cans at any given time....constantly buying ammo though.
There are a few catches:
It helps if you know someone on an army post, especially someone who turns in ammo/cases from the range, and it also helps if you live near a military base.
They don't have to turn in all the cans the ammo comes in, only enough to hold the leftover cases. Every time they give them to me they have like 100 sitting in a pile unused.
All you have to do is go to the place where they turn in the empty cases, and ask...sometimes they hand you a can of spray-paint and make you cover the writing on them, but they are free. They aren't really tracked for turn-in.
I have at least 20 empty .50 caliber cans at any given time....constantly buying ammo though.
I second the .50 cal ammo cans. I wouldn't go larger than the 20mm cans though, they get pretty heavy. The .50 cans, or even the .30's, will be light enough to haul to the range, and you can use separate cans for different calibers or even different loads of the same caliber.
I can put 300 boxed rounds in a .30 can. If you want to just dump 'em in loose, you can get substantially more in there. I'm too anal to do them loose, but there's no reason you couldn't, as long as they're all the same load/bullet. I'll buy several bulk packs of .22's when they're on sale and dump 'em into .30 cans, one for Win., one for Rem., one for Federal, etc.. Just make up labels for the outside of the cans.
Part of the stash, it's gotten much bigger. I plan to move it all to the garage. Schlepping full cans two at a time up and down from/to the basement is no fun. If I ever get all my brass filled up, it'll be awesome!
ArmedLiberal
Member
Yes it's safe.
Humidity can cause corrosion of your ammo so all the suggestions here about storing in sealed military ammo cans with some desiccant are important.
For very long term storage it's best to minimize extremes in temperature. It's been suggested that ammo kept in a cool, dry place sealed from humidity can be very well preserved for a hundred years or more. Ammo subject to swings in temperature (like 0 to 160 F) will not keep as well, lasting only 20 to 40 years before some of the rounds become duds.
So keep it in an inside closet if you want to store ammo for your great-grandchildren.
I don't know of any controlled research on this but this seems to be the consensus.
Humidity can cause corrosion of your ammo so all the suggestions here about storing in sealed military ammo cans with some desiccant are important.
For very long term storage it's best to minimize extremes in temperature. It's been suggested that ammo kept in a cool, dry place sealed from humidity can be very well preserved for a hundred years or more. Ammo subject to swings in temperature (like 0 to 160 F) will not keep as well, lasting only 20 to 40 years before some of the rounds become duds.
So keep it in an inside closet if you want to store ammo for your great-grandchildren.
I don't know of any controlled research on this but this seems to be the consensus.
leadcounsel
member
Ammo cans! Yep.
I've never heard of the military giving them away. I think that is actually theft of Government property.
I buy them by the pallet. I sell them locally FTF for $6 each for the .50 caliber ones. If you need any I'm in Tennessee through June and moving to Washington in July so look me up if you are local. I'm not set up to ship them at this time.
I've never heard of the military giving them away. I think that is actually theft of Government property.
I buy them by the pallet. I sell them locally FTF for $6 each for the .50 caliber ones. If you need any I'm in Tennessee through June and moving to Washington in July so look me up if you are local. I'm not set up to ship them at this time.
jackpinesavages
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With that temp. swing you are gonna have moisture issues. Ammo cans with dessicant packets.
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