Storing ammunition for a long time

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jeff_d_148

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I am planning on stocking up on ammunition in the anticipation of the impending 500 percent federal tax on firearms and ammunition. I plan on spending around 100 dollars and getting 4 or 5 boxes of premium 9mm JHP.

My question is how long can I keep them in a safe and expect them to be good for? Is there anything that I can do to extend their life, like keeping them in an airtight container?

Right now I try not to keep any ammo for longer than a year but I know that in the future we may not have that luxury.
 
Ammo is not nearly as sensitive or fragile as most people think. There is literally millions of rounds of surplus ammunition out there that is fifty, sixty, even seventy years old or more, that still functions just like it would have the day it was manufactured.

Keeping it in a safe is perfectly fine, and will not harm it in any way - so long as that safe is not filled with water at the bottom of the ocean, or something ridiculous like that. :)
 
And where did you get this 500% tax from?

Ammunition for long term storage should be treated the same as storing wine.

Keep it dry, dark, cool, air tight, level temperatures
 
I'm sorry to say this but "$100" is not stocking up!!!!!!
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Heck, thats not even a good day at the range for some of us.

Jeff - I've used 60 year old ammo stored in my garage for several years. As mentioned above, as long as its a relatively dry place without large swings in tempature it'll be just fine for quite a few years.
 
I have fired ammunition that was made in WWII that was around 50 years old, that worked. I would imagine if the ammo was climate controlled, and keep free of heat and moisture, it would work until well after the Obama Regime.

You do realize that part of Obama's plan is to register ammuniton with laser etching and confiscation of all privately owned ammuniton and reloading supplies, don't you?

I am buying up brass, bullets, powder and primers like a bandit for the same purpose.

Personally, I feel that anyone who wants my ammo will have to earn the right to get it and likely will receive it at a higher velocity than they may have originally anticipated.
 
Yeah, we had the same discussion on Fark today, and the general opinion was that although he tends to be an anti, he's got much more important things to do in his term (if elected) than grab our guns. Not to mention it's political suicide for many of his Democrat allies from rural states.
 
500% tax

everallm asked "And where did you get this 500% tax from?"

I got it from the American Rifleman, a publication of the NRA. :scrutiny:
If you're a member, you should find it inside, if not, I invite you to join and receive the magazine yourself.:D Obama is the media's sweetheart and they don't want to worry the voting public with petty details such as this. After all, Obama said he is for the second ammendment, didn't he?:banghead:
 
I'm sorry Fearless Leader and Jeff _D but this falls under the unreasonable paranoia category. In the software world we call this the FUD principle, Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt and is used by vendors and special interests to convince you the world will end tomorrow unless you buy their BS product.

Heller has provided a sound constitutional basis for 2A and any attempt to apply unreasonable restrictions via effectively a tax on the use of a constitutionally guaranteed right simply won't fly.

The only way this would fly would be with raising and enacting the 28th Amendment to supersede the 2nd. In that situation you have a **ck of a lot more to worry about than taxing ammo
 
Paranoid, or able to read the writing on the wall?

everallm, I have been in this country for 45 or more years. If there is anything I have learned here, it is that liberal politicians, in general, will grind whatever grist the mill requires to end our firearms rights. The contitution, can be ammended, never forget that. If your rights are guaranteed for certain by the constitution, why can't you carry your gun whenever you wish? Why do you have to ask permission from the government to have an M-16? I'm still trying to figure out why I must get permission from my local Gestapo (County Code enforcement) to build a shed, but I digress.
You are not required to agree with Jeff_D, or me, but out of the Democrat party, a foul stench has blown toward gun owners for as long as I can recall. Many thought the so called "assualt weapons ban" wouldn't happen either.

In the Second Amendment, who regulates the militia, and which authority are these regulations decided?:scrutiny: What then, are the limitations of these regualations? I'm affraid my hero, Thomas Jefferson, left quite a bit hanging in the wind when he penned that. When the next Supreme Court Justices are appointed by a liberal president and a liberal congress, what decisions do you think they will make when the next decision is required? I'm sure they will allow you to own whatever soft air gun you desire, as long as it doesn't actually look like a gun.

In Germany, their guns were taken subtley and only the police and military could have them. America, along with the Allies worked to end the Nazi regime and the butcher's bill (the cost in human life) was high.
Who will come help if it happens here? Can any of us take the chance that it is possible? Not me.

The fact that Obama doesn't like guns is enough for me. The socialization of America is just icing on the cake in making a decision for me. I would also like to see a man who understands the military, that doesn't have an admitted terrorist for a friend, and supporters that aren't up to their eyeballs in the current financial scandal for my president. I could go on, but that isn't what this forum is about. Vote your conscience, but if you think Obama is for your gun rights, I have a lovely piece of property I would like to show you. :evil:
 
Back to the Original Post, and resisting the urge to launch into a diatribe about 4 or 5 boxes of ammo as "stocking up" ..........

Get some surplus military ammo cans - both 50 caliber and 30 caliber. Use the 50 caliber cans for long-term storage and the 30 caliber cans for "ready" storage - ammo is heavy and you won't like hauling around 50 caliber cans full of it.

Get a big container of unscented 100% silica kitty litter, (read the labels, much of is is nothing more than silica beads). Get some cheap anklet-style nylons. Put 1/2 cup of litter in each nylon, tie a knot and toss into each ammo can. Label the cans so you know what's in them without having to reopen them. Check the gasket in the lids and if necessary replace (or lay on a bead of silicone sealer before shutting). Store in a cool, dry location, (off the floor in a basement, back of a closet, heated/cooled shop, etc.). Add to the stash when possible.

I can't resist the urge........ Anything less than 1,000 rounds for each caliber of gun you own is NOT "storing up". For many, 1,000 rounds is merely a start. And, start reloading your own...
 
One thing to keep in mind: the government says that they are against tobacco use. If this were so, they could outlaw it tomorrow. Instead they collect billions of dollars in taxes.

Think of all of the taxes they can collect if they are “in favor of 2nd Amendment rights”. Guns, ammo, licenses, transfer fees………..
 
Fearless Leader

Whether a politician, of any stripe, want to regulate, control or tax has never been under any doubt. It's just what they do.

But launching into a debate on how politician X is going to do This, That, The Other by quoting what they said, when these quotes don't actually exist simply aids the opposition.

For example your 500% tax comment which is pure FUD propaganda.

The quote is not actually recorded anywhere, although it was bundled in, unattributed, as part of a set of real worrisome quotes by Obama on 1999.

The unattributed quote was allegedly for a raise of 500% in the federal excise (at 11%) on ammunition.

This was mentioned as a by in the Chicago Defender, December 13th 1999.

So, even assuming it was actually said, unproved, it would mean a raise in the manufacturers tax from 11% to 55% on the manufacturers base cost before sale, to wholesalers.

This one time cost in the whole sales chain, when you factor in the general markups before it gets to the end user, would be closer to the order of no more than 20% at sale.

Since 1999 ammunition costs have gone up just a wee bit more than 20% with no sign of sales stopping.

This is not to say that incremental attempts to control firearms will not be attempted it means check the facts and don't fall into the error of believing all the spiel any campaigning/lobbying organization puts out.
 
Hmmm! 1000 rds is a normal buy when I see a good price. Just have to stock up on 45 colt and I am good to go. But that is never on sale locally.
 
My question is how long can I keep them in a safe and expect them to be good for? Is there anything that I can do to extend their life, like keeping them in an airtight container?
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Well, everyone else is worrying about how much you are buying so I'll answer these :)

I have ammo, kept at room temperature on a shelf in a bedroom closet, that I bought in 1983. It shoots fine.

I have M2 Ball from 1949 that's been in a metal ammo can since it was made. It shoots fine.

Some people think vacuum sealed bags or something like that may help but personally I don't think it matters much. Inside the house at normal temp and humidity levels I think the ammo will likely outlive all of us :)
 
If you aren't a heavy shooter and 100 dollars is what you have to spend then do it and don't worry that you are shorting yourself. If the world goes down the porcelain drain you will have more to worry about than how many truck fulls of ammo you have stored in your bunker. At least with just 5 boxes of ammo you can take it with you if you have to leave your home and not worry about $35,000 worth of ammo you left behind or worry about who is going to use it. I live in the sticks and can shoot whenever I want and my supply isn't that big either because I'm always shooting it up. I also reload and its unlikely I will have to bug out so what I have can stay with me. Not so practical if you live in an apartment. Your ammo will out live you unless you are of the Methuselah family and plan on being around for 700 years. Then you might have a problem finding a gun to shoot it in.
 
$100 is an average range session for me. Stocking up would be like $10,000 IMHO.

See, I'm not the only one paranoid about his Royal Majesty His Highness Obomination!
 
Stocking up with the ammunition you will need to hunt with in a case of economic and or social break down is a very good idea. As much as you can afford with care instructions that others here have posted here. Use your best rifle and or shotgun for hunting, then for your handgun (if you have one or more) pick the best one you can use the most effective and save about 300 rounds. The key after that is if you ever have to use it for personal defense, get the other guy and use his weapon and use up his ammunition afterwards.
 
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I am planning on stocking up on ammunition in the anticipation of the impending 500 percent federal tax on firearms and ammunition.
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Perhaps you should stock up on tinfoil instead.
 
Perhaps you should stock up on tinfoil instead.
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Maybe you should reconsider that comment. They already proposed legislation to increase the tax on certain tobacco products by (not a misprint) 20,000 percent. It's not a stretch to think they might consider the same for other products under ATF's view.

It's long been talked about that since they have failed at gun bans, ammo would be the next target.



Article on this:

http://www.stogieguys.com/2007/07/07182007-stogie-alert-stop-the-10-per-cigar-tax-increase.html

Rocky Patel talking about it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayi8zWrBwug
 
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