Would you prefer to store powder outdoors or load it and store ammo outdoors?

[WeekendReloader]

I no longer have climate controlled outdoor storage for my powder (15lbs), no prospect for regaining it, and am not willing to store it inside my home.

Would loading the powder and keeping ammo outdoors be better, worse, or no difference?

Unairconditioned garden shed only option.

A quick, short term solution is to get a big cooler and just put the powder inside. Fill any open airspace with bottles of water to get some thermal mass inside the cooler. That alone will slow down the temperature swings.

A small refrigerator is the next option. Turn the thermostat inside it to a reasonable temperature (60-70 degrees?) and it won't run very often. You can probably pick up a dorm room sized fridge for cheap right now.

Make sure there is venting in the shed to allow the hot air out the top and cool air in from the bottom.

 

[barnfrog]

We used to have a cat that would bring us what she caught and lay it at our feet. Pretty gross most of the time. Nowadays the foxes keep the vermin under control but they crap everywhere.

My wife says that's the cat leaving you presents. I say the cat needs to learn what an Amazon wish list is.

 

[Soonerpesek]

I found the post about keeping the 5,000 rounds in the workshop but couldn't find the post about if that's where you load or not.
I still say double the round storage count and get the small fridge to store your powder if you need to have extra, but with the new round count (depending on how much you and the mrs shoot ) and with you being able to store 1 lb in the house, I would say that would be sufficient without outside storage...

 

[sts3]

A quick, short term solution is to get a big cooler and just put the powder inside. Fill any open airspace with bottles of water to get some thermal mass inside the cooler. That alone will slow down the temperature swings.

A small refrigerator is the next option. Turn the thermostat inside it to a reasonable temperature (60-70 degrees?) and it won't run very often. You can probably pick up a dorm room sized fridge for cheap right now.

Make sure there is venting in the shed to allow the hot air out the top and cool air in from the bottom.

These are the two things I would do. If you get the dorm fridge, you can get a 100W solar panel, a deep cycle battery or two, charge controller and inverter sufficient enough to power the fridge. Keep the powder in there with some large bags of rechargeable desiccant.

 

[BJung]

I didn't read every thread to discover if my idea has been mentioned nor what your property is like. If I was up against a hill, I'd have a hole dug straight into it, insert a 2-3' concrete pipe as an option, and plug the hole with a well constructed insulated door. If my backyard is flat, I'd find a backhoe and dig a deep hole in the ground. I might even make a fake wishing well with a roof over it to hide the entrance and put the powder deep in the hole so the ground will insulate the powder and maybe even some extra guns. Just think of caves or geothermal heat pump sumps. The underground, the tempearture is fairly constant and cool as long as you don't allow the outside temperature to enter.

 

[CQB45ACP]

I didn't read every thread to discover if my idea has been mentioned nor what your property is like. If I was up against a hill, I'd have a hole dug straight into it, insert a 2-3' concrete pipe as an option, and plug the hole with a well constructed insulated door. If my backyard is flat, I'd find a backhoe and dig a deep hole in the ground. I might even make a fake wishing well with a roof over it to hide the entrance and put the powder deep in the hole so the ground will insulate the powder and maybe even some extra guns. Just think of caves or geothermal heat pump sumps. The underground, the tempearture is fairly constant and cool as long as you don't allow the outside temperature to enter.

Good ideas given a different housing situation…I live in a suburban housing development with half acre lots. The permit application would take some creative writing for sure

 

[CQB45ACP]

I keep all of my powder in my climate controlled basement. I don't see an issue here. I have about 20 lbs of it down there. Where I live there are no ordinances against it. One of the reasons I don't live in a city.

If all I had to worry about were city ordinances…

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Good ideas given a different housing situation…I live in a suburban housing development with half acre lots. The permit application would take some creative writing for sure

As I understand it, if you want to put in a wishing well around DC, they want to know what you’re going to wish for before they approve the permit.

I think the low-energy fridge is going to be your best bet. Make sure to put a lock on it.

 

[typhun]

If you're handy, it probably wouldn't cost that much to run a dedicated underground circuit to the shed from your panel. Would save you from repeatedly replacing lead cords. Even just burying the extension cord in conduit would thwart your neighborhood nefarious nut scroungers. Might not meet code, but....

This....."it probably wouldn't cost that much to run a dedicated underground circuit to the shed from your panel." Careful about running extension cord or romex in conduit due to heat build up.

 

[CQB45ACP]

As I understand it, if you want to put in a wishing well around DC, they want to know what you’re going to wish for before they approve the permit.

I think the low-energy fridge is going to be your best bet. Make sure to put a lock on it.

Every four years there’s a new wishing well installed just across the river and wishers from all over the country come here to get their scraps from around the table. (Not to mix metaphors too awkwardly)

Yes, two on Amazon caught my attention. I hadn’t thought of a lock.

 

[n2omike]

There is obviously a woman involved. lol.
Get it over with.
Go ahead and sell all of your guns, ammo and reloading supplies... Then ask her permission for what to spend it on.

 

[WeekendReloader]

The "hole in the ground" idea certainly has merit. Even just sinking a big plastic tote into the ground inside the shed. Drop your cooler with the powder down inside it. Then cover over the top with insulated foam board. That hole will stay much, much cooler than the ambient air in the shed. You could easily dig that size hole with a shovel. Bonus... No electricity needed!

 

[AJC1]

https://www.amazon.com/Can-Military...qid=1652188406&sprefix=20mm+am,aps,105&sr=8-4
This is what I imagined you would use when I said bury it. A small hole dug in the floor of your shed. The deeper the hole the more stable the temperature. One would consider the code for waterline freeze protection ideal for your area. If you ever need access you don't have to dig the entire can out....

 

[CQB45ACP]

There is obviously a woman involved. lol.
Get it over with.
Go ahead and sell all of your guns, ammo and reloading supplies... Then ask her permission for what to spend it on.

Now you’re just nuts! She’s half Ukrainian (grandmother was a true Studda Bubba—strong like bull, smell like one too), baptized Ukrainian Orthodox, and is a retired FBI foreign counter intelligence analyst still in contact with her counterparts in the old country.

They’re all badass and for some reason over the past couple months in a really pissy mood but fondly remark if Ukraine had a second amendment this would all be over by now!

 

[CQB45ACP]

The "hole in the ground" idea certainly has merit. Even just sinking a big plastic tote into the ground inside the shed. Drop your cooler with the powder down inside it. Then cover over the top with insulated foam board. That hole will stay much, much cooler than the ambient air in the shed. You could easily dig that size hole with a shovel. Bonus... No electricity needed!

Reminds me of Hogan’s Heros or Great Escape.

 

[CQB45ACP]

https://www.amazon.com/Can-Military-Surplus-Metal-Large/dp/B01LFIFPAK/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=3LJQYEHCOE0QR&keywords=20mm+ammo+can&qid=1652188406&sprefix=20mm+am,aps,105&sr=8-4
This is what I imagined you would use when I said bury it. A small hole dug in the floor of your shed. The deeper the hole the more stable the temperature. One would consider the code for waterline freeze protection ideal for your area. If you ever need access you don't have to dig the entire can out....

Yep

 

[CQB45ACP]

Now you’re just nuts! She’s half Ukrainian (grandmother was a true Studda Bubba—strong like bull, smell like one too), baptized Ukrainian Orthodox, and is a retired FBI foreign counter intelligence analyst still in contact with her counterparts in the old country.

They’re all badass and for some reason over the past couple months in a really pissy mood but fondly remark if Ukraine had a second amendment this would all be over by now!

Of course the last thing we want is a bunch of Ukrainians running around with firearms. Historically, they’re no saints. (Which actually does explain why Ukraine wasn’t already in NATO)

 

[bullseye308]

A good insulated cooler or non functional small fridge/freezer in the shed will suffice. Simple, cheap, and will work. Take the money you just saved and take the wife out and buy her something nice. Everyone is happy.

 

[bullseye308]

What?

Some areas have limits on the amount of powder and primers you can store in a residence, and at times when the stars align and a bonus check comes in right when there is a big powder and primer sale excess is purchased, at times going over the allowable limits. Sometimes it’s just wise to split your stock in case of an emergency like fire, tornadoes, floods, mob violence, depending on where you are.

If you have ever had a house fire and watched everything you have burn in 20 minutes and had to start over.... same goes for tornadoes, floods, or any disaster. Splitting your stock is not a bad idea in good times if that is an option available to you.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Some areas have limits on the amount of powder and primers you can store in a residence, and at times when the stars align and a bonus check comes in right when there is a big powder and primer sale excess is purchased, at times going over the allowable limits. Sometimes it’s just wise to split your stock in case of an emergency like fire, tornadoes, floods, mob violence, depending on where you are.

If you have ever had a house fire and watched everything you have burn in 20 minutes and had to start over.... same goes for tornadoes, floods, or any disaster. Splitting your stock is not a bad idea in good times if that is an option available to you.

I recall someone on this forum from Cali said they had a 10K primer limit out there.

 

[bullseye308]

I recall someone on this forum from Cali said they had a 10K primer limit out there.

Many city ordinances limit the amount of combustibles you can keep on your property, some specify powder and primers specifically. I had heard this in the past and never really worried about it till I watched my house burn years back and I told the firemen to flood the back room where my guns and ammo were stored and not worry about the rest of the place. Later I learned about the storage laws(which I was under) and now that I live in the county it isn’t an issue legally, but from past experience I split my inventory.

I lost $250k in collectibles and $90k in guns and ammo/components that day and learned the value of a fire safe(I had none) so the investment is worth it for a good safe(s).

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Many city ordinances limit the amount of combustibles you can keep on your property, some specify powder and primers specifically. I had heard this in the past and never really worried about it till I watched my house burn years back and I told the firemen to flood the back room where my guns and ammo were stored and not worry about the rest of the place. Later I learned about the storage laws(which I was under) and now that I live in the county it isn’t an issue legally, but from past experience I split my inventory.

I lost $250k in collectibles and $90k in guns and ammo/components that day and learned the value of a fire safe(I had none) so the investment is worth it for a good safe(s).

Yup. Dang! Sux to go through that. That's when you find out how good/bad your insurance is. I know because we have - flood, not fire. One of the reasons I don't stockpile is I have lost everything in less than the time it takes to hard boil an egg. The reason I contacted the local fire Marshall and asked to have my storage inspected and approved is so they would fight the fire and not just let it burn. If they so much as hear a primer or cartridge pop during a house fire, they back away and setup a containment perimeter, then let it burn. Its for the safety of the firefighters. If you meet voluntary compliance, and they know where/how you have your powder and ammo stored, they fight the fire and only isolate that part of the house. We have a volunteer fire department and they're all great guys/gals. I'd hate to be the cause of one of them getting hurt.

Which is also why I keep everything in the concrete storage room with no connection to the house other than a breezeway and a fire/burglar alarm installed. And I have fire extinguishers in all parts of the house.

 

[Soonerpesek]

Careful about running extension cord or romex in conduit due to heat build up.

I think that’s why they make direct burial wire.
Pretty common at the Big Box stores…
It’s what I used for a couple of exterior outlets for an above ground pool pump and such…

 

[CQB45ACP]

Yup. Dang! Sux to go through that. That's when you find out how good/bad your insurance is. I know because we have - flood, not fire. One of the reasons I don't stockpile is I have lost everything in less than the time it takes to hard boil an egg. The reason I contacted the local fire Marshall and asked to have my storage inspected and approved is so they would fight the fire and not just let it burn. If they so much as hear a primer or cartridge pop during a house fire, they back away and setup a containment perimeter, then let it burn. Its for the safety of the firefighters. If you meet voluntary compliance, and they know where/how you have your powder and ammo stored, they fight the fire and only isolate that part of the house. We have a volunteer fire department and they're all great guys/gals. I'd hate to be the cause of one of them getting hurt.

Which is also why I keep everything in the concrete storage room with no connection to the house other than a breezeway and a fire/burglar alarm installed. And I have fire extinguishers in all parts of the house.

What type of extinguisher do you have for powder fires? Not a typical homeowner one, right? I should know this, but don’t.

 

[Atavar]

Wouldn’t a locked refrigerator full of powder sort of be a bomb?