Your ammo cache in a safe or not

[357smallbore]

How many fine folks keep their ammo cache in a quality safe? I mean locked up to where you only would have access to it. I have shall I say enough to be concerned if it were not locked away, it could be stolen and that would just suck. Let alone several thousands of dollars of down the drain.
I am going out with my stimulus check and buying me a Liberty Safe to coincide with the one I keep my weapons in.

 

[jmr40]

I'd have to buy another safe, or three, just to hold the ammo. But no, I keep most of it in a cabinet in my home office.

 

[film495]

if I had enough to fill a safe I would consider it

 

[WestKentucky]

My ammo is mostly in ammo cans. The ammo cans are mostly in this table. I need to make a new table though... the round table worked well for storing pistols and broken down shotguns during college, but it’s only about 1/2 the size I want it to be for ammo... and I am tempted to put a sliding drawer in the bottom of it for other stuff. It would be easy to copy the locking setup of a toolbox where the lid has to be open to let the drawer open or close. This one took me about an hour to slap together... Two 2x4, three 2x6, a piano hinge, and a round tabletop at Lowe’s was about $60 in 2006. Still going strong with its second coat of laquer, 5th place I have lived, and plenty jackassery that should have destroyed it. Functional does not have to be unattractive. I could have done better on the cuts, but my good buddies keystone and light were heavily involved when that table got built.

 

[Rembrandt]

Suppose that would be a good way to store ammo, just haven't found one big enough for the pallets fit. Feel bad because I may have been responsible for the last nation wide shortage of .22's.

 

[357smallbore]

I have 40 50cal ammo cans full and 28 30cal ammo cans full. I need to lock em away I believe.

 

[Meeks36]

I could be mistaken but I believe the temps inside a safe during a fire could cook the rounds off. If I am wrong pls let me know. I remember reading a post on here a gentleman had a fire. Guns in safe but the temps got high enough to mess with the hardness. Could be mistaken memory isn't very good anymore.

 

[typhun]

small job site gang boxes in the closet, once filled with ammo they are pretty heavy to move so no quick grab and rip off. Pad locks are recessed to prevent cutting lock off easily
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...pTbpHcDUZpmUjgJslx8g88XRzEe-dCeMaAvaMEALw_wcB

 

[George P]

Not now, not ever; ammo kept in a safe becomes a BIG bomb in the event of a fire; even military-type metal cans can become the equal of a Boston Marathon pressure cooker

 

[Armored farmer]

Ammo cans inside old school lockers with a primitive lock. To make matters worse, I store my battery operated sawzall on top of the locker.
Duh
I need to find a new spot for the sawzall.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I am not to worried about someone carrying off heavy ammo if they break in. If they do, I'll deal with the insurance companies. Homeowners would count it as personal property. My separate gun policy covers $5k worth.

 

[HB]

Not now, not ever; ammo kept in a safe becomes a BIG bomb in the event of a fire; even military-type metal cans can become the equal of a Boston Marathon pressure cooker

Won’t the ammo cook off individually? In a safe I’d think think it be better because the shrapnel wouldn’t exit the container.

 

[George P]

Won’t the ammo cook off individually? In a safe I’d think think it be better because the shrapnel wouldn’t exit the container.

It SHOULD, IF there is room for the gasses to expand, in tight sealing matel ammo cans inside a tight sealing safe, you have the potential for a bomb

 

[wagonburner]

Won’t the ammo cook off individually? In a safe I’d think think it be better because the shrapnel wouldn’t exit the container.

Depending on how much ammo, the “container” will become the shrapnel.

 

[HB]

It SHOULD, IF there is room for the gasses to expand, in tight sealing matel ammo cans inside a tight sealing safe, you have the potential for a bomb

Depending on how much ammo, the “container” will become the shrapnel.

So the ammo will cook off individually until the safe fills with gas and then the safe will blow?

I agree 100% if we were talking powder in plastic jugs in sealed ammo cans. But I can’t see how individual cases could cause a massive explosion even if the safe was full of loose 50 BMG.

OP, I am in the same boat as you. I don't have a lot compared to some people but I just run a chain through a few ammo cans that are not latched. I figure your average B+E crackhead won’t spend too long messing with it.

Ideally I would have a cage or similar type shelf system.

 

[shoobe01]

Me: Ammo cans mostly (some is still in their battlepacks, etc. so pretty sealed), on the proper shelves of the Metro shelf bolted to the wall, right side of the arms room. Not locked now, but when out of town, the whole "room" (it's small) is locked as a second layer for the weapons, and to keep anyone fussing with things like the ammo.

Generally:
Numerous sources have all indicated over the years that loaded small arms ammo is not a danger even stored in bulk, in a fire. Steel ammo cans are pretty good storage devices, for various reasons, and never explode. One discussion.

Large quantities of powder, even smokeless powder, should be kept in a suitable powder locker, ideally not in the middle of your house. Just heat should not cause them to go high order, but much higher risk as the propellant is contiguous so if it wanted to, it would all go up at once, which is: a bomb.

 

[FROGO207]

My ammo is kept in USGI ammo cans. It is not recommended to store ammo or propellant in a safe, refridge, freezer, or like sealed container. It should be vented at the least. Propellant is supposed to ne stored in 1 inch thick wooden containers per the manufacturer's info. Ammo cans are made to loose their seal before the pressure can build up in a fire.

 

[748]

Don't keep much in the safe but do keep a good portion of it locked up.

 

[wagonburner]

So the ammo will cook off individually until the safe fills with gas and then the safe will blow?

.

I didn’t say that.

Where do you come up with the notion the that the ammo will “cook off” one by one? You think out of a box or can of a thousand rounds, the rounds will cook off one by one and not ignite the others? All going off one by one, all taking their turn? I think not.

A couple of rounds go and they set of the rest. A couple of thousands rounds and you have a big bomb. Many safe manufacturers will tell you not to store ammo in their safes.

A couple of boxes of ammo in a safe won’t be a problem. Stacking a safe full of ammo is something totally different.

 

[bannockburn]

Too much ammo to store in a safe. Most of it is in G.I. ammo cans in a secure place.

 

[luzyfuerza]

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...on-ammunition-and-fire-fighter-safety.687125/

Just in case anyone is interested in what REALLY happens to ammo in a fire...

 

[FL-NC]

My ammo is organized into ammo cans, which are then placed in a large job-site locker.

 

[Demi-human]

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...on-ammunition-and-fire-fighter-safety.687125/

Just in case anyone is interested in what REALLY happens to ammo in a fire...

Those with weak constitutions, or smaller stockpiles, be warned!
They ruin a lot of beautiful ammunition.

I thought I was tough, but I had to turn it off when they brought out the box of .45 Colt.

 

[badkarmamib]

I guess I don't have as much as some. I have a 3-drawer and cubby tool chest that my rifle cabinet sits on top of. Cleaning supplies go in the cubby, and all of my loaded ammo and hearing protection fits in the 3 drawers.

 

[FFGColorado]

My guns, all loaded, all magazines loaded, are in safes or on me. My ammunition are on a shelf in a locked garage.