I have a closed in porch that is mostly insulated and I use as a man cave and I wanted to store a bunch of ammo back there the room will run about 15 or 20 degrees different then the rest of the house so I was wondering if that's a big deal I'm planning on getting a humidifier for the room also I will be storing in ammo cans and wanted to know if I should leave the ammo in the box or put it in loose along with the moisture packets which is better and why
Need advice on ammo storage
- Thread starter Stiggy21
- Start date
So you are probably saying the temperature exposure will range from 50 degrees to 90 degrees. What will the ammunition be stored in as far as containers? If it is in serviceable (meaning having a good seal) military ammo cans or the equivalent , then you are probably OK for a significant number of years.
g.willikers
New member
Components might be more of a concern, but ammo seems to last a very long time, even reloads.
Keeping your ammo in the original boxes in sealed ammo cans would probably be all that is necessary.
And the next generation or two could use it if you don't.
Keeping your ammo in the original boxes in sealed ammo cans would probably be all that is necessary.
And the next generation or two could use it if you don't.
g.willikers
New member
If churning around in the washing machine for a half hour hasn't done any damage to my reloads, and it hasn't, it's doubtful that even being submerged in a flooded basement will, and it didn't.
But if moisture seems a risk, just store the ammo in a ammo box with a lid seal.
But if moisture seems a risk, just store the ammo in a ammo box with a lid seal.
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g.willikers
New member
It kind of depends on the type of ammo.
The factory cardboard boxes just keep the rounds separate.
Might be better in the case of rifle rounds with pointy bullets, though.
The boxes also help remind you id of what those rounds are.
The factory cardboard boxes just keep the rounds separate.
Might be better in the case of rifle rounds with pointy bullets, though.
The boxes also help remind you id of what those rounds are.
I keep mine in ammo cans in the house with a o2 absorber in it . Mine are up to couple decades old and fire with out a problem . Box's look like new . I know some will argue that you can leave them under water for weeks or bury them in the ground for long term storage , but I will not . Take care of your gear and it will take care of you . I do know of couple instances . One ammo left in a unocupied house for 3 years no heat in winter and lots of drafts from windows . This ammo would misfire some would pop and smoke some would boom . One a shot gun left loaded in a barn for varmit control for years and ammo would not fire at all .
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The military uses vented bunkers with dirt over them. A lot of that is an attempt to moderate the temperature and keep things cool in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Most military ammo is cycled out of service either by firing it or by determining it's aged too much and has too many misfires. There might be old WWII surplus but duty ammo that old is rare - entirely why they sold it off.
Moisture is the #1 problem - and why military packs are in metal ammo cans sealed with gaskets with dessicant packs inside. Brass will corrode in contact with moisture - and air with moisture gets everywhere. If it's warm humid air in contact with colder metal, moisture will condense and build up. A bad seal on an ammo box will actually cause the box to fill with water in extreme conditions, like the trunk of a car. Hot weather will expand the air driving it out, cold weather will cause it to suck in more air to deposit more moisture.
Ammo is NOT water proof, the military seals the primers and the necks are crimped.
While everyone says ammo doesn't need to be stored in climate controlled conditions, what they miss is that ammo does very much need to be stored in humidity controlled areas where it won't have condensation build up wetting the brass or the box it's stored it - which will get damp from absorbing the moisture and keep it in close proximity. Goes to those sealed metal ammo cans with rubber gaskets in the military. Each one is a dry controlled micro chamber.
If you want to shoot it ten years later store it dry and keep it dry. Using surplus metal cans may mean using a food grade silicone grease on the seal to prevent leaks - that can was sold off for a reason.
It very much is about humidity control, and the military spends a lot of money on it. Once bundled the crates are palletized and they are now stretch wrapped for storage in bunkers. There is a lot done to keep ammo dry - larger rounds use individual containers which are sealed against humidity and for protection in shipping.
Keep your powder dry.
Most military ammo is cycled out of service either by firing it or by determining it's aged too much and has too many misfires. There might be old WWII surplus but duty ammo that old is rare - entirely why they sold it off.
Moisture is the #1 problem - and why military packs are in metal ammo cans sealed with gaskets with dessicant packs inside. Brass will corrode in contact with moisture - and air with moisture gets everywhere. If it's warm humid air in contact with colder metal, moisture will condense and build up. A bad seal on an ammo box will actually cause the box to fill with water in extreme conditions, like the trunk of a car. Hot weather will expand the air driving it out, cold weather will cause it to suck in more air to deposit more moisture.
Ammo is NOT water proof, the military seals the primers and the necks are crimped.
While everyone says ammo doesn't need to be stored in climate controlled conditions, what they miss is that ammo does very much need to be stored in humidity controlled areas where it won't have condensation build up wetting the brass or the box it's stored it - which will get damp from absorbing the moisture and keep it in close proximity. Goes to those sealed metal ammo cans with rubber gaskets in the military. Each one is a dry controlled micro chamber.
If you want to shoot it ten years later store it dry and keep it dry. Using surplus metal cans may mean using a food grade silicone grease on the seal to prevent leaks - that can was sold off for a reason.
It very much is about humidity control, and the military spends a lot of money on it. Once bundled the crates are palletized and they are now stretch wrapped for storage in bunkers. There is a lot done to keep ammo dry - larger rounds use individual containers which are sealed against humidity and for protection in shipping.
Keep your powder dry.
spacecoast
New member
Actually, that's 42 years.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Stiggy!
Someone stole all of your punctuation!
15-20 degrees really isn't that much, unless you're talking about 120 deg. on a regular basis.
Ammo stored in ammo cans with a dessicant packet will stay viable for a LONG time.
Someone stole all of your punctuation!
15-20 degrees really isn't that much, unless you're talking about 120 deg. on a regular basis.
Ammo stored in ammo cans with a dessicant packet will stay viable for a LONG time.
kilimanjaro
New member
The box is one more layer of insulation and protection for the ammo, as well as keeping it packed in the smallest space possible.
Keep it in the boxes. Take a can and fill it with boxed ammo, count the rounds. Then dump in loose rounds and count them. You'll lose a bunch of storage capacity due to the increased voids between loose rounds.
Keep it in the boxes. Take a can and fill it with boxed ammo, count the rounds. Then dump in loose rounds and count them. You'll lose a bunch of storage capacity due to the increased voids between loose rounds.