[lightyeare]

what is the recommended way to store ammunition? i want to start storing ammo (nothing aggressive yet - buying 50 and only shoot 40, for example). I have an old army metal ammo box that still has the rubber seal but i could see how that would fill up pretty fast.

also, it would seem the boxes and plastic retainers would take up a lot of room. would it be ok to just dump them all in a baggie instead? obviously i wouldn't want to mix calibers but should i keep brands seperated as well?

 

[Silicon Wolverine]

i use the large 40mm and 20mm cans to store mine. i use homemade wooden crates to store it until i have enough to fill a can and then fill it and seal it up. ill take some pics when i get home tonite.

SW

 

[lightyeare]

seal it? just tape it shut? do you include anything in the can besides the ammo like O2 scrubbers?

what is the enemy of ammo - moisture, I assume. anything else?

 

[bomber101581]

stick some of those silica gel packets that you get when you buy a new pair of shoes in there. Sucks up the moisture.

 

[Silicon Wolverine]

i put a large drum liner garbage bag inside the can and stack the ammo in the bag, then twist it shut and put on the lid. i dont intend to go to sea, or to go swimming with my ammo cans so i dont worry about making them 100% watertight. also i open them from time to time to asses the contents.

the biggest enemy of ammo is moisture. find a place where the temp is consistent and cool. i store mine in basements (my own, my parents, the farm) and open them at least twice a year to breathe. i also test fire rounds from those batches every five years to verify function. i have ammo thats 15+ years old stored that way that is good to go.

the key here is keeping it STABLE. dont make it hot then cold (condensation), lots of vibration/upset (moving it around, playing with it etc). find a good place, park it there and leave it alone till you need to check it or use it.

i dont liek silica gel packs because some of them contain acidic residues that can be more harmful than good. keeping them in a cool stable area is better than silica IMHO.

SW

 

[lightyeare]

thanks, sw. just one more question - do you keep the ammo in the boxes they came in or do you consolidate them somehow?

 

[bomber101581]

i dont liek silica gel packs because some of them contain acidic residues that can be more harmful than good. keeping them in a cool stable area is better than silica IMHO.

SW

thanks for the tip. so far i have been keeping my ammo in the original box so the acidic residue isn't too much of a concern there, but I didn't know about the acid in the first place. I just knew that while very tasty, you're not supposed to eat them. I do keep mine in my garage. The colorado climate is notoriously dry, so moisture isn't a main concern here.

 

[Silicon Wolverine]

snip from wiki on silica gel packs:

"A solution of sodium silicate is acidified to produce a gelatinous precipitate that is washed, then dehydrated to produce colorless silica gel"

the acidification process can leave behind residue that can be harmful. food grade dessicant is purified to a much higer level that everyday packs you get in shoes, clothing or other containers. it also costs around 10x as much as regular dessicant.

SW

 

[bomber101581]

snip from wiki on silica gel packs:

"A solution of sodium silicate is acidified to produce a gelatinous precipitate that is washed, then dehydrated to produce colorless silica gel"

the acidification process can leave behind residue that can be harmful. food grade dessicant is purified to a much higer level that everyday packs you get in shoes, clothing or other containers. it also costs around 10x as much as regular dessicant.

SW

i was just kidding about eating it.

 

[Slimshady]

All previous advice is good, but to add one more: Heat will also degrade ammo. Don't store it in a high heat area like an attic or garage. The military did a study on ammo versus heat and IIRC as little as 130 degrees for a few months was a problem. They were worried about ammo dumps in desert climates.

 

[sitdwnandhngon]

I would think finding a way to get some argon gas into your container would be a good idea (don't ask me how to get it in though)

That stuff displaces oxygen, works great as a shielding gas for welding.

 

[Silicon Wolverine]

using gasses to push out oxygen ks a good idea, but hard to implement. oh and nitrogen is better than argon, argon can react with the metals over long periods of time. (think decades)

SW

 

[Silicon Wolverine]

pics

20mm cans awaiting fill

left to right, wooden "collection" box, filled 20mm cans with contents listed, linked 40mm cans filled with contents listed

SW

 

[squidbilly]

My LGS gives away a .30 cal ammo can every 5 boxes of ammo you purchase. Got my last one for 5 packs of mil-surp mosin ammo... $30 for 100rds and an ammo can!

 

[DeMan]

I just shot off most of a box of "Samson" brand (Israeli, 9mm HP) from 1984 with no inconsistencies. It shot better than my new stuff!

I kept them in the factory box in a wooden cupboard where it was dry and pretty temperate and didn't get jostled around. I think the lack of getting knocked around made a difference.

The price tag on the box made me cry: $4 for match hollow points.

 

[bomber101581]

My LGS gives away a .30 cal ammo can every 5 boxes of ammo you purchase. Got my last one for 5 packs of mil-surp mosin ammo... $30 for 100rds and an ammo can!

just another reason to own a mosin

 

[Silicon Wolverine]

My LGS gives away a .30 cal ammo can every 5 boxes of ammo you purchase. Got my last one for 5 packs of mil-surp mosin ammo... $30 for 100rds and an ammo can!

ive paid 30$ for just the CAN!

SW

 

[sitdwnandhngon]

What about a rag put on top of the supply dampened with 3in1 oil?

That seemed to me today like it would help prevent undue corrosion and moisture problems. Anyone against it?

 

[Silicon Wolverine]

What about a rag put on top of the supply dampened with 3in1 oil?

That seemed to me today like it would help prevent undue corrosion and moisture problems. Anyone against it?

oil/solvents/anything petroleum based will kill your ammo as time goes by and it evaporates into the contents of the can. that may work with weapons, but it wil ruin ammo.

SW

 

[Swiftytheavenger]

The other day, I decided to stick my .30 Carbine ammo into some cans to get it off the shelf. Well to my amazement I couldnt fit diddly squat into the cans from the different sizes of the cases the ammo comes in (different makes) So i said screw it, and just dumped them in outta the boxes.

Now Im wondering whats going to happen to this ammo in the long run, Ive had a 50round box of 9mm turn colors on me in my BOB.