# Where do you store ammo?



## Swrock (Dec 14, 2018)

Can't pack any more ammo into my gun safe, it's full, unless I was to remove some of my guns which wouldn't make much sense. 
Dont really have room for a larger safe.
With the price of ammo these days and the scarcity of it, it would not surprise me to see ammo being stolen.
So I have started putting all 5.56 in safe along with critical defense 10mm, 9mm, 357 etc. the more expensive stuff.
Target rounds and shotgun shells hidden in closets or wherever.
Any thoughts on storing bulk ammo?
Most all I have was bought when it was cheaper and more available, little bit along over the years.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

I keep a few hundred rounds of various calibers on hand in the house.
The other thousands of rounds, in 21 calibers and gauges, is out in one of the barns.
Mainly because if there's a house fire and ammo starts cooking off, our county firefighters back off and let the structure burn.
That would be hard to explain to my insurance agent.


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## Trihonda (Aug 24, 2020)

This is part of my ammo.. stored in cans... but I don't try to put am o in my safe, aside from a few loaded mags


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Concrete bunker here.

Fire department issued a permit for 500,000 rounds.


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## 2020 Convert (Dec 24, 2020)

I used to have Ammo cans like that, but the Ex got them along with the guns in the divorce.:tango_face_smile:



rice paddy daddy said:


> I keep a few hundred rounds of various calibers on hand in the house.
> The other thousands of rounds, in 21 calibers and gauges, is out in one of the barns.
> Mainly because if there's a house fire and ammo starts cooking off, our county firefighters back off and let the structure burn.
> That would be hard to explain to my insurance agent.


 When my buddy's dad had a chimney fire, only 3 of us volunteer fireman were brave enough to go in. We knew where "Sarge" had most of the guns and ammo.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

Ammo cans, preferably the metal ones with the proper gasket seal.
They stack well, keep out moisture, and are strong enough to hold a lot of weight.
I don't currently have them in a safe. My safe is only big enough for the guns.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)




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## LetsGo (Feb 16, 2021)

I am looking at a property with outbuildings. I have the same questions with just prepper stuff in general - it all takes up a lot of room.


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## 65mustang (Apr 4, 2020)

I bought another gun safe just for ammunition and it's packed full. Need more storage space.


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## Demitri.14 (Nov 21, 2018)

As I upgraded gun safes over the years, from the cheap Stackons etc, I've repurposed them as ammo lockers. Add some shelves and there you go !


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

This may seem like a stupid question.......
I have an unheated and uninsulated out building. Winter time temps can dip to zero. Summertime 80s and maybe 90. Could I store ammo in steel military ammo boxes under such conditions long term? Any special requirements other than the ammo cans themselves and desiccant inside?

I have one additional possibility. A former underground water cistern. But this cistern gets pretty damp inside. Thoughts?


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

rice paddy daddy said:


> I keep a few hundred rounds of various calibers on hand in the house.
> The other thousands of rounds, in 21 calibers and gauges, is out in one of the barns.
> Mainly because if there's a house fire and ammo starts cooking off, our county firefighters back off and let the structure burn.
> That would be hard to explain to my insurance agent.


When I was young we used to throw ammo in the fire pit all the time-no one died-we stood a few feet away, lots of fun!

https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2012/4/4/is-loaded-ammo-deadly-if-it-catches-on-fire/

To be fair, I have read articles stating ammo kept in steel ammo cans "May" explode due to confinement of exploding ammo.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Ammo will store nicely in a Freezer or refrigerator that is not longer is useful. Just make sure it is fully dried out While we know ammo does not explode in a fire for the most part. Ammo contained in a locked value can. Not a major concern but something to consider.
Keep one for ammo you want handy daily and others for long term storage. simple lock can be used to keep children out. small dehumidifier is you feel the need. see it second shelf from top.
You will be surprise at the weight the racks will hold . This one was an up right freezer.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Chiefster23 said:


> This may seem like a stupid question.......
> I have an unheated and uninsulated out building. Winter time temps can dip to zero. Summertime 80s and maybe 90. Could I store ammo in steel military ammo boxes under such conditions long term? Any special requirements other than the ammo cans themselves and desiccant inside?
> 
> I have one additional possibility. A former underground water cistern. But this cistern gets pretty damp inside. Thoughts?


It does not get hot there for prolonged period usually. If sealed in ammo cans (avoid moisture) out of the sun it will store just fine. I have some very old ammo that goes boom each and every time. 50's/60's. I fired off all the WW2 ammo with no misfires.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

As far as temp fluctuations go, I find it hard to believe all the kazillions of rounds of military ammo stored around the world is kept in a climate controlled environment. 

CCE would be ideal though.


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## Hemi45 (May 5, 2014)

I have some in the safe and some on the safe. Some in cans and some in original factory cases. I did have some in the garage for a few years in a locked job box but now have it in the house.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Don't get to worked up over prefect conditions. Yes dry is good soaking wet bad. But it is not the big deal some make it out to be. Ammo stored in the Mags both hand gun and rifles in the one above for many years grab one and go fire every time. Don't buy into the BS.
Ammo purchase in sealed Tin/lead wood crates just leave the sealed stack them up. As mentioned above we also have 30.06 and 308 boxed up in 150 still fires just fine no special storage.
Remember the 5 day test we did with cheap 9mm ammo soaked under water.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Lost mine. Thinks it's why the boat sank.


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

Mine is all at the bottom of the gulf after my sailing accident.


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## LetsGo (Feb 16, 2021)

Chiefster23 said:


> This may seem like a stupid question.......
> I have an unheated and uninsulated out building. Winter time temps can dip to zero. Summertime 80s and maybe 90. Could I store ammo in steel military ammo boxes under such conditions long term? Any special requirements other than the ammo cans themselves and desiccant inside?
> 
> I have one additional possibility. A former underground water cistern. But this cistern gets pretty damp inside. Thoughts?


best I understand it is, cold does not bother gun powder, long periods of heat is worse on it. I have kept plenty of shotgun ammo in a local storage unit year round and it has always worked. It would not / will not be my choice once I get a property with some outbuildings (we just have an acre now) but once I get some land and have an outbuilding I will make an area within it that has a vented and insulated room with an attic fan - the fan may just vent back to the main building but it will keep air circulated.

As for ammo in a fire - I am no fireman, but several years ago I did some pretty extensive fire fighting and first aid training annually. I did well on fire fighting but I suck at first aid, please don't rely on me :vs_shocked: I can gut a critter all day, but people, you're likely gonna die. Anyway - everything I learned is ammo is just a big poof. My son's friend threw some in a fire pit we had for a cookout and that is all it did. If the ammo is not locked into a devise, when the gunpowder ignites, the bullet may just dribble away but the casing, which is lighter will push away also, it will all just kinda puff and move 6 or 8 inches, there just isn't that much gunpowder in a single bullet. I hear stories that during a house fire bullets were flying every direction, not true, can't, maybe lots of poof's, but loose bullets won't go zinging around. Now, you could get a zinger if a gun was loaded and it got hot enough to ignite the bullet.


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## Nick (Nov 21, 2020)

Ammo does fine with cold or heat. The only thing you need to worry about is moisture. I have some ammo stored in wooden crates in a garage that gets hot in the summer and cold in the winter and it looks and functions the same now as it did 30 years ago. 

Ammo cans are the way to go IME, but I wouldn't get to worried about temp unless it's been exposed to extreme heat.

I do keep some stored inside and keep about 40 loaded 5.56 30 round mags in my safe.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

Ammo? What would I need ammo for? I am a prepper, I buy candles, food, hurricane lamps and such. Ammo would suggest I expect things to go south at some point and that I may have to use deadly force to protect me and mine. We all know that everything will be fine. Ask the Canadians, Joe and the Ho.


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## LetsGo (Feb 16, 2021)

Prepared One said:


> Ammo? What would I need ammo for? I am a prepper, I buy candles, food, hurricane lamps and such. Ammo would suggest I expect things to go south at some point and that I may have to use deadly force to protect me and mine. We all know that everything will be fine.Ask the Canadians, Joe and the Ho.


that is funny right there, good reply! :vs_laugh:


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

In one safe I have loaded "ready" mags, none in the others except in the guns.

All the bulk of my ammo is in USGI ammo cans from 30 cal. to 20MM.

Ready mags in safe, old picture, all are loaded now


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## Grinch (Jan 3, 2016)

Primarily I have bulk battle caliber ammo in our panic room, stacked in the big ( I believe) 20mm cans. In my gun room I have three units for those info cards that work great for the more oddball stuff. 
My main thing is color coding and labeling. 
Gold for 10mm, White for 7.62x51, Tiffany Blue for 9mm, Rosé for 38 Super, Black for 12 gauge, Red for 556 and so on, each in their own group and well labeled.


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## Swrock (Dec 14, 2018)

Thanks for all the replies.
Some very interesting and good ideas.


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

Chiefster23 said:


> This may seem like a stupid question.......
> I have an unheated and uninsulated out building. Winter time temps can dip to zero. Summertime 80s and maybe 90. Could I store ammo in steel military ammo boxes under such conditions long term? Any special requirements other than the ammo cans themselves and desiccant inside?
> 
> I have one additional possibility. A former underground water cistern. But this cistern gets pretty damp inside. Thoughts?


Yes, Modern powder and propellents will last for decades stored in that tempature range. Because of the moisture possible causing corrosion I would not store in the cistern.


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

I keep reloading powder and primers in a metal box in a metal barn on the property.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

I can’t afford ammo, I am going to have to use my guns as bludgeons, as skull busters. I do have a few boxes.
But if Antifa & BLM show up with 9mm’s and ammo; hoo boy, it’ll be like Christmas, I will just take their stuff.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Y'all know guns are evil, right?


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

inceptor said:


> Y'all know guns are evil, right?


Mine are, or I have been called evil for using them, by “good people” ( AKA onlookers & do nothing’s ).
But I haven’t cared what they thought in 50 years.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Chiefster23 said:


> This may seem like a stupid question.......
> I have an unheated and uninsulated out building. Winter time temps can dip to zero. Summertime 80s and maybe 90. Could I store ammo in steel military ammo boxes under such conditions long term? Any special requirements other than the ammo cans themselves and desiccant inside?
> 
> I have one additional possibility. A former underground water cistern. But this cistern gets pretty damp inside. Thoughts?





@Chiefster23, in my humble uneducated opinion, the colder the better.

Putting ammo in USGI ammo cans with desiccant is the best way of protecting it.

I have scores of case of miltitary ammo that have never been opened, only will if SHTF.

My repacked ammo has desiccant in it either made from cat liter or commercial silica jell.

If you have some stored in an outside shed that may have a heat problem, you can reduce much of 

the heat with a simple false roof built above the original, about 6 inches above it. 

Do not enclose any of the sides, on a pitched roof the second one will create a chimney effect 

drawing the excess heat away from the original, it will reduce the "greenhouse" effect.

Building will stay closer to the ambient temperature.

I used this for much of my ammo until the bunker was built.

Another of my storage spaces has a squirrel cage fan with a thermostat that turns on the blower @ 

70 deg. F.. This place holds "ALAMO" ammo, AKA secondary stuff, such as .303 MK-7 ball,

8 MM Mauser, plus East block designated AP and others. ALL US made stuff is in the bunker

This does not including the ready 5K I keep in the house in mags and clips.

Cat litter desiccant is made by heating UNUSED litter spread over a cookie tin in the oven at 

350 F. for a half hour, then using a woman's nylon stocking to hold it, 

a 1/4 of a cup is plenty for one 50 Cal. can.

Don't let the stuff sit around in the open, use a baggie before using it,

remove the filled stocking from baggie and place in the ammo can and seal. 

DO NOT put the cans on dirt floors or concrete floors, use sections of 2"x 4" under the cans.

The will rust like hell on either surface.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

1skrewsloose said:


> As far as temp fluctuations go, I find it hard to believe all the kazillions of rounds of military ammo stored around the world is kept in a climate controlled environment.
> 
> CCE would be ideal though.


Most is stored in below ground bunkers with an open concrete front,

Steel doors and usually with a railroad siding right to the platform.

Those stay cool because of the amount of dirt above them.

Have been in many of them in the past, been them for different ammo, 

in one for 7.62 NATO, must have been 5 thousand cases of it in there,

hundreds and hundreds of pallets stored four high.

Another was about the same size, probably was,

at a different base though, filled a semi flat bed with 105MM ammo,

stacked 6 high on the whole bed. they used a fork lift both places to load it.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I have a simple little wooden cabinet that *does not lean* against on outdoor wall. Oh, I still check the dates on stuff, but I've found that many of us 'boomers' got some bad information on how gunpowder degrades--if at all!

Summer is now upon us, and it looks like us "knife guys" can stop refining sharp edges and go out to play. The bad news is that the little subdivision I live in is now surrounded by spillage from Madison directly! As is the case in your neighborhoods, a "sale" sign goes up and the house is purchased in just a day or two...


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