# Closet ammo box



## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Looking for thoughts on the best way to do this. 
I'm putting in a 16' long 28" wide set of closets in my cement floored "junk" room to hold my preps ect. I want to put a somewhat fire resistant ammo section with plenty of strong shelves (to help with ammo organization). Not totally fire proof but enough to minimize the chance of ammo cooking off so a few sheets of sheetrock should work.

Looking for suggestions on strong shelves and fireproofing the door ect on a budget. I do have the ability to do some welding ect using borrowed equipment (I'm a lousy welder) but would prefer to keep this all wood since I'm more of a hammer and nails kind of guy.

I'm trying to avoid the expense of a cheap 24 gun safe but that's about the size I need.

Hopefully this project will start in a few weeks.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

FoolAmI,

I had the very same situation with a hidden "alcove" when we built Slippy Lodge. I racked my brain trying to figure something out then finally decided that a small 18 gun Winchester Safe from Tractor Supply and a larger metal cabinet with locking doors fit the bill better than anything that I could build. 

Good luck!


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## Grinch (Jan 3, 2016)

FoolAmI, if I may suggest fireplace insulation, it's not 100% going to stop all fire from busting through but it's some pretty good stuff, I just recently helped my neighbor who's just recovering from his 3rd house fire, we built in his cellar a concrete foot locker type of box with a hinged top. We went and made the inner " shell " so to speak and then we used fireplace insulation and sprayed it on a foot thick all around it then smoothed it out and made the outer shell of concrete did the same for the top. Ideally you might want to look into something such as fire bricks but they can get a little pricey. He simply used 3/4 inch plywood with porch brackets and he bolted that drilled thin stock angle iron in the front for my stability. Hope this helps.

P.S Wear a mask for sanding the insulation if you do use it that's some nasty stuff.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Ammo should not be stored in a seal safe anyway. It is no danger in a fire unless contained .
Cement floor needs to be insulated and have a moisture barrier . Long as humidity is in normal ranges ammo will last along time.
One of many videos on the subject we have had posted here before. Warning watching all this ammo destroyed may cause emotional reactions

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2012/11/how-ammunition-reacts-in-a-fire-saami-video-report/


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

Put a fire suppression sprinkler head in the room above the ammo. Put ammo in water proof ammo cans.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

cement board - couple of layers if you want .... cement is basically what they used to fireproof safes for years


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## Mosinator762x54r (Nov 4, 2015)

I had a buddy lose his house in a fire a couple years back. He told the fire department about the NATO rounds he had stored in the basement. They were concerned but didn't change anything they were doing to work the fire. The whole house went up but the ammo never ignited.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

This upright freezer died. I had decide to use it to store a little ammo I wanted to have at hand . Something quick if I just wanted to grab some and go out back. At first I figured the racks would not hold much. Over time I kept filling it up. It scares me to think how much weight is now in there and it holds it well. A simple Remington rechargeable dehumidifier is the only thing added to it.


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

After seeing several safes and its contents after a fire, I decided the only way to reasonably protect my guns and ammo was a fire sprinkler protection system and a reliable water supply.


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## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

Operator6 said:


> After seeing several safes and its contents after a fire, I decided the only way to reasonably protect my guns and ammo was a fire sprinkler protection system and a reliable water supply.


sounds like a good ideal to me , don't for get the water proof boxes .


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

Targetshooter said:


> sounds like a good ideal to me , don't for get the water proof boxes .


I use ammo cans so they're waterproof, especially if not submerged, I have complete confidence in them. The fire department dumps a tremendous amount of water if they come on scene.

The sprinkler heads can be bought online for cheap then it's a matter of connecting to your water supply.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

I'd just build a Magazine
https://www.wbdg.org/design/ammo_magazines.php

https://www.google.com/search?q=bui...=o67RVtitH9KAmgGP3qCgCg#imgrc=KqieIp86PcIXcM:


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

A neighbor had a house fire a few years back and his ammo started cooking off with the fire department onsite. For the 1st few pops the firemen kept working but when a few more shells lit off the fire department pulled back and his insurance didn't want to pay to replace the house since it was his ammo that pushed the fire fighters back. I'm looking to just have enough fire protection so the ammo is less likely to cook off helping to maintain my insurance claim if I ever have a fire.

That's a great video Smitty.

I've been considering a few extra sheets of sheet rock around some open metal shelving.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Any trained fire department know ammo in a house fire is a non issue. That is truly long settled science. Even if the rounds pop off there is no energy behind them .


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

FoolAmI said:


> A neighbor had a house fire a few years back and his ammo started cooking off with the fire department onsite. For the 1st few pops the firemen kept working but when a few more shells lit off the fire department pulled back and his insurance didn't want to pay to replace the house since it was his ammo that pushed the fire fighters back. I'm looking to just have enough fire protection so the ammo is less likely to cook off helping to maintain my insurance claim if I ever have a fire.
> 
> That's a great video Smitty.
> 
> I've been considering a few extra sheets of sheet rock around some open metal shelving.


Put one of these in the window


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## txmarine6531 (Nov 18, 2015)

Smitty901 said:


> This upright freezer died. I had decide to use it to store a little ammo I wanted to have at hand . Something quick if I just wanted to grab some and go out back. At first I figured the racks would not hold much. Over time I kept filling it up. It scares me to think how much weight is now in there and it holds it well. A simple Remington rechargeable dehumidifier is the only thing added to it.
> 
> View attachment 15125


I don't know if it's the ******* in me or what, but I like that idea. Been looking for a better way to store my ammo. Right now it's just kinda hangin' out wherever I happen to drop it.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Smitty901 said:


> Any trained fire department know ammo in a house fire is a non issue. That is truly long settled science. Even if the rounds pop off there is no energy behind them .


I'm a few miles outside a very small town with a tiny 1 truck fire department (plus 1 EMT truck). 9,000 rounds cooking off may be more than they want to play around. I'm not a big time ammo collector like some folks here but between all the different calibers 9,000 loaded rnds is fairly close and that's enough to scare off most firemen. Add in enough powder and primers to continue loading for a while and it may scare the good guys away.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

Smitty901 said:


> One of many videos on the subject we have had posted here before. Warning watching all this ammo destroyed may cause emotional reactions
> 
> http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2012/11/how-ammunition-reacts-in-a-fire-saami-video-report/


I've seen that video several times, and I literally cry each time I watch it... all that ammo... oh dear me, all that ammo...


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

txmarine6531 said:


> I don't know if it's the ******* in me or what, but I like that idea. Been looking for a better way to store my ammo. Right now it's just kinda hangin' out wherever I happen to drop it.


It was clean and nothing spoiled in it. My plan was just a box of 9mm , some .38 ,45. 100 5.56 few mags loaded up some 7.62 x39 and a few mags. Last thing you want when you have a hour to go play is waste time getting ammo out. Over time you know how it goes . You toss it in there for now after awhile it is full.


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## Gunner's Mate (Aug 13, 2013)

I would recommend some 5/8 firecode drywall / hardibacker cement board or both better yet would be a concrete block out buiding if at all possible


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Other than ready ammo in the home, a few thousand, the rest is in a concrete bunker I built for the purpose.
There is refractory liner available in either sheet or batting form you can use between the drywall.
I would recommend the wall studding be made from steel 2x4's not wood.
Some of that material is rated up to 2,600 degrees F.


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## Gunner's Mate (Aug 13, 2013)

Yeah metal Stud framing is the only way to go, pretty economical, its used in almost all Commercial Buildings


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Gunner's Mate said:


> I would recommend some 5/8 firecode drywall / hardibacker cement board or both better yet would be a concrete block out buiding if at all possible


Since the prep closet is in an enclosed garage (last owners ran central heat ect.) that the previous owner made into part of the house but still on the cement with tile floor. I have considered putting up a form and pouring 3" of concrete walls around the ammo section for fire proofing. Not load bearing, just fire protection,,, Maybe with a solid 3 layer sheetrock door and concrete top (with a bit of rebar) about 6' up. The guns will be next to it in a fire resistant safe. Just trying to keep things safe on a budget.

Also since I'm the lazy sort,, mixing concrete is a little more work than I was hoping for. (Had to mix 72 bags for the solar panel stand last fall and that's real work! ) But while lazy I'm also fairly cheap. Local guys wanted $1060 to repair and paint my bedroom walls with sheetrock damage and stucco ceiling (huge bedroom with water damage from several old roof leaks) but being the cheap bastard I am I've recently done it myself (project 95% finished) along with replacing 2 exterior doors and 6 windows. Not what I do normally but I refuse to pay someone twice what I make per hour so internet search about how to do a project and a lot of Advil.

Remind me to buy stock in what ever company makes Advil.


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## shooter (Dec 25, 2012)

a friend of mine bought a job site box, he then wrapped it in a welders blanket 3 times. Then be set that inside a frame that was built from fireproof particle board that had a 3 or 4" gap between the welders cloth and the particle board. He then filled that with some fire proof insulation he found online, that is rated to 1000 degrees. I know it cost him a few pennies, but he says the hardest part was sourcing the materials. I think the 4x8 particle boards where $80 each and he need 2. The welders cloth was $125 each and he used 2 or 3. I don't know the cost of the insulation. I know he says he could have built it without the job sight box but he wanted to lock it to make sure his kids could not access it. So I am sure you could build something based on his idea that wold be rated to around 1000 degrees.


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## Gunner's Mate (Aug 13, 2013)

You could brick it up with fire brick used for chimneys ect thats a lot less bags to mix up


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