How do you store your ammo?

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comfun1

Bearcat
Joined
Apr 22, 2009
Messages
6
I have accumulated 5,000 rounds of 22 ammo. I saw someone here say that they keep theirs in "dry storage". What does this mean? This is enough ammo to last me for years to come but if it has a limited lifetime I will try to shoot it up quicker. Anyone know anything about the lifespan of ammo? Would it last any better in a deep freeze?
 

810wmb

Single-Sixer
Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
140
:wink:

in the belly of bad guys!!!!!!!!


just someplace dry - i keep mine in the house. i have a small table/cabinet. the cabinet part is full of ammo. it stays a constant temp, no sweating, etc.

i'm assuming it will last forever.

i don't know about out in a storage building, etc. i'm not sure with the temp changes if sweating would be an issue.
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,150
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
Cool dry storage in even temps will be the best.
A freezer is not the recommneded place.
I have ammo that occasionally comes out of dark places in my gun room that I loaded back in the early 1980's. It's been in plastic ammo boxes,, stored in my home,, and shoots just fine. I have seen military surplus ammo that was 50+ years old fire just fine as well. Shelf life is good if stored properly.
Now, allow moisture, or major temp changes to happen & corrosion will attack the brass, and it can leach inside the cases & cause issues.
 

Rick Courtright

Hawkeye
Joined
Mar 10, 2002
Messages
7,897
Location
Redlands CA USA
Hi,

After it's been locked in metal ammo cans in the back of dark closets--w/ or w/o a/c, it's pretty dry here--I've shot commercial ammo (both rimfire and c/f) that's 30+ yrs old and it might as well have been made last week. Oldest reloads I have are dated '88/'89 and are also still top notch.

I've shot some of that 50+ yr old milsurp, too, and it's been a crapshoot: some was great, some pretty bad to horrible. But considering the storage conditions it probably saw, I'm impressed as much of it was as good as it was.

Since I probably won't last another 50 yrs, I'm confident anything I loaded up over the weekend will still be good when they put me in the home...

Rick C
 

b3337

Bearcat
Joined
Jul 27, 2002
Messages
25
Location
North Central Indiana
Some of mine is in a pistol cabinet, some in ammo boxes.Just keep it dry and it will keep a long time.I have some LC69 surplus ammo I shoot in a Garand that shoots fine.
 

tomiswho

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 2, 2008
Messages
323
Location
Georgia
Mine is on an open shelf in my "bunker" with house heat and air and humidity control. I keep a small floor fan blowing 24/7 to keep the air circulating. I have some .22 ammo in my jewelery box that dates from WWII and I'll bet it will shoot just fine if I wanted to try it.
 

R1150r

Bearcat
Joined
Sep 6, 2009
Messages
3
I put mine in those MTM Dry Boxes, that look like ammo cans. I toss in a couple of dessicant packs for good measure.

John
 
Joined
Nov 15, 2005
Messages
10,435
Location
Greenville, SC: USA
Good old 30 cal. ammo cans.

ammo.jpg


Oh, I need to warn you... if using a metal cabinet like this, even a commercial grade one... with fully loaded ammo cans you need to add support to the shelves!

I had to add 3/4" plywood under them all after straightening the whole cabinet back out when the thing kind of collapsed in on itself.
 

sheepman

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 12, 2008
Messages
31
Location
Washington State
22 ammo has a shelf life , but don't think any one has stored any long enough to know what it is. As long as you shoot it up in the next 30 or 50 years it should be OK. In the 70s I shout up some that my Grand Parents had in the 30s (and ammo quality is better today).
 

meanc

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Messages
124
Location
FL
5yrs ago picked up a Winchester 62a mfg 1953 with a small mason jar full of 22lr. The seller said he bought both the rifle and ammo in 1961 from the previous owner.

Out of about 300rds only 25 FTF.

So that's at least 43yrs right there.

Anyway, I empty the bulk boxes into quart size ziploc bags and put those in an ammo can.
 

roca7

Bearcat
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
13
picked up some .50 cal ammo can's a few year's ago from armygear.com.
it look's like the price has gone up $3 ea. shipping back then was only $12 and don't know what it is now. i looked around my area at all the army surplus store's, and they were cheaper even including the shipping. i just keep them stacked in the closet. i got the one's in excellent condition and only one had a dash of rust in it, and the seal's were in very good condition.
 

mattsbox99

Hunter
Joined
Jan 12, 2009
Messages
3,391
Location
Montana 'Merica
I preserve each round in argon gas and lock it away in a sealed steel container, behind a 12" vault door, 75 feet underground, at a constant temperature of 74 degrees F with 2-4% humidity and ozone purified air with armed guards at the entry.


Just kidding of course, most of my ammo is in military .30 cal ammo cans. They are waterproof and seal well and they are $7-$10.
 

rosie

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Messages
8
Location
charleston, sc
Lots of good advice. I keep mine in a plastic tool carrying case that originally came with a drill and rechargeable battery. I took out the insides and store about 2500 rounds in the remianing empty confines of the case. I keep it in a cardboard-type fruit case IN THE HOUSE (controlled humidity and temperature) that is covered with old newspapers I accumulate before I put them into the recycle bin in garage. At least this way the "pile" looks like a pile of newpapers. If you are going to keep them in house it makes sense to either secure them with extreme lockage or at least camoflauge them in an unobvious manner.
 

8pointer

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
263
Location
Richmond, VA
I bought a cheap stack on gun safe and built plywood shelves for the interior to store ammo on by caliber. Dry, safe, and secure.
 
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