How to Store Ammo

[Old_Me]

I have a couple ammo cans haven't been opened in 25 years. I could not open them. I even had our son try,he couldn't either. Wound up prying with a flat screwdriver a little bit. You could hear it suckin air, then it opened.

was the Lost Ark of the Covenant in there..????

sounds spooky, air getting sucked in..

i'd have soiled my Depends....if i were wearing them......

 

[PacNWvike]

doesn't your neighbor have a bear in her crawl space..????

If I left my wife (I assume it is the guys wife holding broom) to fight a bear with a broom, let’s just say I would be dead and wish the bear would of just got me instead lol.

 

[Bassbob]

All my ammo resides either in magazines, guns or USGI green ammo cans. Of which I have so many I lost count. Most have desicant packs in them, but that's just because I get the packs with this or that and see no point in throwing them away. They are unnecessary.

 

[Old_Me]

If I left my wife (I assume it is the guys wife holding broom) to fight a bear with a broom, let’s just say I would be dead and wish the bear would of just got me instead lol.

no, the wife is holding the camera, that other guy in the background may be a friend or relative.>???

but you're right my wife first......(to be eaten by the bear) hell i gotta save me first, i gotta pay the bills.....!!!!!!!

 

[Jfal]

I know I've posted this before, but I found a couple boxes of .38 special I bought new in 1993, a couple years ago. No special storage, moved 5 times in that period, some garage storage likely over the period. All 50 or 100 rounds fired just fine. It was cheap target ammo, lead round nose +brass cases. I worry less these days than I used to about this topic. FYI locations lived were/are southern WI, Cedar Rapids, IA, twin cities MN, Columbus, OH. Wild temp swings and wild humidity swings.

 

[bangnburp]

70I know I've posted this before, but I found a couple boxes of .38 special I bought new in 1993, a couple years ago. No special storage, moved 5 times in that period, some garage storage likely over the period. All 50 or 10700 rounds fired just fine. It was cheap target ammo, lead round nose +brass cases. I worry less these days than I used to about this topic. FYI locations lived were/are southern WI, Cedar Rapids, IA, twin cities MN, Columbus, OH. Wild temp swings and wild humidity swings.

Yep, I "know a guy" that has ammo from as early as the late 70's that still fulfills its duty to this day. Many rounds of surplus 5.56 on strippers and stored in original cardboard in the OD green bandoliers. Pretty sure "this guy" has 10mm hoarded like Sonny Crocket that has price tags of less that ten bucks. Keep away from severe damp and they will last years. All those mil surplus rounds we used to shoot in the 80's and 90's were 30 to 45 years old.

 

[James45]

About ten years ago, I bought a few dozen .45 ACP rounds that were headstamped 1917 and 1918. All but one round fired. Not bad for ammo almost 100 years old.

 

[powerboatr]

no, the wife is holding the camera, that other guy in the background may be a friend or relative.>???

but you're right my wife first......(to be eaten by the bear) hell i gotta save me first, i gotta pay the bills.....!!!!!!!

i just sent this to your wife
i love this place
RUN

 

[XMLSTARKS]

Many ammo dealers are selling bulk ammo that come in an ammo can for storage. The ammo cans are thick plastic and very adequate for storage of your ammo (in boxes) in your house.

 

[belladonna]

Many ammo dealers are selling bulk ammo that come in an ammo can for storage. The ammo cans are thick plastic and very adequate for storage of your ammo (in boxes) in your house.

I have several in 9mm and .45. They stack nicely too.

 

[nmedge]

Some in ammo cans others in the house in the gun room closet. There is little to no humidity here in southern new mexico and house has refrigerated air. Have never seen rust here.

 

[DavidDSmith]

Hmmm! I think I need a bigger cat litter box. Maybe a 2 room one. For the Siamese and my ammo.

 

[dry gulched]

In the 60s and 70s my father in law was a town constable. When he died I inherited his ammo (no guns though darn it.) which was mostly .38 spl wadcutters. He kept them in those leather belt holders. I don't know how old they were when I got them and they sat around for a long time. When I finally shot them they had a nice green patina on them. Long story short I cleaned them and they shot fine and nothing special was done to store them.

 

[Silvermane]

When my Dad passed recently, I inherited his .380 pistol and stash of hundreds of rounds of .380 ammo that he bought 20+ years ago, still in the factory cardboard brick boxes on his closet shelf...but never used, because health problems disabled him shortly after.

We both had identical .380 pistols and it was time to play with my new Ronin & Saint Edge, as well as exercise the rest of my guns...so off to the shooting range I went with everything I had, as well as Dad's .380 ammo & .380 pistol.

Every 3-4 rounds of his .380 ammo jammed in his .380.
So I tried them in my .380 and they also jammed every 3-4 rounds.
It was consistent, regardless of which gun used or any of the several identical mags I used in either pistol.

After examining the ammo closely, I saw that the brass cases were no longer as shiny & new looking as they used to be, but had a very fine oxidation on them...just enough to cause jamming, I'm guessing.

Since the ammo is jamming, it's not really usable, unless I find a way to clean the brass cases...which would be a PITA to do by hand.
(I'd be thankful for any suggestions how to clean the ammo.)

On another note, the Ronin & Saint Edge were butter-smooth and accurate right out of the box. I have many .45's...but the Ronin is the finest & smoothest one of the bunch. The Saint Edge was also great. SA hit a home-run on both.

 

[SFC Coody USA (ret)]

doesn't your neighbor have a bear in her crawl space..????

You wouldn't wanna leave your ammo unprotected now, wouldja? A bear makes a fine guardian...'cept when it's feedin' time!