Safe ammo storage

[gunnut2u]

Should you store ammo in your gun safe ? With the cost and availability , is it safe to store ammo this way ?

[USAF385]

What do you mean by "safe"?

I store my ammo in air tight ammo cases in a safe next to my gun safe. The safe didn't cost way too much, and my ammo sure is safe.

[scottaschultz]

I see that you made your post at 3:31 AM. Maybe you need to switch to decaf!

So are you saying that because ammunition is getting more expensive and harder to find, you are afraid that someone might break into your house just to steal your ammunition? If you really think this is a genuine possibility, you seriously need to rethink your overall home security plan.

If someone breaks into my house and makes it to the room where I keep my guns and ammunition (out of sight but not in a safe), it is highly unlikely they will be leaving my house standing! My five dogs and 10ga shotgun will see to that!

As to your original question, if you would feel more comfortable with your ammunition in a safe, there is no reason (that I can thing of) not to. Just make sure you have one of those de-humidifier thingies in there.

Scott

[OKFC05]

The safest way to store guns and ammo is in separate locked containers.

It is not optimum to store ammunition, primers, or powder in a strong, tight container like a safe. Worst case, a fire could cause an explosion in such a tight strong container.

Powder magazines and ammo storage should be made so it can easily blow open before disastrous pressure can build up in a fire. SAAMI has some specifications available.
http://www.saami.org/

[HAWKEYE10]

I will agree with OKFC05 and I only worry about
someone stealing things when I am not at home.
Don

[Noah Zark]

IMO, the BEST way to store ammo is in USGI ammo cans. This is one of four shelving units in my gun room; and there are other GI cans on wooden pallets on the floor:



USGI steel ammunition box specifications reflect such considerations as container volume, ergonomics of loaded container weight, strength of can for stacking when loaded or empty, drop test, seal reliability, and safety in a fire. If it works for the US military, it works for me. All of my ammunition is stored in USGI ammunition cans.

Be sure to select those that are dry and completely rust-free inside. Slight surface rust outside can be addressed with a wire brush and more paint, but inside all you want to see is dry dust and OD green electrocoat.

Ammo can seals are viable if the can "burps" when opened. Slight changes in atmospheric pressure will result in differences in air pressure inside any given can vs that outside the can. It may be higher or lower depending on the atmospheric pressure where and when the can was last opened and then closed. That said, a seal may still be viable if the can doesn't burp, because a shopper ahead of you may have opened that can the same day. The place I get my cans is about 900 ft lower in elevation than where I live. Without fail, the pressure inside the cans at the store is higher than that at home, and the cans always "burp."

Noah

[flop-shank]

Thank you, Noah. That was a great post.