Ammo Storage Solutions

[jmc0319]

I am new to gun ownership and am looking for advice on storing ammo. We have a lot of ammo and more to come. Preferably I would like large containers that I can use to store the ammo in there 50 round boxes. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Charlie Foxtrott]

USGI ammo cans are cheap and just the ticket for storing ammo.

And then when you get enough of those you go to Strong-hold.com for shelving. The strong hold cabinet photo is turned 90 degrees not sure what happened. But those Stong-hold cabinets are awesome.

 

[armadillo]

Gi ammo cans. Be sure the seal is still good. The 50 cal. size is large enough to keep ammo in the original boxes.

 

[CB3]

.30 and .50 caliber mil surplus metal ammo cans work for me. Once full, they can still be moved, and they stack. With a good rubber seal the box is water tight. Any larger storage container will be too heavy to move.

Cheaper plastic ones are not as durable.

Label them clearly on front and top. Add a free moisture absorbent pack from other packaging to each can. Store in the coolest, driest, least accessible place possible.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Ammo cans are a good option. You can get the military metal ones or they make plastic ones, too. Regular storage bins can work, too, so long as you don't plan to move them when filled with ammo. I like to toss a couple of dessicant packs in with the ammo.

 

[Dahak]

Watch Harbor Freight, about once a quarter they drop the price on new 50 cal cans to 9.99 and combined with the ubiquitous 20% off coupons and you can stock up pretty economically.

 

[chief38]

Ammo is pretty hardy stuff and will do just fine in any cool/dry place. You can use a dedicated closet (with a lock if you like), a tool box, pretty much anywhere that temperatures and humidity are controlled.

I've got ammo that is older than I am (I am 66) that works just fine. My current 12 Ga. Upland Pheasant load stash contain some that are actually paper hulled shells - they haven't failed yet!

I would however recommend storing your ammo separately from your guns - just for safety's sake.

 

[max]

If you do get the ammo cans, I believe you can buy new seals for them. The old seals can be treated with Vaseline if they are not torn.

 

[Engineer1911]

Any container larger than a standard 50 cal ammo can will be HEAVY when full. Don't buy a 20 MM ammo cans or large plastic storage tubs -- they can't be moved when full.

 

[Echo40]

The best solution is to avoid contributing to the problem in the first place.

In other words, buy ammo during times of relative peace/prosperity whenever possible. (If you can afford to buy even 1 box of ammo every paycheck, then do it.) That way, by the time of trouble inevitably occur, you'll have stockpiled more than enough ammo to get you through it.

Seriously, if everyone did this, then there probably wouldn't be any ammo shortages because ammo production would be ampted up at all times in order to meet demand and thus there would always be ammo on the shelf and everyone would have all the ammo they needed.

 

[ContinentalOp]

What does that have to do with storing ammo?

 

[Echo40]

Everything. As you buy ammo, you'd be forced out of necessity to find ways to conveniently store it within the confines of your own home.

There's no other practical way to determine how to store your ammo because as the size of your inventory increases old means of storage are quickly rendered inadequate, thus forcing you to make changes on the fly. So unless you have an excess of space within your home which is viable for ammo storage, you're bound to encounter issues in regards to storage which are entirely unique to your specific living situation.

In other words, if you buy ammo at a steady pace during times of relative peace/prosperity, then ammo storage would most likely never become a substantial issue because you now would be storing it as needed up until the point that you either have as much as you foresee yourself needing or completely run out of viable storage space, whichever comes first.

The TC's question cannot be answered in any meaningful or effective way unless he were to divulge detailed information regarding the amount/volume of ammo which requires storage, where he plans to store it including the precise dimensions of the storage space in question, and the available amount of funds he has to devote towards the procurement of storage containers for the ammo.
Otherwise, folks can only make blind guesses, resulting in relpies which will more than likely prove unhelpful or otherwise inadequate for his needs, complete with folks defaulting towards suggestions which reflect their own unique methods of storage which have been tailored to the amount of ammo they possess, the available space in their home, and the funds which they have available to procure storage containers, thus resulting in responses which are all over the map with absolutely no focus whatsoever, most likely leaving the TC with by and large unhelpful information which may at the very best give him a few ideas, but he'll still end up having to do most of the work himself in a hurry, likely coming up with less than satisfactory results.

 

[jmc0319]

Thank you very much

 

[max503]

I'm fixin' to make battle packs out of 200 round boxes of 9mm sealed with my vacuum food sealer.

 

[Echo40]

Thank you very much

You're welcome, and sorry if my first post came off the wrong way, I've developed a nasty habit as of late of attempting to keep my posts so short that I inadvertently leave out much of what I was thinking and end up foolish writing only the conclusion of my thoughts without all of the necessary information leading up to it.

Sadly, I'm just going to have to accept the fact that I can't please everyone and that I'm better off posting long-winded responses with detailed information as opposed to sticking with the bad habit I've developed of trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator by shortening my posts. Unfortunately, I just have a lot of things to say because I tend to think a lot about what I'm going to say beforehand, so there's really no way to shorten my posts without them being incomplete and lacking in proper explanations.

Come to think of it, essentially it's the same as the ammo storage we're discussing. Having too many words and trying to compress them all down to fit into a small space simply isn't possible, ergo I can only write lengthy posts because otherwise it's like buying a bunch of ammo all at once with nowhere to store it all.

 

[Bozz10mm]

The 50 cal ammo cans are stackable.

 

[pharmer]

In addition to .50 cal cans, the GAU 8 large (marked 1500 rds 7.62x51) hold about 6 cans worth. I use them for long term storage (full, you need a hand truck to move them) and move it to .50 cans for use. Don't put them directly on concrete. Joe

 

[andre3k]

I'm partial to ammo can storage keeping it in my garage and throwing a desiccant pack in each can.

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[scoobysnacker]

I've got a few ammo cans, mostly "grade 3" surplus. The seals are all good. A few have some beginning surface rust that I haven't fiddled with (yet), only one was bad enough that I had to do something with it.

 

[Fishinfool]

In my reloading room, I keep a storage rack stocked with a variety of ammo in the calibers I like to shoot, grab and go, so to speak. The bulk stuff is in 50 cal metal ammo cans stacked in the stairwell closet. I run a dehumidifier most of the year, so things stay dry.

Larry

 

[rkwood]

If you do get the ammo cans, I believe you can buy new seals for them. The old seals can be treated with Vaseline if they are not torn.

Vaseline does the trick every time, then I line the cans with a re-used plastic bag from the grocery store. Fold the top of the bag over on the contents, toss in a small desiccant bag, close the can and apply a label on the top and side, then you're good to go for long term storage

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[rkwood]

I forgot to add that it would be wise not to store the cans on bare concrete if at all possible because steel on concrete will tend to rust over time. A piece of plywood or an old pallet will keep the bottom of the cans from rusting.

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[chief38]

The best solution is to avoid contributing to the problem in the first place.

In other words, buy ammo during times of relative peace/prosperity whenever possible. (If you can afford to buy even 1 box of ammo every paycheck, then do it.) That way, by the time of trouble inevitably occur, you'll have stockpiled more than enough ammo to get you through it.

Seriously, if everyone did this, then there probably wouldn't be any ammo shortages because ammo production would be ampted up at all times in order to meet demand and thus there would always be ammo on the shelf and everyone would have all the ammo they needed.

Great advice of course - but the problem is few heed it! For the foreseeable future I see ammo prices escalated. As long as new gun owners are coming on board and needing ammo - the prices won't drop significantly.

A GREAT reason to start Reloading!

 

[MyDads38]

I use a combination of 30 & 50 Cal ammo cans, metal US Military and plastic MTM and also several MTM Ammo/Utility Crates. I use labels on the outside for Caliber and Amount. All my bulk ammo is stored in a closet in the house. I keep a few boxes in my reloading room for range time.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Just wanted to add a quick note. Sometimes I think non-descript plastic bins may be better in some situations than metal ammo cans. I live in an apartment complex, so there may be times when someone from management, maintenance, pest control, etc., may have to enter my apartment when I'm not there. I make an effort to make sure there are no obvious signs of guns visible in my apartment, including ammo, for obvious security reasons.

Of course, if you live in your own house and can control who enters your home and where they can go once inside, then this probably won't apply.

Just something to think about.

 

[scoobysnacker]

Just wanted to add a quick note. Sometimes I think non-descript plastic bins may be better in some situations than metal ammo cans. I live in an apartment complex, so there may be times when someone from management, maintenance, pest control, etc., may have to enter my apartment when I'm not there. I make an effort to make sure there are no obvious signs of guns visible in my apartment, including ammo, for obvious security reasons.

Of course, if you live in your own house and can control who enters your home and where they can go once inside, then this probably won't apply.

Just something to think about.

There's that angle, but I would balance that with the fact that military-type ammo cans are great storage containers if intact. We had a big flood down here a couple years ago, I have seen several accounts of ammo cans surviving intact and the contents fine. This is submerged in muddy water for days, over a week at times, and floated over by the currents.

Heck, I'd recommend a good ammo can as a box for important papers, based on that. The plastic ones won't match up.

 

[ContinentalOp]

There's that angle, but I would balance that with the fact that military-type ammo cans are great storage containers if intact. We had a big flood down here a couple years ago, I have seen several accounts of ammo cans surviving intact and the contents fine. This is submerged in muddy water for days, over a week at times, and floated over by the currents.

Heck, I'd recommend a good ammo can as a box for important papers, based on that. The plastic ones won't match up.

Good point. Of course, one could use the metal ammo cans, then put them in a larger, non-descript storage bin/box, and have the best of both worlds.

 

[peterdeb]

The 50 cal ammo cans are stackable.

Ditto on those 50 cal ammo cans. I buy WWII 50 cal ammo cans. They are a little more expensive, however I like the way they open compared to the new cans, but that's just me.

 

[Seamus O'Caiside]

I was just now reading this thread over for the 2nd or 3rd time (I get bored often), when a thought struck me, and I decided to ask you guys for opinions on it.

I like the metal GI ammo cans, and I have several. Also have a couple of the plastic MTM cans. I prefer the metal for many purposes, BUT what if you have a fire? I've seen ammo in a fire before, and it is no big deal, just pop,pop,pop with no explosion because the pressure never builds up. But if the ammo is in a strong tight steel box, could the pressure build up enough to result in a destructive explosion? Maybe the weaker plastic box could be better in that case.

What do you think?

 

[Turn4811]

I was just now reading this thread over for the 2nd or 3rd time (I get bored often), when a thought struck me, and I decided to ask you guys for opinions on it.

I like the metal GI ammo cans, and I have several. Also have a couple of the plastic MTM cans. I prefer the metal for many purposes, BUT what if you have a fire? I've seen ammo in a fire before, and it is no big deal, just pop,pop,pop with no explosion because the pressure never builds up. But if the ammo is in a strong tight steel box, could the pressure build up enough to result in a destructive explosion? Maybe the weaker plastic box could be better in that case.

What do you think?

I have metal MilSurp ammo cans in 2 metal cabinets. It is in a corner of the basement with two sides on cinder-block. If I have a fire the 30 to 40 pounds of powder on the other side of the room is a bigger concern.