How to Store Ammo??

Robert Nicholson said:
I think this point about sealed ammo cans exploding, is an important subject. If your ammo cans are of the military, metal, sealed type and you are
storing them in your house - AND you have a HOT fire where the house is fully engulfed, the ammo cans may explode like bombs.

Perhaps a simple one way vent could be made by drilling a hole and covering it with rubber so that the gases can simply flare off as each round pops?:confused:
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Ammo cans do not explode in a fire. The CF has ammo packed in a variety of cans. Normally this ammo is packed in some sort of inner packaging which can be plastic drums, cardboard cartons, cloth bandoleers, etc which take up some of the volume in the can. Small arms ammunition under .50 cal is Hazard Classification Code 1.4S. The effects of the ammunition in a fire are largely contained within the packaging. I have seen numerous occasions where ammunition was involved in extremely hot fires resulting in all the ammunition cooking off causing the cans to balloon out and in some cases the bullets perforated the can but the bullet did not leave the can. As I recall the lid remained on the can in all cases.

If you remove all the inner packaging and filled the can with loose ammunition you might increase the potential for a more energetic event but it is extremely unlikely that the can will explode like a bomb unless you could somehow get every round to cook off at the same time and I am not even sure you could deliberately engineer that to happen.
 
Tjv787 said:
I can't see how leaving a water proof (air tight?) ammo can slightly open is a good idea. If the seals are good air and moisture wont get in :s
Leaving them open defeats the purpose of trying to protect /store them in a sealed ammo can
I could be wrong but my common sense doesn't agree wth yours
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There's already moisture in the air that's in the can from you opening and closing it. If things get much cooler than the air was when you last closed the can the moisture in that air could condense into liquid. That's where those desiccant packs can come in but I'd rather just let the dry air circulate in than try to wort out if a desiccant pack is still good or not.

I guess if you really wanted to be 100% sure it'll stay dry you could put it in some sort of vacuum sealed packaging, for large amounts maybe grab one of those kits for vacuum sealing clothing and bed linens, or for smaller amounts get a little kitchen one (if you're lucky your wife already has one and you can borrow it without her noticing).
 
Would storing boxes of 25 shells in manufacturing box and also in a taped close cardboard box it was shipped in keep out the moisture or potentially keep it in?
This would be stored in a Rubbermaid tote as well.
 
Tjv787 said:
Would storing boxes of 25 shells in manufacturing box and also in a taped close cardboard box it was shipped in keep out the moisture or potentially keep it in?
This would be stored in a Rubbermaid tote as well.
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At least your trying! Does the rubbermaid have a tight fitting lid?
 
Tjv787 said:
Would storing boxes of 25 shells in manufacturing box and also in a taped close cardboard box it was shipped in keep out the moisture or potentially keep it in?
This would be stored in a Rubbermaid tote as well.
Click to expand...

The military has several types of ammunition that come in cardboard boxes filled with cardboard cartons, mostly 12 gauge and some 9mm. It lasts a long time in storage in heated and unheated magazines in a wide range of temperatures. The big thing is to keep in up off the floor if it's concrete. Moisture can seep up through the floor. Once cardboard becomes wet in can cause serious problems for the ammunition. Dry cardboard should have a smooth looking surface. If you see ripples, small bubbles, or the surface is not flat and has sections that seem to be lifting up its time to check the ammo. Wish I could explain it better.
 
Thanks , that does make sense . Cases of shells take up a lot of room so ammo cans aren't practical.
THe cardboard case is off the ground and the Rubbermaid tote is just Normal storage tote , snaps close but I don't think it's air tight
 
The two conditions that ruin ammo are moisture/humidity and heat.
"Temperature swings" don't matter, cool or cold are good. It is heat that causes damage, just as heat accelerates all chemical reactions.
 
Amazon has good deals in silica packs i discovered and Canadian tire sells high quality 4 packs with moisture indicators on them for like 12.99$
 
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