Ammo Storage

[bdykd0]

Up till now, I've been able to store all my ammo along with my guns in my gun safe.

But the pile is growing and I need some ideas as to where it can overflow to.

It's a variety of stuff

shotgun shells in various gauges ( 10 to 410 ) in different shot sizes.

45 Long Colts, 357s, 38 sp., 22's, 30-30s,etc.

maybe 2k or so

not much turnover .... some I've had for years.

some are paper shells, some 45s round balls from WW2

Was thinking of putting one of those lockable tool cabinets ( double door types )

on top of my safe but was concerned about heat/humidity since they're not airtight.

The room whre the safe is not temp. controlled and does not get extremely hot/cold or damp. Will desc pacs work efficiently even though it's a sealed container?

Any thoughts on a cabinet like this on top of the safe?

[Mike.357]

I think your cabinet idea would work fine.

Ammo holds up a good long while. As long as it is not exposed to extremes in temp or humidity it should be fine. By extremes I mean hot one day, ice cold the next etc..

Does the room you store in smell musty? If so then it might be a problem.

[bdykd0]

no musty smell .... moisture not a problem

is a garage that has been enclosed . Average temperature swing is about that of night/day outside .

I thought the cabinet idea would work ok ....

the ones I've been looking at are plenty big but would fit atop the safe and not take up any extra floor space.

also are lockable.

[Garufa]

Are you keeping your candy in ammo cans? The suplus military kind.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

50 cal ammo cans in good condition are water tight. Regardless of where you decide to store the ammo cans.

[bdykd0]

the military ammo cans are an option ... I was trying to keep everything together and handy and still have it to where someone could not just pick it up and walk away with it all too easily.

[Mike.357]

I agree with ammo cans, they are fairly inexpensive and most likely would fit in your cabinet idea.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I have some decade-old ammo that wasn't stored in ammo cans, but was stored in fairly reasonable temp/humidity conditions. The ammo still works, but the copper and brass looks nasty and some of the cardboard boxes have a mildew smell. Ammo cans are cheap, and should have prevented some of that oxidation, I think.

[Garufa]

the military ammo cans are an option ... I was trying to keep everything together and handy and still have it to where someone could not just pick it up and walk away with it all too easily.

Get a 20mm ammo can and fill that up. Nobody's gonna walk away with one of those full of boolits. You might have to unload it if you ever want to move it around.

[G27]

Just run a chain / security cable through the handles if you're worried about theft.

[Guest Knightsr25]

I've had good results with the 50cal. ammo cans myself. I usually keep 30 cans full of rifle ammo and the rest with assorted ammo.

[Guest Phantom6]

I'd go with the .50 cal. cans. Take an oil soaked patch and wipe down the rubber seal, drop a desicant pack in and close her up. It'll keep for years and years. Group your ammo in your cans if you can.

[bdykd0]

I'm going with the ammo cans inside the cabinet .... read another interesting tidbit about someone oiling the seals of the cans and leaving the cans to warm in the sun .... bring them in after they get good and hot. fill with ammo aqnd desc and shut them up .... storage in a cool dry place .... the cooling actions will almost vaccumm seal the can lids .... not sure if this really works but thought I'd give it a try

[G27]

I'm going with the ammo cans inside the cabinet .... read another interesting tidbit about someone oiling the seals of the cans and leaving the cans to warm in the sun .... bring them in after they get good and hot. fill with ammo aqnd desc and shut them up .... storage in a cool dry place .... the cooling actions will almost vaccumm seal the can lids .... not sure if this really works but thought I'd give it a try

The desiccant will form a small vacuum by itself. I'm not sure I'd try forming a 'canning vacuum' from the 'sun/cool storage' method - those seals are pretty small and aren't really designed for that.

[bdykd0]

this weekend, someone suggested using an old non working freezer/refrigerator ..... door seals out moisture and some freezer models are lockable ..... any thoughts on this idea?

[gregintenn]

This old wood cabinet has worked well so far. It is scewed to the floor and wall.