Long term storage of ammo *My solution*

[Caster]

So I know I'm not the only one ferreting away ammo for SHTF. When we store this particular ammo we know it may not see the light of day for many moons. For that we all agree military steel ammo cans are best. Air tight and built like a tank. BUT, how do we store them inside? Well, for ammo I KNOW I am going to shoot in the near future I just dump it in there. THe exception being my precision loads and those go in plastic ammo boxes to prevent damage. Wouldn't we all love to keep all our ammo in plastic containers but they don't fit well in ammo cans. Not efficient use of space.

Well, I was pondering this as I cast some 158g RN for .38 today. I thought of our beloved Comm-Block surplus ammo. Much of it is stored in small quantities, wrapped in brown paper. BRILLIANT!

WTSHTF we don't want to have loose ammo in cans. If you have to barter, do you really wanna grab a handful or ziplock bag? No. So I came up with this idea today for .38 special. It isn't anything special [Ha! pun intended] but it works perfect!

You'll need a paper lunch sack, some scrap cardboard, masking tape, scissors and 56 rounds of .38 SPL.

Cut two squares of cardboard that fit tight in the bag. Using one of the squares as a guide, cut off the top of the bag a piece the same size as the squares to use a divider. Place one of the squares in the bottom of the bag and then lay two rows of 14 rounds, tightly laced. Like so:

Using the part of the bag you cut off, lay it on top of the rounds and lay two more layers of ammo. Then top it off with the other piece of cardboard. Taking care like wrapping a Christmas present, fold the bag over itself tightly and tape it shut. Write your info on the tape in ink and viola! A perfect dispensary pack of .38 ammo. I dunno how this is going to work out with 9x19, .45acp ECT but I'll let you know when I try. They almost have the look of old surplus ammo, huh?

They sure fit snug in the can. Just what I was wanting. WooHoo!

....yes I DO have a lot of time to ponder silly things.

[Garufa]

That is brilliant Caster and yes, you are way overthinking it.

Even in a "sealed" US ammo can, which I know for a fact will keep ammo, in their original boxes for at least 50 years, cardboard and paper is what will soak up any moisture that might get in.

Open those cans up every few years, just to let the funk out and admire the stash.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Garufa

[JeffsSig]

Drop the ink pen and print some labels

But NICE.

[Caster]

I hate printers. I ran over the last one with a friends 90hp Ford tractor. The wife doesn't like me using the new one.

[smopoim86]

I hate printers. I ran over the last one with a friends 90hp Ford tractor. The wife doesn't like me using the new one.

Mechanical computer devices are always bad news.

I like the packaging idea. Nice and neat. Is that a 50 cal can? How many rounds are you gonna get packed in there?

[Guest FIST]

Killer idea, I to am a victim of OCD. Guess I have something to do tomorrow night now. Thanks.

[NRA]

way over thinking it but if it works for ya. I personally like to look at mine then spread it out over the bed and roll around in it for awial.

[Guest cardcutter]

Just add in a pack of desicant and it should keep for years.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I hate printers. I ran over the last one with a friends 90hp Ford tractor. The wife doesn't like me using the new one.

I bought a little Brother PT-70 labeler at least 5 years ago, out on sale for about $15 at home depot around christmas time. I use it constantly. One advantage for me, is that my writing is so bad that I can't even read it later on. The label cartridges at staples cost more than I want to pay but last a long time and they aren't exactly like buying a set of color laser toner cartridges either. Maybe cheaper online. Staples gets $10.50 for a cart with 26 feet of labels. I don't have to replace carts very often.

The PT-70 (older model)-- http://www.amazon.com/Brother-PT-70-Personal-Handheld-function/dp/B000L513ZU

It looks like the PT-90 is the current equivalent model-- http://www.amazon.com/Brother-Personal-Labeler-Machine-White/dp/B002M7W9GW

Read the reviews. People generally like em a lot.

If and when my PT-70 ever dies, think I might get extravagent and pay maybe $70 or even $100 on the next one, because those really have nice features. But the PT-70 works fabulous until it dies, unless my needs change.

[gjohnsoniv]

Those are awesome looking. Might have to go home and do that to some of my ammo just because it looks so cool.

[nightrunner]

Absolutely ingenious idea!

Any reason it wouldnt work with more layers for more rounds?

[Guest 6.8 AR]

That's cool, Caster. If you get by a Publix, ask them to bag with paper. Last time I was in there, the girl at the register

said they're happy to do it, just ask. Didn't know that. I keep paper bags and use them for a lots of stuff. I am so tired

of those Kroger plastic bags that rip when you don't need them to.

[sbroomheadsr]

+1 to this great idea, thanks

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Caster]

Absolutely ingenious idea!

Any reason it wouldnt work with more layers for more rounds?

Certainly it would work. I wanted to keep quantities small so the packages could used in a dispensary fashion. In other words, I can pull a pack and go shoot, toss one to a buddy, trade two for some meat, tuck three in a day pack..............

I would say you could wrap a hundred or more, it all depends on the amount of patience you have.

[Caster]

Oh snap! I meant to post too, I just got back from shopping. I bought 500 bags for less than 8 bucks at Sam's Club. They are heavier paper than the dollar store bags.

[Guest canebreaker]

Storage of reloads. I wish I could load up enough between shootings for that. What I brought back home from a non-shoot weekend will be shot tomorrow.

90 hp tractor, my 32 hp ford keeps me going.

DLM couldn't deliver what I need.

[TN Outlaw]

great idea!!

[gjohnsoniv]

I have a fast food paper bag in the garbage can, I think it might be repurposed. Who wouldn't want the Hardee's star on some ammo?

[Guest canebreaker]

There you go, recycle, don't buy new.

[Caster]

Reloaded are some of the craftiest recyclers there are!

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Got to wondering if brown paper or brown cardboard has not been custom-manufactured for a specific purpose, if it might contain chemicals which could stain or perhaps even weaken the brass over time? Maybe even outgas chemicals that could eventually do a number on primers? Dunno one way or the other, but I am so sunny optimistic that such questions come natural! The glass is ALWAYS at least half empty and the gift horse is usually toothless!

We have genuine edumacated chem experts on TGO who might offer opinion.

Did a brief search and found one article saying that paper is naturally acidic if you don't do anything about it, and paper will tend to be naturally brown if you don't do anything about it. It said you can chemically neutralize the acidity in either brown or white paper. You can leave it naturally acidic, or make it completely neutral, or simply process it enough to be "less acid than the natural state". It said you can bleach brown paper to white but the simple act of bleaching doesn't have much to do with neutralizing the pH. According to the article they are two different optional processes.

Dunno if it would be expected that brown paper bags or brown cardboard will always be acid-free. Maybe we can count on that, or maybe not.

Also found this about using generic brown paper bags for cooking--

Brown paper bags for cooking. Here’s what the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says about this practice: "Do not use brown paper bags from grocery or other stores for cooking. They are not sanitary, may cause a fire and can emit toxic fumes. Intense heat may cause a bag to ignite, causing a fire in the oven.... The ink, glue and recycled materials in paper bags can emit toxic fumes when they are exposed to heat. Instead, use purchased oven cooking bags."

So anyway, we wouldn't be cooking ammo in a brown paper bag, but if ink or glue or chemicals left over from the paper manufacture can be released by heat, then they can probably outgas at ordinary temps, given sufficient time in a sealed ammo can.

We ain't gonna eat the ammo of course. Was just wondering about the odds of opening up a bag of ammo in a few years to find the brass in an ugly stained and corroded state? Maybe it would never be a hazard needing consideration. Dunno.

[Caster]

.....and I was accused of over thinking things!

[Guest canebreaker]

Over thinking for sure.

Ah, don't lick that envelope seal.

Most packages (boxes) that I receive are white paper on the outside, brown paper on the inside. Ink on the outside, some type of glue on the cardboard. By what you said, looks like the box would fall a part or blow up before I got it from the mailbox.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Yeah I didn't claim this would definitely be a problem. Was only raising the issue.

If an ammo company today or even long ago was planning to paper-wrap or cardboard-package ammo for "indefinite storage" then the company would order paper chemically suitable for the job. They wouldn't just grab kroger bags and assume they will work.

But for all I know kroger bags will work just fine and dandy. Just seems at the very least maybe worth testing a bag with a strip of litmus paper or something?

[Guest canebreaker]

When I was working. We had bolts and nuts come to us in cardboard boxes and plastic bags. The boxes would have nothing in them. The small bags would have 1 piece of 1 sq. inch of cardstock, larger bags would have a few pieces. I called the company, asking about the cardstock. Is it treated? No, it does as good as silica gel, but a lot cheaper. So I collected as many as I could for my ammo storage. The cardstock looks like the backer board on a ledger pad of paper.

The craigslist find that I bought with the bad reloaded ammo. It had a box of mixed brass in 9mm, one in 38 spl., a box of 9mm 115 gr. jhp and a box of 124 gr. lrn. A box of 357 158 gr jsp and a box of 158 gr. swc. 6 boxes that I didn't touch very much, afraid they would fall apart. All boxes were sealed and had a midway sticker on them. All brass and ammo are in great shape, just the cardboard is old. I know all this stuff was stored under a house in Memphis, we don't have basements here. I found an address label on one box. I called midway, asking when this was ordered/shipped. The last order/shipment to this guy was in 1987. So for plain brown cardboard, 24 years damp storage did good.

Edited May 1, 2012 by canebreaker