[SemiCircle]

How do you guys store your ammo? $12 plastic water tight containers? Steel containers better? On the shelf? 50lb increments? I've been buying some cheap plastic gasketed ammo boxes that hold about 1300 rounds of 7.62 x 39. Pretty heavy but not too bad.

 

[gr8santini]

I use military surplus ammo cans with some dessicant inside.

 

[SemiCircle]

Do you keep everything in the boxes or loose?

 

[tacweapon]

I use surplus ammo cans, typically the ammo is loose but if I have a lot of different ammo then its in the boxes

 

[Underground]

About the best thing you can do is keep it within the climate controlled area of the house. Temperature stays pretty even, and humidity stays low. If you're going to have them where they're subject to more variation (garage, shop, etc...) you definitely want to seal them up and keep them dry.

If you have several cases at a time to store, about 30 gallon size plastic drums with some dessicant are nice. For instance... http://www.valumotion.com/index.php/cPath/700_4442_790_8957 (open head obviously) That size is still fairly easy to move, something to keep in mind. Ammo is heavy. You might also want double check that what you want to store will fit into the container.

The drums are nice and durable, you can put the open box you're shooting from on top and keep the rest sealed up. If you're keeping them for long term storage you can line several up and lay some plywood across the top to get some use out of the space. The sealing ring is usually lockable too, at least enough to keep curious kids out of it.

 

[MickeyC]

Use army surplus ammo cans. Repaint them inside and out then and put white grease around the rubber gasket and dessicant inside. That will do for a decade or two.

 

[SemiCircle]

Underground, I can only hope that one day I will have enough ammo to require 30 gallon drums. 8)
Great idea though. I will remember them.

 

[DSM]

Underground, I can only hope that one day I will have enough ammo to require 30 gallon drums. 8)
Great idea though. I will remember them.

No joke! You'd need a 1.4 placard on your house as an explosive facility!


I use ammo cans and dessicant packs. They're easy to paint over and re-mark whatever is in there.

 

[MickeyC]

What is a good source for dessicant packs over here?

 

[DSM]

I got mine through Dillon when my wife bought me some dies for my birthday. They had them on sale at the time for a buck and change a piece. And the Cabelas here always has them in various sizes.

 

[Guest]

What is a good source for dessicant packs over here?

dessicant is retarded expensive here in the US. I use the silica type cat litter and wrap it in a coffee filter or something breathable. then just toss it in a surplus ammo can. it'll be good to go for decades.

I'm also hesitant to put any type of petroleum product on an ammo can gasket. you are more likely to assist in the gaskets destruction by dissolving it. frankly in all my year of using, packing, inspecting ammo cans in civilian and military life, i have yet to see one on a properly closed can, fail that didn't have some sort of physical damage done to it. they are almost fool proof.

 

[Underground]

What is a good source for dessicant packs over here?

Try hitting one of the big craft stores like http://www.craftsetc.com/store/item.aspx?ItemId=78467&dep=65&cat=21&subcat=15&Search=Y or if you need a lot, http://www.craftsetc.com/store/item.aspx?ItemId=78488&dep=65&cat=21&subcat=15&Search=Y

You can pick up more than you'll need really cheap, and of course you can reactivate it. To break it up into smaller lots just put some of the silica gel in some cloth or something air permeable that keeps the pellets in. A couple of paper towels and a little tape work fine.

 

[tk]

I use my wife's vacuum sealer, I think it's called a Food Saver. It will vacuum seal anything in custom-length, heavy-duty pouches.


tk

 

[MickeyC]

http://silicagelpackets.com/?gclid=CMv3tNqUsJgCFQRkswodD10HUQ


I tend to drop the mags in a GLAD bag, with one of these, seal it up and forget about it.

 

[DSM]

I use my wife's vacuum sealer, I think it's called a Food Saver. It will vacuum seal anything in custom-length, heavy-duty pouches.


tk

I mentioned the same thing to the wife awhile back and she thought it was funny. I have proof I'm not the only one with the idea! ;D

 

[Northwesterner]

Here is some desiccant on ebay for what looks like pretty cheap. Thanks for the idea on the vacuum sealer, too. Luckily, I just have to go dust mine off.
http://cgi.ebay.com/50-1-gram-packets-of-Sorb-It-silica-gel-desiccant-SAVE_W0QQitemZ160306084535QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBI_Cushioning_Foam?hash=item160306084535&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

 

[Guest]

I use my wife's vacuum sealer, I think it's called a Food Saver. It will vacuum seal anything in custom-length, heavy-duty pouches.


tk

I mentioned the same thing to the wife awhile back and she thought it was funny. I have proof I'm not the only one with the idea! ;D

I had been trying to justify that vacuum sealer at costco fro quite some time. my lady figured it was just and excuse for me to buy a new toy I wouldn't use. well i finally took the plunge and bought it. now we buy a slab of steaks from costco and slice them up then seal them and freeze them. we save massive money on steaks and help preserving food by doing this. I also am able to fit entire rifles into pouches along with a little silica cat litter as dessicant, and seal them up for long term storage. it should keep the rust and moisture away pretty well.

we ended up using the thing quite a bit, and it's been a very usefull tool. when we go camping we can create some smaller portions to take with us too.

well worth the price IMHO.

 

[Deltaview]

I'm not sure vacuum sealing is a good thing for ammunition. Powder is volatile and a vacuum could encourage out gassing from the powder through the case neck or primer into the sealed package. I also don't know the effect on the primer or bullet seating in an environment with a positive 15psi inside the case vs say 1psi on the outside of the case.

Sealing ammo in heavy plastic w/ a drying agent is a good thing, so I think I would just use the pump to remove the excess air and seal it.

 

[MickeyC]

Vacuum storage should be no worse than sealed storage which the military and manufacturers do that all the time. The military for extended periods.

 

[DSM]

Our 40mm rounds are vacuum sealed in foil VPI bags. I don't think the bullets/primers are seated and sealed tight enough to make it much trouble as far as pressure differences inside and out. The outgassing thing shot far over my head though! Those are some good points though and need some more thought into them.