Ammunition Storage

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ldp4570

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Since becoming a member here I have noticed alot of questions regarding storage. I'd like to answer some of the questions.

Now my background is as an US Army Ammunition Surviellance Specialist. What does that mean? I like others in that field do for the most part periodic inspections on stored ammuniton, inspecting ammunition thats to be turned in after being issued, ammunition malfunction investigations, transportation inspections, and a mirade of other ammunition related type work. I've worked in this field for over 15yrs.

Now as to home storage; The majority of ammunition purchased has usually a 25yr+ life span, but as some of us older folks know most of that ammo will last alot longer. Here's why, since most homes are are kept at moderate temperatures stored ammo will never come in contact with extreams of cold or heat, not be exposed to harsh chemicals, or being tossed in and out of vehicles. This same applies to your reloading components. As long as your cans of powder are always sealed tightly, primers and other compounds stored with some airflow available it will take years for these items to break down.

For your carry ammo, alots been said about proper rotation, and there maybe a little truth in that, but unless your carry ammo is exposed to extream heat/extream cold(Your carrying outside all day every day)( This doesn't mean walking to and from your car), at the most should only be rotated out every six months at the earliest, and you could probably go with once a year.


You have to understand ammunition in its solid cased form is very sturdy, and can stand up to alot of abuse before becoming questionable. Even in todays US Army, and the other branchs, the majority of powders being used for Artillery is older than most of the members here, and even when the powder is determined to be no longer useful its not destroyed but reprocessed for use in smallarms ammunition.

Most of our ammunition we use or reload will never be put to the extreams of military ammunition, yet alot of our purchased ammo is made by the same folks who make it for our troops. So as long as you store it in your home, it will last a very long time. If you store it in the garage, or some other place thats not heated or airconditioned I suggest you invest in military style ammo cans with a serviceable rubber seal, and store it is such a manner that there is proper air flow around, over, and under the cans. You can also purchase small dessicant bags to throw inside the cans to draw any moistier that may form inside the cans.

So its not rocket science, just common sense. So if this didn't answer anyones questions, feel free to ask away, and I'll try and answer your questions.

Leighton
 

ldp4570

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The military does the same thing, but the military i.e. ammunition peculier equipment A.P.E. has a blast shield around it for safety. As to cleaning your own ammo, I see no issues with it.

Now to storage inside a safe, unless there is a fire it isn't going to happen. Even if one cartridge goes, the chance of it propigating another is slim, unless a primer is struck. Think about it, your on the range, and you just burned through three mags(15rnds ea.) of 9MM ball, and you load a fourth mag, chamber a round, and holster the weapon or lay it down on the bench. Even as hot as the barrel is its not going to cook off that chambered round. It takes alot of ammo fired very fast to heat up a barrel enough to cook off a round in the chamber. In 20+yrs in the military 10 Infantry, remainder in the ammunition field I've seen three cookoff's. Two were M16's(yep before the three round burst switch) and a .50cal M2. The two M16's had been on the same day by a couple of clowns. They both had rifles and had a large quantity of ammo that had to be fired( This was ordered by their commander). After around five mags on full auto both firing almost at the same time had cookoff failures where the brass casings exploded partway into the chamber throwing brass back into both of their faces. The .50M2 had a runaway due to improper headspace and timing. The soldier behind the weapon didn't know he could twist the belt stopping the runaway, and instead stayed behind the machinegun getting fraged in the family jewels. So it takes alot of heat to set off cartridges by fire or firing.
 

rwillis

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I put silcon packets in my dry storage boxes. I have always just throught that it couldn't hurt. I get them in the boxes of computer parts i order, so i just toss them in there w/my ammo. Very good read thank you.
 

ldp4570

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I put silcon packets in my dry storage boxes. I have always just throught that it couldn't hurt. I get them in the boxes of computer parts i order, so i just toss them in there w/my ammo. Very good read thank you.


Just try to replace them once a year, as they do stop working after awhile.
 

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