Ammo storage advice?

[tycoonbob]

I've seen several topics like this around here, so I hate starting another, but I still can't figure out the best way to store my ammo.


I've recently got into firearms in the last couple of years, and my collection of firearms, and ammo, is growing. I bought a second-hand cheapo Sentinel (Stack-On) 12 gun cabinet. Nothing fancy, but it lets me organize to some extent. So I ripped everyone from inside the cabinet, cut some shelves from MDF, carpeted them, and put some rails inside effectively making shelves. I use hangers like these to store my pistols (currently have 9, but only 8 stay on the hangers):



I also have a single shelf that was meant for ammo storage, but that filled up fast. At the time I got this cabinet set up, I had 6 pistols, and probably 750 rounds of ammo. Three months later 9 (soon to be 11) pistols and over 3k rounds of ammo. I'm adding ~1k ammo per month, and am running out of room.


Long term I planned to use this cabinet solely for ammo storage, while using a proper gun safe for my pistols, and my rifles.


I recently bought 3 30 cal ammo cans (didn't want to get 50 cal, in the fear they would get too heavy). One has ~450 rds of .223 on stripper clips, and I feel that I could probably get ~550-600 rds on clips in this can. Another can has 300 rds of .45ACP, all still in boxes. I'm not sure that I can fit another box in there or not. The last can has 350 rds of 9mm in boxes, and I might be able to get 3-4 more boxes in there. What I pictured was using this cabinet, getting many 30 cal cans, and using multiple calibers per can.


At this point I have .22lr, .380acp, 9mm, 7.62x25, .38Spl, .357Mag, .45ACP, .223/5.56 (store these together), .30-30, and 12g 00 buck. Soon I'll be adding 10mm to the mix. I don't mind mixing different brands in the same can, as long as they are in their original box, but I don't want to dump different brands/kinds of ammo of the same caliber, loose in the same can. I also have a dash of OCD which hates seeing different brands having different size boxes, so it's hard to stack them neatly (hence why I want to use all 30 cal ammo cans). I like that the ammo cans are waterproof, as well, which gives that extra bit of safety...and will help keep ammo dry.


So is there anyone who has faced this dilemma, and what did you end up doing? Should I just suck it up and start planning that I will only get 6-8 boxes of .45ACP in one can, and 8-10 9mm in one can?


I believe I can fit 5 cans side by side in this cabinet. I have 5 shelves currently (more can be made), so I know I can get at least 25 30 cal cans in this cabinet. Maybe 30-35 if I double stack some of the cans.


Also, does anyone else keep ammo trays & boxes after they are empty? I don't reload, but I do keep my brass and the boxes, in case I decide to reload later in life (I hope to build a house in the next 3-5 years, and will have a dedicated safe room in the basement, with plenty of storage space).


This is driving me crazy...help!

[Bawanna]

Ammo storage to me is always a nightmare. So easy to get stuff mixed up especially when you reload. I'm meticulous about writing what I load and date etc, but then you get a box of factory or several that's maybe loose and all I gotta do is forget to mark it and then it's like what's what.

I do try to save all my ammo boxes, actually I have the officers at work save them for me now and then to put reloads in. I have a bunch of the plastic boxes but the cardboard factory boxes are sometimes really nice.

I don't store ammo in ammo cans, I just stack individual boxes so I can read what they are and so I got shelves stacked. Kind of hodge podge but it works.

I do have a ammo can full in clips for my Garand and another for my Thompson. Other than that just boxes on shelves.

[Scarywoody]

I use ammo cans. That's what the are made for, ammo storage. I segregate ammo types, ie. target, carry and by caliber. Never had an issue with long term storage. I do keep some of the ammo storage boxes. Some of them have belt loops which makes them especially handy.

[berettabone]

You could build a garage..................................

[b4uqzme]

I built a gun room out of a closet: steel door, deadbolts, etc. But even that filled up real fast.

Most of my ammo is for shooting so long term storage isn't an issue. Has anyone had any ammo stored in boxes go bad?? I keep ammo stacked on shelves in their original boxes. It's easy to keep them organized that way and to know what you have and what you need.

Keeping organized is part of the fun IMHO.

[b4uqzme]

We built another garage a few years ago. The carpenters were teasing me saying that, if I just cleaned out the first garage, I wouldn't need the second.

[ltxi]

I have a 72x77x24 NSF grade rack in the basement, four shelf over a 15" floor clearance for longer term, by caliber ammo storage for all but 7.62x39. Those crates are stacked against a wall by themselves. Shorter, near term use stuff shelved more at hand by the workbench. Basement stays at low humidity, 70 to 75 degrees year 'round. Any ammunition I have stored like this will easily exceed my own shelf live.

[AJBert]

I've got a couple of those Stack On type "safes" that I use for my ammo storage in a closet in a spare bedroom. Not my ideal scenario which I plan on improving when I get around to build my "man cave" in the garage.

But it works for now. I've got more than a few ammo cans that I used to keep everything in but those have been empty for some time except when I fill one up when it comes time to go out and do some shooting.

[muggsy]

I bought a lockable steel cabinet from a used office supply company for $50. It has 5 shelves and it lives in the basement next to my reloading bench.

[TennSCN]

A lot of years ago, I had my loading bench in the basement and stored the ammo in boxes on the floor and shelves under the bench. Came home one day and all the windows on the main level had moisture on them. Cut to the chase, the hot water line on the washing machine had ruptured and 'steamed' everything in the basement all day; the drywall was falling off the ceiling and studs. I stripped the rooms, hung new sheet rock and painted for a month. When I got back to the loading bench, all my powder was clumped up (the days of cardboard canisters, not plastic) and the first trip to the range revealed much of the ammo had also 'steamed' and wouldn't fire. I pulled a few of them and the powder came out in chunks.

Since then, I store ammunition in ammo cans up off the floor; and, yes, I put a label on the front of the cans.

There is wisdom in the old saying, "keep you powder dry." Ya never know...