Long Term Ammo & Gun Storage (Tips & Tricks)
You have probably gone out and bought a bunch of ammunition. Now, you don’t know how to store your big stockpile of ammo, right? Well, that’s fine. I understand. We are all doing it because that is just what’s happening these days.
Now, the good news is that you can store the ammunition for a long time if you know how to store it properly. In this article, I’m going to talk about long-term ammo & gun storage as well some tips and tricks, do’s and don’ts, and why’s and how’s.
The Do’s & Don’ts of Ammo Storage
First of all, let me tell you what you don’t want to do. The most common thing gun owners tend to do is take the box of ammo and stick them on the shelf.
Don’ts of Ammo Storage
Don’t put your box of ammo in the basement or in the attic. Also, don’t put them on the floor or in the garage. Also, don’t store your ammunition in the cardboard factory boxes in the basement.
Remember: Proper storage is what is going to save the ammo.
If you are not storing them properly, you are basically wasting all of the money. You don’t want the ammo to absorb moisture. If you don’t keep them properly stored, they will absorb moisture.
If that happens, the brass cases will corrode. The powders and primers will degrade quickly. Usually, sealed military ammunition can last quite a while in storage, but since ammunition isn’t cheap, why risk it?
Cardboard sucks in moisture, and even if the ammo doesn’t get in direct contact with any moisture, that can still damage and ruin them. The idea here is to keep things cool and dry.
Do’s of Ammo Storage
Keep ammunition in a cool, dry place that does not experience wide temperature swings. Primer and powder will be damaged as well by temperature cycling.
Place it in airtight containers to keep moisture out. Alternatively, you can use Tupperware, but be sure to get approval from your significant other before borrowing.
Silica packets absorb moisture; if you have any, make sure to use them. You know, the kind that comes with shoes and electronics. No matter how much time passes before you shoot, the ammo in your stash will go BANG if you follow these simple steps.
Dangers of Firing Corrode Ammos
Usually, sealed military ammo that have come in contact with moisture will still fire. Those military-type rounds are well-sealed and everything. However, with all the gunk that has built up on the ammo, it will look like garbage.
If you fire enough of these with gunk on them, you are going to experience failure on your extractor down the road. So, for good gun reliability, proper storage is essential.
Ammo Storage Tips
Now, if I were you, I would place my stockpile of ammo inside ammo cans. It’s as simple as dropping your rounds into an ammo can. Let me show you how.
- First of all, let me clear some things first. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an ammo can. Any standard airtight container will work just fine.
- That’s why I mentioned Tupperware. Anything that seals up like that, you can store your rounds in them. If you can keep food in it fresh, it will keep your ammo fresh.
- You can easily put the standard factory box in there. Also, if you prefer to keep your magazines loaded, you can even store your magazines in the box.
Keeping The Ammo Box In A Climate Controlled Place
Once you place all your ammo in a tight airtight container or in an ammo can, the thing to do now is to put it somewhere where it’s climate controlled.
You will need to place the container in a place where it doesn’t get very hot or very cold. You don’t want up and down spikes. Especially up spikes, as they are very bad for your rounds.
The powder used to load ammunition, and the primer compound is a chemical compound that degrades over time if accelerated by heat. So, you are better off leaving it at room temperatures as close as you can keep it for as long as you can keep it that way.
Furthermore, you can even throw some silica gel in there as well. If you have got some of those packs laying around that came packed with your stereo gear or tools or whatever when you got them shipped, just pop those in the oven for a little bit on warm and dry them all the way out.
After that, pop them in there, and they’ll absorb any moisture that got trapped when you sealed that thing up. The other thing is don’t go opening it up and closing it once a day on hot, humid days.
So basically, the box is ready to just set it and forget it. At this point, you are good to go. And for your reloaders, the same goes for your primers. Put your primers on them.
That way, you don’t have to worry about them because they are vulnerable to moisture, much more so than loaded ammunition. Here, we’re just really worried about corrosion or something, but enough moisture can actually make your primers perform poorly or not at all.
Long Term Gun Storage: Tips & Tricks
Also, let’s not forget about gun storage. Most firearm owners invest a significant amount of money, time, and commitment in their weapons.
It only makes sense that we use our chosen tools for training and practice in order to become the best we can be.
The same is true for guns and ammo, which should be properly stored so they are always available whenever needed.
Preparing To Store Your Guns
I bet most of us associate gun storage with small gun safes.The safe provides ample security, as well as some protection against fire. Their storage method allows us to leave our arms in the same condition they went in…ready to serve our purposes no matter where the job takes us.
Have you ever come home from a hunting trip from or a day at the range and put your guns in the safe without cleaning them, then promised to clean them later or tomorrow?
Moreover, how many more tomorrows must pass before proper maintenance is actually done? There is never a day off for moisture and corrosion.
Make sure that your guns are properly cleaned with quality firearm lubricant. Most of us turn to Ballistol, Break Free CLP, or Hoppe’s No. 9 Gun Oil.
Also, make sure the bore is well lubricated by running a swab through it. It is very easy for your guns to rust with sweaty, saline hands and fingerprints, so take a minute to wipe them down.
Nevertheless, it is necessary to properly lubricate and clean our guns at the bench if we are to be thorough. The exterior should be cleaned and lubricated with high-quality products. Afterward, lubricate it properlyby swabbing the bore with a clean cloth.
Cleaning the crane and the cylinder of a revolver is imperative before shooting it. Magazines are essential. Don’t forget them even more so if you’ve been practicing drills and reloading fast and letting them fall to the ground.
You should clean all the gunk and dirt out of the magazines before you put your life on the line.
It is important to dry, clean, and lubricate your rifle after hunting whitetails in wet weather. The bottom of the barrel and the action must be cleaned and lubricated at the end of the season. Using a quality cleaning kit can be a great way to simplify that part of things.
The metal that is enclosed by wood or composite material will show a surprising amount of rust. If not properly cared for, even stainless-steel guns can rust.
Before you head out again next fall, make sure the action screws are torqued according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.If your rifle or shotgun has a wood stock, rub it down with a good gunstock wax or Ballistol.
It is not important how you clean your guns. The most important thing is to clean your guns. The market is full of great products for cleaning and lubricating.
Storing The Guns
Once the guns have been cleaned and lubricated, it’s time for them to be stored until our next trip to the range or field.
Let’s consider what NOT to do first.
- Gun cases and pistol rugs should not be used to store firearms on the bedroom.
- The lining is quite absorbent, so it will cause your gun to be literally surrounded by moisture from the air.
- Guns should not be stored in the original box or cardboard. Gun boxes with formed foam cutouts will absorb moisture, just like cardboard. If you intend to take your weapon to a range or sell it at a later date, keep the box somewhere else.
- Holsters should not be used for storing guns. If you don’t have a safe, store your handguns in a rack made from nylon, leather, or Kydex. It is important that moisture does not surround our guns.
To-Do’s
- Ensure that the cleaning is thorough before placing the guns in the cheap budget gun safes. Wear gloves or a rag when handling the guns. Make sure the gun or wooden stock does not have oily, salty fingerprints.
- Make sure your handguns have a place to rest and don’t bang against each other in a rack.
- In the safe, long guns are kept away from each other so that they do not rub or touch. Keeping rifle muzzles down prevents oils and lubricants from slowly seeping into the stocks.
- It is probably a good idea for very long storage intervals. If you store your guns this way, make sure they will not fall over and are very secured when stacked.
- Gun socks are a good option for people with overcrowded safes and fancy wood stocks. Our instruction was to keep everything away from the gun. These socks are made of silicone but do not absorb moisture. It will also prevent dents and bumps to the guns inside the safe as well.
- Make sure you start getting in the habit of checking your guns and re-lubricating them every two months.
Preparing Your Safe
You can upgrade your storage facility by upgrading your safe since most of us have them for storage.Silica gel beads are an easy way to keep the safe dry by absorbing moisture.
Testing strips are often included in commercial packaging to determine when beads have absorbed all their moisture.In two to three hours, the beads can be dried or recharged in an oven.
What to Look Out For
You should check your guns periodically. It is common for shooters to spend the majority of their time in their safe preparing to go to the range, hunting, or working on their workbench. Keep an eye out for any signs of corrosion or pitting on guns you don’t often use.
If you notice any greenish-blue streaks in the barrel, this is an indicationthat the copper jacket material on the muzzle is corroding. Bore cleaning should be conducted more thoroughly if there is any visible color in it. Make sureto get all of the copper out.
Final Words
Make sure everything is in a working state by repeating the steps above. Do not have any hanging or sticking up when you have used quality cleaners and lubricants.
Once you’ve cleaned and lubricated the gun again, take it apart again and clean it again. And that’s all I know of longer-term ammo and gun storage tips and tricks.