I'm a night owl...so I will be picking my ammo up and/or dropping it off around d 2:30 am daily. Depending on what bank I'm robbing and where its located. ....I'm assuming you have a drive through window.
I bought ammo back in the 70s when I was in the Navy. My ammo sat around until 1981 when I got out. I did some shooting that year and really didn't shoot much until 2013 when I really got into it again with my son. Some of that ammo sat in my Western Wisconsin garage that whole time. It shot great. I saved some .30-30 boxes with the $5.49 stickers. When my dad died this year I found some of his ammo. He actually bought one box from Target! Times have changed.
Yes thank you. There are a lot of gun owners who talk down to us new gun owners. Like they are so much better then everyone else..iam Fortunate I have found very good RUclips gun instructors. And to all my fellow new gun owners keep learning and practicing and be safe.
I was flooded out of my house. The metal ammo cans kept the ammo dry. Most of the plastic ones failed, and were filled with flood water (i.e., shit-filled sewage water), which I had to dispose of. Luckily, there was plenty more where that came from. But I highly recommend METAL ammo cans, and probably new ones, not surplus.
Fun fact. I had an old box of 12 gauge rounds (duck/geese) that had sat for 40ish years in a metal storage shed and an unheated garage. No climate control whatsoever. Not wanting to throw it in a garbage can I decided to "dispose" of it properly. EVERY round fired with no detection whatsoever of a weak round. Your mileage may vary.
I had a friend whose father was a competition shooter. He had some custom leather belt ammo holsters and they had 30-30 ammo in them for decades after he passed away. She brought them all home and inside they were all completely covered in green fur from tarnishing while in the leather. I disposed of all of it immediately. Leather wicks moisture like mad.
The biggest issue with shotgun shells, if you find the old paper ones a lot of times they're swollen and won't go into the breach. Paper soaks up moisture.
It's also a good idea to keep your ammo in the original packaging. Each ammo box should be stamped with a lot number. If the manufacturer issues a recall on their ammo, you'll be able to see if your ammo is part of the recall.
Steve K no sir, guns as well as ammo have been recalled many times in the past. Only recall I’ve ever dealt with was on a gun. My keltec sub 2000 for a barrel with the potential of blowing up.
I often see/hear this advice but no one ever specifies how they monitor or track small arms recalls - or track their lot numbers that are stacked and packed away (in the civilian world).
@@claytonatkinson865 Yes my Colt Anaconda was recalled in 95 for a problem with transfer bar. When it was shipped back after repair by fedex, they left it outside in front my house. No signature delivery or anything. Good thing there weren't many porch pirates back then, lol.
I store them in military type steel ammo cans with the rubber gasket and locking lid. As long as they are kept dry and low humidity, they will last forever. Old military surplus from East bloc countries in those tuna cans with the twist key to open the can still shoot great after 65-70 years. If you live in a humidity locale, use a hair dryer on hot to blow hot air into the ammo can for 30 seconds before you close the lid and lock the latch. The heat will evaporate the trace moisture and create a slight vacuum as it cools.
A few boxes? Ok. But a safe full of ammo? Stored in vacuum bags isn't gonna stack well. And the cost of those bags... Know this tho As an urban farmer and fisher, I use a lot of sealer bags. I get them from Amazon at about one fourth the cost at a store.
Same here. All my loaded mags are stored in air tight ammo cans with large desiccant packs. Most of my bulk storage is vacuum sealed with desiccant packs. Never know when the stuff will need to get lost fast in a boating accident.
I have 50 year old shotgun shells stored in ther original boxes, and the shells are made of paper too, they look and shoot as new. 🤷♂️ I would just waste time and money doing somethibg like that.
@@stevekiss616 Rice and a touch of sea salt to keep it from spoiling in a cheescloth can be used in place of desiccant packs if your in a jamb. This applies only if your container is air tight.
As somebody that enjoys precision/long range shooting, I can say that without a doubt, improper storage of ammunition will show undesirable affects down range and at the muzzle. Poorly stored amo can vary widely in velocity and will almost certainly show lack of accuracy and sometimes terminal effects in hunting or defensive ammunition.
I have often thought of vacuum sealing my ammo for storage. But, would I sucking all the air out of the rounds change their properties or performance? I don’t know and never had the time to vaccine pack them and fire them say 2 years later. Have you tested any of the annoying you have had vaccine packed for a couple of years. I’m going to guess it would be ok or 95% as good as storing in an air atmosphere.
I've been storing my ammo for over 10 years in sealed Ziplock freezer bags, stuffed inside plastic shoe boxes. All are packed with those desiccant packets that Steve mentioned. My ammo is always dry!
I use my 'Seal-a-meal' and vacuum bag my ammo along with a silica pack. It has worked well for me, the ammo looks brand new after several years of storage.
I had various types on ammo in a storage shed for over 20 years, in the hot, cold, and moisture of Arkansas. And it was over 10 years old when put in storage. We took some out last month and it still shot like brand new.
I recently came into several thousand primers of various types that were in a cardboard box from here in Missouri, they are probably 40 years old or so. I've been loading them up and firing them. I haven't had a single dud. At first I was curious, but now that always go bang, I am using them without fear. And good chrono results too they are no different than new primers of the same type. I thought they were probably junk, but I have been pleasantly surprised.
Brownells, you guys are a Godsend and absolutely awesome! This video is precisely what I needed to learn about storing ammo within days of me thinking about it. I was wondering about silica and you set me straight right from go. You really care about your fellow Americans! Thank you so much.
The Do´s and Don´ts of ammo storage: What do you need to avoid when you want to store your ammo? Not storing it properly. What do you want to do with your ammo? Store it properly. Thanks for that great content.
The green crapp that forms on the brass cleans off easily with a green scrub pad,but a wire brush works even better, rounds are nice and shiny again Pronto! I had 2 cans of 30 plus year old 5.56mm all fired just fine after a little cleanup!
@@BlueFox284 Then buy the ones from blackhawk, they are made in the US and I've had zero problems with them. Seriously they are tight and hard to open. The only down side is the paint quality but that's it. Hope that helps.
@@Predator42ID The last surplus ones I ordered about six to eight months ago were 12 bucks each and in good condition, how much are the new ones, My guess is a lot higher?
@@phillhuddleston9445 Nope the Blackhawk brand that I buy from my local gun store only cost 14-15$ max. Not much more then surplus but are more readily available. Honestly I wish they sold 20mm ammo cans brand new as finding those in good condition for refurbishment are hard to come by.
Make sure to keep a few of the store bought boxes...if you need to take gun/ammo on a trip and fly, they only let ammo in original boxes to be packed in your check in luggage. I make sure to keep a few for my reloads, TSA wouldn't know, they just look for the boxes
I'm guessing this video is meant for the people out there who's previous round count was somewhere around 0-100. But suddenly have decided to panic buy that up to 10,000+
I had a whole bunch of ammo that I bought in 1981 when I got out of the Navy. I had it stored in my northern Wi. garage until 2013. I shot it and it worked fine.
Rice will help control excess ambiental moisture when sealed up in an ammo can. If you keep an air conditioner going during the summer and heat with wood in winter, outside corrosion is not so much of a problem.
I had some ammo that got flooded during a hurricane in the mid 80's. It stayed submerged for almost 2 months. I test fired it over 20 years later and it all fired just fine. I had zero duds.
@@videodistro, agreed. People fail to realize what works for them may not necessarily work for all. When they're ignorant of this fact and try to make a fool out of someone who isn't, it shows who is the real fool.
My wife was a clothing store manager for several years. I got her to save all the desicant packs that came in the clothes and shoes and handbags and such that they were just throwing away and I put them in my ammo cans.
I've kept it in one of those air tight tubs with a big bag of rice in my closet. Opened it the other day for the first time in about 5 years and it was still pristine. Grabbed a few boxes and had no issues. Actually the higher end ammo that's in my magazines is in great shape too and is the same age, the brass is a tad tinged due to oxidation but that's about it.
Cool and Dry is key. Even though I live in an area of low relative humidity, I still throw a moisture absorbed in my ammo cans. I inherited some 60+ year old .22 LR when my Grandad passed away 10 years back. Though he didn't use moisture absorbers, he always kept all of his ammo in Anmo Cans in a cool and dry location. I've used up most of what I inherited, but I expected a lot of duds because it was old and because it was rimfire. I was pleasantly surprised when only one or two cartridges per box/100 failed to fire. Rather exceptional in my view and definitely shows proper storage does have a positive impact on longevity.
My Dad reloaded some .357 back in the 1960's. It sat in a wooden box for 50 years, traveled 5 states, and 10 homes. We shot some of it during covid, worked great.
Definitely, throw a desiccant pack in your ammo cans, and store them in a cool, dry place that's out of direct sunlight. Closets work great if you can't find anywhere to put them.
I'm a reloader and collector..over the years I've reloaded or acquired large amounts of ammo...I keep the reloads in freezer type Ziploc bags in quantities of 100 ea...all my reloads, surplus & factory ammo goes into GI ammo cans...I've kept the cans on the floor of my garage here in S FL...with no ill effects ...thevother daybI went looking for soecific ammo and found ALL the stuff in pristine condition...TRUST those GI cans!!!!
Also make sure if you use silica gel that you do not allow the gel packets to come into direct contact with the ammo. the gel packs will pull moisture in and once they become "moist" and moist can be imperceptible to your touch. THe packets can transfer water molecules to the objects they are in contact with and the decay will spread. If you just put a silica packet inside of a small plastic container it will allow the packet to absorb the moisture from the air but not allow the moisture to contact decay anything.
I store my ammo in a large heavy duty plastic container in my basement. I use those mini dehumidifiers that plug in to dry them out for re-use. I have 6 of them. 2 in my ammo storage and 2 in my gun safe then 2 extra as stand by units. When a mini dehumidifier needs dried out I just put another in its place and then plug in the one that needs dried out. Never had an issue.
For an extra layer of protection: Almost all over the counter drugs these days has a little white pouch in the bottle. This is desiccant a drying agent. A couple of those in your ammo box will absorb any residual moisture.
Not saying what these gents are saying isn't true but I reloaded 12 gauge Winchester AA shells in 1982, kept in the same paper boxes in my garage not in an ammo can and have used for skeet shooting 36 years later: good as the day I reloaded.
Thank you! I am new to the gun world. I inherited my uncle’s full ammo can. The ammo was 10+ years old and still in very good shape. Now I know where to store new ammo.
Use the metal ammo cans..the plastic cans generally do not have as good a seal ring as metal ones. Some plastic ones will "breathe" through the seals if you squeeze the box. I put moisture detection strips in the boxes. Metal cans stay @ 30-35% for years, plastic maybe 2 mo. at best before the strip read 60% or so. Tupperware may work well, I haven't tried it, but makes a pretty good seal.
@@thetrain5785 If you bought that ammo then how exactly do they still have it? The whole point of surplus ammo is that they get rid of old stock and replenish it with new manufacture ammo. Do you actually want me to believe that they stopped manufacturing new 7.62x54mmR and are still going through WW2 ammo? Jeez how long until they get to Cold War stock?
I’ve fired ww1 production ammo and ww2 production ammo, all fired fine, fired old hunting rounds left in a shed for 30 years, roughly a third fired it’s all about storage
For my Krag have Spanish American wat ammo...no kidding....may shoot a few hundred feet per second....I can't tell, yes have ww2 and 2 ball ammo m1 and m2....shoots great. ONIY AMMO ever had problems with was Indian cordite loaded 303 brit made in the 40s ww2...just been in heat or high moisture. .would hang fire,delayed primer....it would go click when it git the prime then bang...reminded me of shooting black powder.....
@@andrewbaker2608 oh maybe.. its Cordite the stringy powder in it...primer might be to..I don't really know,got it from Sportsman's Guide mail order, twenty years ago or so...it was really cheap like 60 bucks for 400 rounds.Was nice an cheap way to shoot my old enfields.Thanks
There's a reason that ammo is kept in cardboard boxes. They absorb moisture. I keep them in their original boxes, then place them in an ammo can with silica beads.
I found a box of 30 30 ammo with a price tag from the 70s. The lead was corroded but not deformed. It was stored in the original box on a shelf. High and low humidity and temps. Every round shot flawlessly. I was amazed
I absolutely love that this video came out 10 days after the beginning of lockdown and these dudes are sitting right next to each other acting as if nothing happened. They were truly ahead of their time and could see the common sense of the situation
Not all old ammo is created equal as some may lead you to believe. Fun Story: The one and only experience with a squib load occurred with some lead cast .44-40 loaded back in the early 1900's. Even though a squib load is probably the worst catastrophic failure one can have with a firearm; I did learn _a lot_ about gunsmithing that day as a result of this malfunction. Not only is a squib round an incredibly rare occurrence, but I also got to observe them work on a highly collectible Winchester Model 1873. Thankfully no one got hurt but it certainly startled everyone and thoroughly upset all the old fudds around me. It was quite the learning experience for me at such a young age. With that squib load malfunction, I could safely say that I have observed nearly every possible malfunction a firearm could have with the exception of an exploding barrel (and I hope I never have to go thru that either). I also remember shooting some .38 Special Wadcutters from the late 60s that my Father had reloaded. You'd think we were shooting black powder with the ridiculous amount of excess smoke. Keep up the good work my friends. EDITED (as always) for double spacing.
So I'm not the ONLY one having to take out the extra line spacing! Nice to know. I thought YT was targeting me specifically to try to drive me NUTS! : ) (edited to change "one" to all lower case : )
@@lordofthewoods You are not alone my friend. In fact, the "EDITED for double spacing" has become a well known sign-off of mine. When people see a Bert Shackleford post, they know that there's always going to be an EDIT of some kind. Almost as if it's my own personal sign-off (which is actually "Stay classy my friends"). Either way, people know me for my EDIT's and for the inclusion of _"my friend/friends"_ throughout the commentary. Apparently RUclips is aware of the problem which has been occurring for well over four years now. But they choose to ignore the problem despite my repeated requests for a fix. Thanks for reassuring me that I too, am not the only one. Take care my friend. EDITED for double spacing and punctuation.
Left a box of 7.62 nagant ammunition from the 70s in the back of a truck on accident, Always kept it in the paper box, loaded up and made all 20 go bang. Not saying ammo cans are a bad idea, but brownells definitely sells them
I still have a few boxes of Wildcats that were bought at K-mart in 1978. Just got stored and newer stuff shot up first. It’s still in sealed ammo cans on the carpeted floor of an interior closet and looks brand new.
You'd think that storing the ammunition in the original manufacturer's packaging would suffice. I mean manufacturers routinely make and store very large quantities of their own inventory in this packaging for years on end.
Here in Australia, I buy my center fire ammo from OSA or Buffalo or ADI (who make it for the others). It is packaged in 5 round blister packs which are then sold in 20, 200 and 900 round lots (.223). The 900 round lot comes in a steel ammo can. It means that the ammo is sealed in small lots and you only open them as you need them.
A question regarding primers. Uniform fire code (UFC) and all the reloaders I know and respect forbid the use of ANY container not having a light resistance to internal pressure. Such as a military ammo can. Settling off primers in such a container will often result in a 'sympathetic explosion' of all the primers; the resulting pressure spike can burst the container. Bursting the container at low pressures results in a pop and the excess pressure is fairly harmless in terms of physical danger to life and property. (Probably made a mess.) Letting pressures build up to a high pressure will turn the container into a bomb. Fragments of the container will tend to act as shrapnel. UFC recommends a wooden container (box) with minimum one inches walls (including top and bottom) and put together encouraging structural failure at low internal pressure. The question is: Does this fit in with your recommendations?
@@philspaces7213 Phil.....I realize that I'm not the brightest bulb in the pack, but the discussion is about Silica Desiccant...not Ammo. With that said, is it ok to throw my 5.56 ammo in the Bon Fire to dry it out?
Microwaves will not dry silica or dessicant gel. You have to place it in a hot, dry environment, like your oven, for a period of time to thoroughly evaporate the moisture trapped in the gel.
I really like the convenience of the MTM style ammo cans, like the one on the left in the video. I use them in myself in my garage storage. BUT they are not water tight, as there are holes at the handle hinge points. So they are NOT proper for marine storage, or anywhere especially humid. That tip about the silica gel packets is great - so useful for keeping ammo storage dry, and also for gun safes!
Good advice here. I would add that those silca gel packets can be bought cheaply, you don't have to save them from packaging and dry them out. And if you're burying your SHTF ammo, place in large PVC tubing below the frost line (to prevent frost which leads to moisture condensation which becomes corrosion).
I love Brownell .. This an many companies like it are the foundations for the freedoms we are sinisterlly being stripped off by the use of stupid laws, financial strangulation by lawsuits and unconstitutional red flag laws. I'm really going to miss Brownell once we become a communist/socialist nation.
I keep my ammo stored in Tupperware that I put inside of ammo cans and then put them inside a fire proof gun safe with absorbent pouches on every shelf, then I shrink wrapped the safe and built a cedar box to put it in then I sealed that in plastic and encased it in liquid spray foam and then cement and then I buried it in the backyard
I always keep those silica dry packs with my ammo, also inside of an ammo can. You get those little packs in most stuff you buy from a store. Just hang onto them when you come across them and keep them with your guns and bullets. It will defiantly help. Hahah, he just said it in the video. Been doing that for years.
I put 3 boxes of factory ammo Blazer Brass, American Eagle and Magtech on my balcony for 5 years. I wanted to see what would happen. Originally I wanted 2 years but I just left it there. It got rained on, Brutal Atlanta Summers, sun beating on it for 5 years. I took them to the range they all fired perfect and hardly had any oxidation.
Ammo is more robust than people think. I forgot a Box of 40 in a bucket in the back of a truck I wasn’t driving, discovered it completely submerged a few months later and all performed normal when I fired them.
I also found a box of 30/06 ammo here in Wisconsin that a deer hunter had dropped and it obviously had laid out in the woods for at least one year, possibly 2, I cleaned it up with some 0000 steel wool, and shot it all in one range trip. No duds !
I have bought WW1 .30-06 ammo that was stored in a warehouse in the American southwest (no heating or air conditioning) for over 80 years and it was 100%. I have bought AK and Tokarev ammo that was stored in 55 gallon drums sitting on the desert floor for 60 years, it also was good ammo and I suspect the handful of Tokarev that did not go bang had more to do with it being manufactured in Russia than the storage climate. Not to say these guys are full of it, a cool, dry, temerature stable place is certainly the best option, Just don't panic about attic storage if that's all you have to work with. Moisture kills ammo, that's the main thing, damp and humid storage places should be avoided at all costs.
After seeing a lot of corroded brass, I'm very picky about my self defense ammo (EDC & home defense AR15) being nickel plated and clean. I wipe them down with a dry cotton rag before loading the mags, and again every so often. Great suggestions guys. I never thought about drying the silica gel packets in the oven first.
I put mine in heavy duty zip lock bags measured for reloading my mags, with a silica gel pack in each one, in a ammo can. I also use gloves cause im over cautious.
had ammo stored in those plastic boxes and they melted around the ammo during a house fire, the ammo in the metal cans was unaffected i don't use the plastic ammo cans anymore
Making your own silica packs is easy. Silica non clumping cat litter is 100% silica. Keep it sealed in the plastic bag it comes in. $12 or less in the US at Walmart for 6 lbs of it. Use a coffee filter to seal a couple of teaspoons of it. I staple the filter shut. Done. Use it for ammo storage and out one in your gun case especially if you live in a humid area.
I live in the middle of New Hampshire and we have been having an unusually humid summer. Humidity levels are above 80% just about every day. I have one weapon I cannot get into the gun safe and that is an ar-15. So I got creative and I modified a piece of furniture and inside of that piece of furniture is my AR-15 and 1000 rounds of 556/223 ammo in ammo cans sealed. But the rifle itself is not in an airtight container. I went to Walmart and I bought one of those arm and Hammer containers where the top half of it is filled with calcium chloride and there's a baking soda packet in there as well and the bottom is empty so when the calcium chloride pulls the water out of the air and has somewhere to go. It works beautifully. For those of you that are having humidity issues with however you're storing your firearms.. baking soda is a friend of firearms and so isn't calcium chloride so long as it doesn't touch the weapon or the ammunition. Thank you folks for another wonderful very well spoken video. Stay safe out there, keep carrying and God bless 🙏
...as I glance sideways at the 1,000 rounds of pistol ammunition chilling on the floor in my living room...On an unrelated topic, the illuminated Henry case full of lever actions behind them is ill.
I keep my ammo in an ammo can with a seal. Anytime I crack it open, I throw in an activated handwarmer packet. Just the little small ones that are generally 3 for $1. It eats up all of the oxygen and seems to put a vacuum on the can. Everytime I open it, you can hear a small sucking sound coming off of it, presumably from a small amount of vacuum. I've got some ammo that I put in a can about 15 years ago and every time I open it, it looks just as good as the day I put it in there.
A relative inherited a WW2 army .45 pistol wrapped in an oily rag. Supposedly never fired since the war. He took it to a gun range and luckily the clerk was the gunsmith. He field stripled it for free before letting it be fired. They loaded the mag with the 50 year old ammo and mag. Flawless. The relative's wife bitched so much about a gun in "her" house that he sold it to the nice gunsmith. She's also not happy about the WW2 bayonet, cap, medals he kept (old dusty junk!). I told him to demand she get rid of her grandmother's old, dusty jewelry SHE inherited !!
Putting silica desiccant pouches in your sealed ammo cans is a great idea. Occasional recharging (drying them in the oven) is smart too maybe every 3-5 years. I just dried some out last month and had an issue with some of the pouches melting (the pouch, not the silica) when the oven was set to 250 degrees. Cutting back the heat to 200 eliminated the problem but if by chance your pouches do melt, it's much easier to clean the mess when the pouches are on a cookie sheet or pie plate that has raised sides. Sucking up the little beads out of the oven with a vacuum actually sucks.
I use a vacuum sealer to repackage all my ammo. The loaded mags go in stacked two high, with space between each pair, and a silica pack beside each pair. After sealing, i use the back of a kitchen knife, heated up with a torch, to seal between each set. That way, if I have to open and get out a pair of mags, the others are still sealed. Boxed ammo, I do the same basic thing, leaving the ammo in the plastic holder ( trimming down any sharp corners/edges with a Stanley knife), and putting the box label in it’s own pouch at the end of the bag to identify what type of ammo it is ( sometimes I’m not able to buy my preferred type, so resort to stocking similar, with the expectation of having to alter point of aim)
That’s an excellent idea! I’ve seen ammo made in cans, like a big sardine can with the key to wind up the lid. If I wanted to store for years, say, in a shelter, these cans of sealed ammo make sense. But for my home loads, I’m getting me a seal a meal! Thanks for the idea.
Sort of. They will eventually loose vacuum. Problem is that all plastic has micro holes in it. Humidity can get in there. Look up long term dry food storage, they recommend mylar bags because the metallized sheet will not have any microholes in it.
I have .30 cal and .50 cal military grade cans full of loose rounds, all organized of course. But I’ve had 2 floods in my basement and still no problems with the ammo as long as it was contained. They never got submerged in case you were wondering.
I have done quite a bit of tested on ammo and the elements. As far as rain and moisture goes, I have test fired ammo that has been in the rain, snow, underwater in a mud puddle, and in the humidity of the south. 2 years of exposure, 10 rounds. All ten out of ten fired! In my opinion what is much more important over storage, is how you handle the ammunition. The primmer is very resistant to moisture. You can drip a drop of water in one, dry it out and it will go off as long as you did not disturb the priming compound. the bigger issue would be nocking out, or rattling out the anvil causing the priming powder to come out of the primer! Some anvils are pressed in the primer much better than others, and if you drop a bullet on a hard surface and dislodge the anvil, your primer compound can break up and cause your primer to become worthless! Do not drop, throw, toss, or leave you ammo in the back of your truck for long periods of time. I am not saying the if you drop a bullet it destroys it, but it is definitely not good for the bullet (not to mention other issues that can arise from ammo abuse)
I'm not sure I would want to store explosives (primers) in a sealed container, most especially in a steel GI can. One primer can sett off the entire container and would make a spectacular bang.
Here's the "resistance fighter" method: Put the ammo and a few moisture absorbent packs in a 30 caliber can that has a good rubber seal. Then make a mixture of paraffin and mineral oil (50/50) and coat the can with the waxy paste. Wrap the can in thick paper and coat the paper with the paste and then put the wrapped can in a crate made from the slats of a pallet. You can bury that crate and it will last a hundred years. A 30 caliber can, so prepared with 400 rounds of 7.62x51, (carefully stacked w/cardboard separator) will weigh 30 pounds. You can put 1000 rounds of 9mm Luger in one and have room for the pistol too. 127 grain ball ammo will weigh about 30 pounds, but 9mm can be had with bullet weights from 50 grain hi-velocity rounds to 165 grain subsonic and 1000 of those can range from 23 pounds all the way to 35 pounds. Still you'll have room for a pistol in the can. That's my take on ammo storage. Plan for the worst and have several caches of ammo in widely separated places. Perhaps three or more 9mm caches with gun in remote locations and three or more 7.62x51 and 12 gauge in different places. 10,000 rounds of 22LR weighs about 80 pounds. I'm not sure how many you can get in a 30 caliber can, but if you're planning on using a 22 as a survival weapon I'd recommend you lay back 30 or 40 thousand rounds of it at least. When the SHTF you won't find any 22LR in the stores.
Yeah, the different places part is so obvious but it’s super important. All the grabbers have to do is go in your house and take everything! This is getting crazy!!!!
I recently shot a box of 50 rounds of .38-special lead ball I purchased in 1993. Stored them "in the box, on the shelf"...all 50 fired perfectly. Not stored in a sealed box, never stored in the garage, never stored in any condition other than inside the home. I don't plan to keep any ammo longer than this going forward, but I think this is a non-issue...28 years without special storage conditions and 100% without failure is good enough for me...
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For maximum longevity, just store your ammo at my place! You can pick it up anytime!
Sure just give your address and times when your not home so I know when not go!
Thanks....whats your address ?
I'm a night owl...so I will be picking my ammo up and/or dropping it off around d 2:30 am daily. Depending on what bank I'm robbing and where its located.
....I'm assuming you have a drive through window.
Sounding like the bank
😂😂😂
I bought ammo back in the 70s when I was in the Navy. My ammo sat around until 1981 when I got out. I did some shooting that year and really didn't shoot much until 2013 when I really got into it again with my son. Some of that ammo sat in my Western Wisconsin garage that whole time. It shot great. I saved some .30-30 boxes with the $5.49 stickers. When my dad died this year I found some of his ammo. He actually bought one box from Target! Times have changed.
It does seem ironic that one can't find ammo at Target.
My dad bought a gun from Kmart back in the 70’s. Times have changed
Target turned WOKE. Protect and watch your children if they use the bathrooms.
@@vicranger6876 Always.
@@vicranger6876 i think you should do that anywhere 🤷🏿♂️ just my opinion 😂
I don’t know why people are hating on this. Yes, it’s common sense, but we are getting a lot of new gun owners right now who could use this info.
Nailed it!
Yes thank you. There are a lot of gun owners who talk down to us new gun owners. Like they are so much better then everyone else..iam Fortunate I have found very good RUclips gun instructors. And to all my fellow new gun owners keep learning and practicing and be safe.
Yep I’m new and just picked up 1440 rounds of 7.62, was looking for this exact video.
@nathanielreeves_dev how much that run you?
@@thinkingagain5966tree fitty
Always remember, no matter what the temperature is in a room it's always room temperature. LOL
@UnauthorizedCharges Steven Wright my dude.
Room temp is 77⁰ F
@@AirSupp0rtMusic 70 jeez not 77
Just call it "People temperature" from now on. LOL.
Just like all polar bears are bears but not all bears are polar bears.
I was flooded out of my house. The metal ammo cans kept the ammo dry. Most of the plastic ones failed, and were filled with flood water (i.e., shit-filled sewage water), which I had to dispose of. Luckily, there was plenty more where that came from. But I highly recommend METAL ammo cans, and probably new ones, not surplus.
Make sure they have the rubber moisture gasket around the lid of the can too. Most important part next to being metal
You forgot that part about dry location.
@@flat-earther get bent, weirdo.
Don't Store ammo at Flood Level!!
I live in Houston so thats an annual threat. What kind of plastic boxes did you have? You've inspired me to test some of mine out.
I got confused. Now all my ammo is in Tupperware in the fridge and all my food is in ammo cans in my workshop.
same, instructions were quite unclear. my wife is very mad at me for putting our new born in an ammo can
Lmao.
My ammo sleeps in bed with me. My wife lives on a shelf in the garage.
lol
Lmao
Fun fact. I had an old box of 12 gauge rounds (duck/geese) that had sat for 40ish years in a metal storage shed and an unheated garage. No climate control whatsoever. Not wanting to throw it in a garbage can I decided to "dispose" of it properly. EVERY round fired with no detection whatsoever of a weak round. Your mileage may vary.
I had three rounds for an 1865 Enfield breech loader. My brother fired one off. 150 years old. Th lead looked a bit oxidized.
@@conradsenior5843 wow. That's awesome. Do you reload for that gun?
It’s hard to notice changes in velocity with a shotgun. You may notice a difference in performance at long range with rifle ammo
I had a friend whose father was a competition shooter. He had some custom leather belt ammo holsters and they had 30-30 ammo in them for decades after he passed away. She brought them all home and inside they were all completely covered in green fur from tarnishing while in the leather. I disposed of all of it immediately. Leather wicks moisture like mad.
The biggest issue with shotgun shells, if you find the old paper ones a lot of times they're swollen and won't go into the breach. Paper soaks up moisture.
It's also a good idea to keep your ammo in the original packaging. Each ammo box should be stamped with a lot number. If the manufacturer issues a recall on their ammo, you'll be able to see if your ammo is part of the recall.
Recall! You must be thinking automobiles.
Steve K no sir, guns as well as ammo have been recalled many times in the past. Only recall I’ve ever dealt with was on a gun. My keltec sub 2000 for a barrel with the potential of blowing up.
I often see/hear this advice but no one ever specifies how they monitor or track small arms recalls - or track their lot numbers that are stacked and packed away (in the civilian world).
@@claytonatkinson865 Yes my Colt Anaconda was recalled in 95 for a problem with transfer bar. When it was shipped back after repair by fedex, they left it outside in front my house. No signature delivery or anything. Good thing there weren't many porch pirates back then, lol.
@@In10city I had two in the past, one was an old Sears shotgun and one for a revolver, they were posted in a gun magazine, G and A.
I store them in military type steel ammo cans with the rubber gasket and locking lid. As long as they are kept dry and low humidity, they will last forever. Old military surplus from East bloc countries in those tuna cans with the twist key to open the can still shoot great after 65-70 years. If you live in a humidity locale, use a hair dryer on hot to blow hot air into the ammo can for 30 seconds before you close the lid and lock the latch. The heat will evaporate the trace moisture and create a slight vacuum as it cools.
Thank you for this tip. Seriously, this is badass 🤘🤘
I used a "food saver" sealer and did a few boxes up and then in an ammo can. Been sealed for a few years now and good as new.
A few boxes? Ok. But a safe full of ammo? Stored in vacuum bags isn't gonna stack well.
And the cost of those bags...
Know this tho
As an urban farmer and fisher, I use a lot of sealer bags.
I get them from Amazon at about one fourth the cost at a store.
Same here. All my loaded mags are stored in air tight ammo cans with large desiccant packs. Most of my bulk storage is vacuum sealed with desiccant packs. Never know when the stuff will need to get lost fast in a boating accident.
I have 50 year old shotgun shells stored in ther original boxes, and the shells are made of paper too, they look and shoot as new. 🤷♂️ I would just waste time and money doing somethibg like that.
I like that idea! I'd spend a lot sealing my stash up that way, but I really like that idea!
@@stevekiss616 Rice and a touch of sea salt to keep it from spoiling in a cheescloth can be used in place of desiccant packs if your in a jamb. This applies only if your container is air tight.
As somebody that enjoys precision/long range shooting, I can say that without a doubt, improper storage of ammunition will show undesirable affects down range and at the muzzle. Poorly stored amo can vary widely in velocity and will almost certainly show lack of accuracy and sometimes terminal effects in hunting or defensive ammunition.
I vac seal mine, 30 rounds of 5.56. Toss me a mag, whoops that was a tenderloin. Sorry.
I have often thought of vacuum sealing my ammo for storage. But, would I sucking all the air out of the rounds change their properties or performance? I don’t know and never had the time to vaccine pack them and fire them say 2 years later. Have you tested any of the annoying you have had vaccine packed for a couple of years. I’m going to guess it would be ok or 95% as good as storing in an air atmosphere.
Me too, I keep a vacuum sealer on my reloading bench
I've been storing my ammo for over 10 years in sealed Ziplock freezer bags, stuffed inside plastic shoe boxes. All are packed with those desiccant packets that Steve mentioned. My ammo is always dry!
I use my 'Seal-a-meal' and vacuum bag my ammo along with a silica pack. It has worked well for me, the ammo looks brand new after several years of storage.
Excellent idea Carl
I keep a big silica pack in my gun safe
Seal a meal ?
Thank you
I had various types on ammo in a storage shed for over 20 years, in the hot, cold, and moisture of Arkansas. And it was over 10 years old when put in storage. We took some out last month and it still shot like brand new.
I recently came into several thousand primers of various types that were in a cardboard box from here in Missouri, they are probably 40 years old or so. I've been loading them up and firing them. I haven't had a single dud. At first I was curious, but now that always go bang, I am using them without fear. And good chrono results too they are no different than new primers of the same type. I thought they were probably junk, but I have been pleasantly surprised.
Brownells, you guys are a Godsend and absolutely awesome! This video is precisely what I needed to learn about storing ammo within days of me thinking about it. I was wondering about silica and you set me straight right from go. You really care about your fellow Americans! Thank you so much.
sweet on the silica-gel packs,i ordered some because i though
it might help me store ammo.was nice to hear them say it too.
"Thou shalt keep thine powder dry".
First Commandment of The Continental Army.
The Do´s and Don´ts of ammo storage: What do you need to avoid when you want to store your ammo? Not storing it properly.
What do you want to do with your ammo? Store it properly.
Thanks for that great content.
I like to dump all my ammo on the floor and walk on it every day.
I thought the the same thing!
Horrible video....
The green crapp that forms on the brass cleans off easily with a green scrub pad,but a wire brush works even better, rounds are nice and shiny again Pronto! I had 2 cans of 30 plus year old 5.56mm all fired just fine after a little cleanup!
Brasso/NeverDull
Boring ass staff duty on Lejeune led to one worthwhile trick.
For long term storage, ditch the plastic cans and get the GI surplus cans. The rubber seals in good condition keep it air tight.
Why buy surplus when you can buy them brand new.
@@Predator42ID because a lot of the new ones people come across are Chinese knock-offs and the seals are not as good.
@@BlueFox284 Then buy the ones from blackhawk, they are made in the US and I've had zero problems with them.
Seriously they are tight and hard to open. The only down side is the paint quality but that's it. Hope that helps.
@@Predator42ID The last surplus ones I ordered about six to eight months ago were 12 bucks each and in good condition, how much are the new ones, My guess is a lot higher?
@@phillhuddleston9445 Nope the Blackhawk brand that I buy from my local gun store only cost 14-15$ max. Not much more then surplus but are more readily available.
Honestly I wish they sold 20mm ammo cans brand new as finding those in good condition for refurbishment are hard to come by.
I’m new to firearms so I deeply appreciate all of these practical tips. Thank you, God bless, and may your aim be true and your powder dry!
Make sure to keep a few of the store bought boxes...if you need to take gun/ammo on a trip and fly, they only let ammo in original boxes to be packed in your check in luggage. I make sure to keep a few for my reloads, TSA wouldn't know, they just look for the boxes
Excellent point !
Great thing to know bro thanks
I did not know that about original boxes. Thanks.
I only shoot reloads.
I thank you guys for being a solid company and sharing knowledge with us!
I'm guessing this video is meant for the people out there who's previous round count was somewhere around 0-100. But suddenly have decided to panic buy that up to 10,000+
Unless you're smart and went from 20k to 30k+
Yes! Do not 🚫 spray CLP or gun oil on ammunition either. Even modern, well engineered rounds can get screwed up by "cleaning".
Exactly my thoughts.
@1234coolman hey, dont judge me.
Lol I had 1500 rounds of .22lr but only 20 rounds of 308 and 223. 🤣
I had a whole bunch of ammo that I bought in 1981 when I got out of the Navy. I had it stored in my northern Wi. garage until 2013. I shot it and it worked fine.
The same is true for storing your grenades. Just fyi.
SHIT!!!! I gotta go check on somthing!
I prefer my grenades rusty! The victims that live now are more prone to infection and tetanus! 😎🤣
@@adamchristopher2086 I usually paint mine FDE just because it's cool and I'm tired of all the OD ones ...
@rubicon v no! Those poor frags! #ODG Gang Gang #ODGforlife
I coat mine with bacon fat. The greasy surface protects them and it might have other important implication...
Rice will help control excess ambiental moisture when sealed up in an ammo can. If you keep an air conditioner going during the summer and heat with wood in winter, outside corrosion is not so much of a problem.
I had some ammo that got flooded during a hurricane in the mid 80's. It stayed submerged for almost 2 months. I test fired it over 20 years later and it all fired just fine. I had zero duds.
Have boxes of paper shotgun shells that were store on a basement shelf. 60+ years and they still go bang.
Exactly. These guys are just selling a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.
Dbelex..yea my point i have ww2 ammo still shoots these guys are wear your seatbelt properly people
My bet is thier wear thier shirts tucked in. Even to sleep in thier pajamas
Glad you don't live in a humid envorinment. So, I guess everyone lives in an area like you? You sound STUPID.
@@videodistro, agreed. People fail to realize what works for them may not necessarily work for all. When they're ignorant of this fact and try to make a fool out of someone who isn't, it shows who is the real fool.
My wife was a clothing store manager for several years. I got her to save all the desicant packs that came in the clothes and shoes and handbags and such that they were just throwing away and I put them in my ammo cans.
Christopher 66 All my plastic pistol boxes& my gun safe has the desiccant packs inside as well.
I've kept it in one of those air tight tubs with a big bag of rice in my closet. Opened it the other day for the first time in about 5 years and it was still pristine. Grabbed a few boxes and had no issues. Actually the higher end ammo that's in my magazines is in great shape too and is the same age, the brass is a tad tinged due to oxidation but that's about it.
Silica packs can be purchased from a hardware store.
I also place them in the gun cabinet too.
You ought to make a playlist called "With That Being Said". It is astounding how common this phrase is used in your content.
Unless you live in Arizona where it is alway dry. Just keep it in the house and not the the oven/garage.
He really thought his ammo on the floor joke was hilarious 😂😂😂
Real knee slapper
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Real table slapper 😆
Lol 😂 😂 😂
I didn’t get the joke. Still don’t. Help.
I store my ammo in an old broken box freezer with bags of rice..been working well for 30yrs, no corrosion.
Cool and Dry is key. Even though I live in an area of low relative humidity, I still throw a moisture absorbed in my ammo cans.
I inherited some 60+ year old .22 LR when my Grandad passed away 10 years back. Though he didn't use moisture absorbers, he always kept all of his ammo in Anmo Cans in a cool and dry location. I've used up most of what I inherited, but I expected a lot of duds because it was old and because it was rimfire. I was pleasantly surprised when only one or two cartridges per box/100 failed to fire. Rather exceptional in my view and definitely shows proper storage does have a positive impact on longevity.
My Dad reloaded some .357 back in the 1960's. It sat in a wooden box for 50 years, traveled 5 states, and 10 homes. We shot some of it during covid, worked great.
Definitely, throw a desiccant pack in your ammo cans, and store them in a cool, dry place that's out of direct sunlight. Closets work great if you can't find anywhere to put them.
I'm a reloader and collector..over the years I've reloaded or acquired large amounts of ammo...I keep the reloads in freezer type Ziploc bags in quantities of 100 ea...all my reloads, surplus & factory ammo goes into GI ammo cans...I've kept the cans on the floor of my garage here in S FL...with no ill effects ...thevother daybI went looking for soecific ammo and found ALL the stuff in pristine condition...TRUST those GI cans!!!!
Also make sure if you use silica gel that you do not allow the gel packets to come into direct contact with the ammo. the gel packs will pull moisture in and once they become "moist" and moist can be imperceptible to your touch. THe packets can transfer water molecules to the objects they are in contact with and the decay will spread. If you just put a silica packet inside of a small plastic container it will allow the packet to absorb the moisture from the air but not allow the moisture to contact decay anything.
Would moisture leaking and/or seeping from the packets not be exactly the opposite of what they are designed to do?
I store my ammo in a large heavy duty plastic container in my basement. I use those mini dehumidifiers that plug in to dry them out for re-use. I have 6 of them. 2 in my ammo storage and 2 in my gun safe then 2 extra as stand by units. When a mini dehumidifier needs dried out I just put another in its place and then plug in the one that needs dried out.
Never had an issue.
You guys have become one of my favorite channels. Glad I found you.
For an extra layer of protection: Almost all over the counter drugs these days has a little white pouch in the bottle. This is desiccant a drying agent. A couple of those in your ammo box will absorb any residual moisture.
Not saying what these gents are saying isn't true but I reloaded 12 gauge Winchester AA shells in 1982, kept in the same paper boxes in my garage not in an ammo can and have used for skeet shooting 36 years later: good as the day I reloaded.
Almost 4 minutes for a message: “put your ammo in a box”
Air tight box that is.
yep
In climate controlled area
Thank you for not wasting my time.
Let's just be thankful we still have these guys coming on and sharing valuable info. Thank you Brownell
Thank you! I am new to the gun world. I inherited my uncle’s full ammo can. The ammo was 10+ years old and still in very good shape. Now I know where to store new ammo.
Use the metal ammo cans..the plastic cans generally do not have as good a seal ring as metal ones. Some plastic ones will "breathe" through the seals if you squeeze the box. I put moisture detection strips in the boxes. Metal cans stay @ 30-35% for years, plastic maybe 2 mo. at best before the strip read 60% or so. Tupperware may work well, I haven't tried it, but makes a pretty good seal.
I’m still shooting 100 year old ammo from my grandfather! That was on a shelf in a moist cellar. Since ww2 functions just fine !
The Train yeah ammo is not fussy they just want to sell you storage.
Doug Watson I guess I’d have to if that’s all I had hu!
@@thetrain5785 if all you had was 100 year old ammo you've already set yourself up for failure.
Titanium Rain tell that to the Russians there still killing with ammo that old or older lol
@@thetrain5785 If you bought that ammo then how exactly do they still have it? The whole point of surplus ammo is that they get rid of old stock and replenish it with new manufacture ammo. Do you actually want me to believe that they stopped manufacturing new 7.62x54mmR and are still going through WW2 ammo? Jeez how long until they get to Cold War stock?
I’ve fired ww1 production ammo and ww2 production ammo, all fired fine, fired old hunting rounds left in a shed for 30 years, roughly a third fired it’s all about storage
For my Krag have Spanish American wat ammo...no kidding....may shoot a few hundred feet per second....I can't tell, yes have ww2 and 2 ball ammo m1 and m2....shoots great. ONIY AMMO ever had problems with was Indian cordite loaded 303 brit made in the 40s ww2...just been in heat or high moisture. .would hang fire,delayed primer....it would go click when it git the prime then bang...reminded me of shooting black powder.....
What was your primers/cal?
@@andrewbaker2608 303 brit made in India India ww2 berdan primers
Cordite primer sorry autocorrect
@@andrewbaker2608 oh maybe.. its Cordite the stringy powder in it...primer might be to..I don't really know,got it from Sportsman's Guide mail order, twenty years ago or so...it was really cheap like 60 bucks for 400 rounds.Was nice an cheap way to shoot my old enfields.Thanks
I keep all mine in ammo cans with desiccant packs in them. Good enough.
There's a reason that ammo is kept in cardboard boxes. They absorb moisture. I keep them in their original boxes, then place them in an ammo can with silica beads.
I found a box of 30 30 ammo with a price tag from the 70s. The lead was corroded but not deformed. It was stored in the original box on a shelf. High and low humidity and temps. Every round shot flawlessly. I was amazed
This is very basic good info for the average economic buyer, thank you so much!!! 😄
I absolutely love that this video came out 10 days after the beginning of lockdown and these dudes are sitting right next to each other acting as if nothing happened. They were truly ahead of their time and could see the common sense of the situation
Not all old ammo is created equal as some may lead you to believe.
Fun Story: The one and only experience with a squib load occurred with some lead cast .44-40 loaded back in the early 1900's. Even though a squib load is probably the worst catastrophic failure one can have with a firearm; I did learn _a lot_ about gunsmithing that day as a result of this malfunction. Not only is a squib round an incredibly rare occurrence, but I also got to observe them work on a highly collectible Winchester Model 1873. Thankfully no one got hurt but it certainly startled everyone and thoroughly upset all the old fudds around me.
It was quite the learning experience for me at such a young age. With that squib load malfunction, I could safely say that I have observed nearly every possible malfunction a firearm could have with the exception of an exploding barrel (and I hope I never have to go thru that either). I also remember shooting some .38 Special Wadcutters from the late 60s that my Father had reloaded. You'd think we were shooting black powder with the ridiculous amount of excess smoke.
Keep up the good work my friends.
EDITED (as always) for double spacing.
So I'm not the ONLY one having to take out the extra line spacing! Nice to know. I thought YT was targeting me specifically to try to drive me NUTS! : )
(edited to change "one" to all lower case : )
@@lordofthewoods You are not alone my friend.
In fact, the "EDITED for double spacing" has become a well known sign-off of mine. When people see a Bert Shackleford post, they know that there's always going to be an EDIT of some kind. Almost as if it's my own personal sign-off (which is actually "Stay classy my friends").
Either way, people know me for my EDIT's and for the inclusion of _"my friend/friends"_ throughout the commentary.
Apparently RUclips is aware of the problem which has been occurring for well over four years now. But they choose to ignore the problem despite my repeated requests for a fix. Thanks for reassuring me that I too, am not the only one.
Take care my friend.
EDITED for double spacing and punctuation.
@@BertShackleford: That's strange, because it only started with me a few months ago; I initially attributed it to a Firefox update : )
If you are going to store ammo on stripper clips, it's smart to toss a couple of spoons (aka stripper clip guides) in the can, too.
Left a box of 7.62 nagant ammunition from the 70s in the back of a truck on accident, Always kept it in the paper box, loaded up and made all 20 go bang.
Not saying ammo cans are a bad idea, but brownells definitely sells them
Still have about 1500 rounds of 22LR that was bought about 25 years ago. It shoots fine.
I still have a few boxes of Wildcats that were bought at K-mart in 1978. Just got stored and newer stuff shot up first. It’s still in sealed ammo cans on the carpeted floor of an interior closet and looks brand new.
You'd think that storing the ammunition in the original manufacturer's packaging would suffice. I mean manufacturers routinely make and store very large quantities of their own inventory in this packaging for years on end.
In climate controlled warehouses, I’m certain😃🇺🇸
Great info. I'm new to all of this so I'll be sure to invest in proper storage for the few rounds that I have.
I have 60 year old .22LR ammo that has never seen the inside of an ammo box it is still as good as new.
Here in Australia, I buy my center fire ammo from OSA or Buffalo or ADI (who make it for the others). It is packaged in 5 round blister packs which are then sold in 20, 200 and 900 round lots (.223). The 900 round lot comes in a steel ammo can. It means that the ammo is sealed in small lots and you only open them as you need them.
A question regarding primers. Uniform fire code (UFC) and all the reloaders I know and respect forbid the use of ANY container not having a light resistance to internal pressure. Such as a military ammo can. Settling off primers in such a container will often result in a 'sympathetic explosion' of all the primers; the resulting pressure spike can burst the container. Bursting the container at low pressures results in a pop and the excess pressure is fairly harmless in terms of physical danger to life and property. (Probably made a mess.) Letting pressures build up to a high pressure will turn the container into a bomb. Fragments of the container will tend to act as shrapnel.
UFC recommends a wooden container (box) with minimum one inches walls (including top and bottom) and put together encouraging structural failure at low internal pressure.
The question is: Does this fit in with your recommendations?
Pelican brand cases usually have pressure equalization valves on them, & are waterproof. They are, however, expensive.
You can also microwave your silica desiccant packs to dry them out.
@@philspaces7213 Phil.....I realize that I'm not the brightest bulb in the pack, but the discussion is about Silica Desiccant...not Ammo. With that said, is it ok to throw my 5.56 ammo in the Bon Fire to dry it out?
Kenneth Rich I appoligise. That was rude. Please undestand I am going shack whacky here being isolated at home.
@@philspaces7213 No worries Phil...I'm on edge too...God Bless...
How long do you put those things in the microwave ?
Microwaves will not dry silica or dessicant gel. You have to place it in a hot, dry environment, like your oven, for a period of time to thoroughly evaporate the moisture trapped in the gel.
Ok, now I just need to find a video on how to store my toilet paper properly 🤣🤣🤣
Put your guns in the hall closet and put the toilet paper in the safe!
youll need to add on a dedicated TP room to your house, possibly with a vault door.
2 rolls fit nicely in an ammo can
I would recommend storing it away from any women. They seem to use 2/3 of a roll every time they use the restroom.
dont wipe with it then put in the cabinet. it is not reusable.
I really like the convenience of the MTM style ammo cans, like the one on the left in the video. I use them in myself in my garage storage. BUT they are not water tight, as there are holes at the handle hinge points. So they are NOT proper for marine storage, or anywhere especially humid. That tip about the silica gel packets is great - so useful for keeping ammo storage dry, and also for gun safes!
Good advice here. I would add that those silca gel packets can be bought cheaply, you don't have to save them from packaging and dry them out. And if you're burying your SHTF ammo, place in large PVC tubing below the frost line (to prevent frost which leads to moisture condensation which becomes corrosion).
I love Brownell .. This an many companies like it are the foundations for the freedoms we are sinisterlly being stripped off by the use of stupid laws, financial strangulation by lawsuits and unconstitutional red flag laws. I'm really going to miss Brownell once we become a communist/socialist nation.
wow you guys really thought about what you were going to say before this video.
LOL. was thinking the same thing. Might be better with a little bit of a script to work from.
Wow, that was painful
Please hire some writers. If writers wrote this, fire them and hire more.
ROFL
Hahah I was thinking the exact thing
I keep my ammo stored in Tupperware that I put inside of ammo cans and then put them inside a fire proof gun safe with absorbent pouches on every shelf, then I shrink wrapped the safe and built a cedar box to put it in then I sealed that in plastic and encased it in liquid spray foam and then cement and then I buried it in the backyard
Good one! Must be a bear, though, when you want to shoot 10-20 rounds, ha, ha!
@@munsters2 I don’t shoot an of it, hell I don’t even have a gun, I just like having ammo in case of emergency
@@johnstone9396 Ha, ha. Ok. I thought you were joking. So, you really do have a safe in cedar box in concrete buried in yard?
@John stone let me guess?.................You forgot where you bury your stash🤔
I always keep those silica dry packs with my ammo, also inside of an ammo can. You get those little packs in most stuff you buy from a store. Just hang onto them when you come across them and keep them with your guns and bullets. It will defiantly help.
Hahah, he just said it in the video. Been doing that for years.
I put 3 boxes of factory ammo Blazer Brass, American Eagle and Magtech on my balcony for 5 years. I wanted to see what would happen. Originally I wanted 2 years but I just left it there. It got rained on, Brutal Atlanta Summers, sun beating on it for 5 years. I took them to the range they all fired perfect and hardly had any oxidation.
Ammo is more robust than people think. I forgot a Box of 40 in a bucket in the back of a truck I wasn’t driving, discovered it completely submerged a few months later and all performed normal when I fired them.
I also found a box of 30/06 ammo here in Wisconsin that a deer hunter had dropped and it obviously had laid out in the woods for at least one year, possibly 2, I cleaned it up with some 0000 steel wool, and shot it all in one range trip. No duds !
Store in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight and above freezing temperatures. Or look at your nearest medicine bottle.
I have bought WW1 .30-06 ammo that was stored in a warehouse in the American southwest (no heating or air conditioning) for over 80 years and it was 100%. I have bought AK and Tokarev ammo that was stored in 55 gallon drums sitting on the desert floor for 60 years, it also was good ammo and I suspect the handful of Tokarev that did not go bang had more to do with it being manufactured in Russia than the storage climate. Not to say these guys are full of it, a cool, dry, temerature stable place is certainly the best option, Just don't panic about attic storage if that's all you have to work with. Moisture kills ammo, that's the main thing, damp and humid storage places should be avoided at all costs.
After seeing a lot of corroded brass, I'm very picky about my self defense ammo (EDC & home defense AR15) being nickel plated and clean. I wipe them down with a dry cotton rag before loading the mags, and again every so often.
Great suggestions guys. I never thought about drying the silica gel packets in the oven first.
I was excited to find my storage techniques were exactly what I've been doing, right down to the silica gel packs.
I put mine in heavy duty zip lock bags measured for reloading my mags, with a silica gel pack in each one, in a ammo can. I also use gloves cause im over cautious.
Bro it’s AMMO not the vaccine to Coronavirus
@@alocascio5825 I store mine under my DIY face mask, and in my rubber gloves after coating them in hand sanitizer before I go to Walmart =D
@@alocascio5825 LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO
had ammo stored in those plastic boxes and they melted around the ammo during a house fire, the ammo in the metal cans was unaffected i don't use the plastic ammo cans anymore
JW i have ammo from ww2 and some was in owners house fire Feb 2018 plastic boxes melted paper got smoked tumbling to save even shot some
thanks for the advice hope everyone was good
Yep my ammo degrades "via heat" every time I fire my guns lol
Making your own silica packs is easy.
Silica non clumping cat litter is 100% silica. Keep it sealed in the plastic bag it comes in. $12 or less in the US at Walmart for 6 lbs of it.
Use a coffee filter to seal a couple of teaspoons of it. I staple the filter shut. Done.
Use it for ammo storage and out one in your gun case especially if you live in a humid area.
I live in the middle of New Hampshire and we have been having an unusually humid summer. Humidity levels are above 80% just about every day.
I have one weapon I cannot get into the gun safe and that is an ar-15. So I got creative and I modified a piece of furniture and inside of that piece of furniture is my AR-15 and 1000 rounds of 556/223 ammo in ammo cans sealed. But the rifle itself is not in an airtight container.
I went to Walmart and I bought one of those arm and Hammer containers where the top half of it is filled with calcium chloride and there's a baking soda packet in there as well and the bottom is empty so when the calcium chloride pulls the water out of the air and has somewhere to go. It works beautifully.
For those of you that are having humidity issues with however you're storing your firearms.. baking soda is a friend of firearms and so isn't calcium chloride so long as it doesn't touch the weapon or the ammunition.
Thank you folks for another wonderful very well spoken video. Stay safe out there, keep carrying and God bless 🙏
...as I glance sideways at the 1,000 rounds of pistol ammunition chilling on the floor in my living room...On an unrelated topic, the illuminated Henry case full of lever actions behind them is ill.
I keep my ammo in an ammo can with a seal. Anytime I crack it open, I throw in an activated handwarmer packet. Just the little small ones that are generally 3 for $1. It eats up all of the oxygen and seems to put a vacuum on the can. Everytime I open it, you can hear a small sucking sound coming off of it, presumably from a small amount of vacuum. I've got some ammo that I put in a can about 15 years ago and every time I open it, it looks just as good as the day I put it in there.
Veeeery interesting
A relative inherited a WW2 army .45 pistol wrapped in an oily rag. Supposedly never fired since the war. He took it to a gun range and luckily the clerk was the gunsmith. He field stripled it for free before letting it be fired. They loaded the mag with the 50 year old ammo and mag. Flawless. The relative's wife bitched so much about a gun in "her" house that he sold it to the nice gunsmith. She's also not happy about the WW2 bayonet, cap, medals he kept (old dusty junk!). I told him to demand she get rid of her grandmother's old, dusty jewelry SHE inherited !!
he must be a simp, what happens if a intruder comes and trys to hurt them?
If it’s a choice between getting rid of your guns or your wife . Ditch the wife . Guns are less aggravating and quieter ! 🤪✌️
Putting silica desiccant pouches in your sealed ammo cans is a great idea. Occasional recharging (drying them in the oven) is smart too maybe every 3-5 years. I just dried some out last month and had an issue with some of the pouches melting (the pouch, not the silica) when the oven was set to 250 degrees. Cutting back the heat to 200 eliminated the problem but if by chance your pouches do melt, it's much easier to clean the mess when the pouches are on a cookie sheet or pie plate that has raised sides. Sucking up the little beads out of the oven with a vacuum actually sucks.
I use a vacuum sealer to repackage all my ammo. The loaded mags go in stacked two high, with space between each pair, and a silica pack beside each pair. After sealing, i use the back of a kitchen knife, heated up with a torch, to seal between each set. That way, if I have to open and get out a pair of mags, the others are still sealed.
Boxed ammo, I do the same basic thing, leaving the ammo in the plastic holder ( trimming down any sharp corners/edges with a Stanley knife), and putting the box label in it’s own pouch at the end of the bag to identify what type of ammo it is ( sometimes I’m not able to buy my preferred type, so resort to stocking similar, with the expectation of having to alter point of aim)
wow the guy in the blue shirt ought to consider a career in Hollywood, he's so entertaining...
I was thinking he needs more time in the sun.
LOL. Be nice. But what you said is still funny
And BOOM goes the dynamite!
He would look good as an evil crooked federal agent.
Foodsaver vacuum sealer for long term storage.
That’s an excellent idea! I’ve seen ammo made in cans, like a big sardine can with the key to wind up the lid. If I wanted to store for years, say, in a shelter, these cans of sealed ammo make sense. But for my home loads, I’m getting me a seal a meal! Thanks for the idea.
Sort of. They will eventually loose vacuum. Problem is that all plastic has micro holes in it. Humidity can get in there. Look up long term dry food storage, they recommend mylar bags because the metallized sheet will not have any microholes in it.
@@orbitalair2103 I'm 66 years old. For me it doesn't have to last forever. The mylar bags are a PITA to vacuum seal.
gone rydin excellent tip
@@cvcocoWhen you pull out all of the air, there is no moisture left behind.
I rotate my defense ammo every 5 years. The ammo that I rotate out I use on the range.
I have .30 cal and .50 cal military grade cans full of loose rounds, all organized of course. But I’ve had 2 floods in my basement and still no problems with the ammo as long as it was contained. They never got submerged in case you were wondering.
I have done quite a bit of tested on ammo and the elements. As far as rain and moisture goes, I have test fired ammo that has been in the rain, snow, underwater in a mud puddle, and in the humidity of the south. 2 years of exposure, 10 rounds. All ten out of ten fired! In my opinion what is much more important over storage, is how you handle the ammunition. The primmer is very resistant to moisture. You can drip a drop of water in one, dry it out and it will go off as long as you did not disturb the priming compound. the bigger issue would be nocking out, or rattling out the anvil causing the priming powder to come out of the primer! Some anvils are pressed in the primer much better than others, and if you drop a bullet on a hard surface and dislodge the anvil, your primer compound can break up and cause your primer to become worthless! Do not drop, throw, toss, or leave you ammo in the back of your truck for long periods of time. I am not saying the if you drop a bullet it destroys it, but it is definitely not good for the bullet (not to mention other issues that can arise from ammo abuse)
I'm not sure I would want to store explosives (primers) in a sealed container, most especially in a steel GI can. One primer can sett off the entire container and would make a spectacular bang.
I don’t have enough ammo to worry about this. And guessing by the price and availability currently, this will be a long term problem
For about 10 years now I have been using a big ice chest that I keep in the closet.
No failures.
Fantastic idea DW!
Here's the "resistance fighter" method: Put the ammo and a few moisture absorbent packs in a 30 caliber can that has a good rubber seal. Then make a mixture of paraffin and mineral oil (50/50) and coat the can with the waxy paste. Wrap the can in thick paper and coat the paper with the paste and then put the wrapped can in a crate made from the slats of a pallet. You can bury that crate and it will last a hundred years.
A 30 caliber can, so prepared with 400 rounds of 7.62x51, (carefully stacked w/cardboard separator) will weigh 30 pounds. You can put 1000 rounds of 9mm Luger in one and have room for the pistol too. 127 grain ball ammo will weigh about 30 pounds, but 9mm can be had with bullet weights from 50 grain hi-velocity rounds to 165 grain subsonic and 1000 of those can range from 23 pounds all the way to 35 pounds. Still you'll have room for a pistol in the can.
That's my take on ammo storage. Plan for the worst and have several caches of ammo in widely separated places. Perhaps three or more 9mm caches with gun in remote locations and three or more 7.62x51 and 12 gauge in different places.
10,000 rounds of 22LR weighs about 80 pounds. I'm not sure how many you can get in a 30 caliber can, but if you're planning on using a 22 as a survival weapon I'd recommend you lay back 30 or 40 thousand rounds of it at least. When the SHTF you won't find any 22LR in the stores.
So true. We’re getting closer and closer to registration and confiscation every day.
Yeah, the different places part is so obvious but it’s super important. All the grabbers have to do is go in your house and take everything! This is getting crazy!!!!
I recently shot a box of 50 rounds of .38-special lead ball I purchased in 1993. Stored them "in the box, on the shelf"...all 50 fired perfectly. Not stored in a sealed box, never stored in the garage, never stored in any condition other than inside the home. I don't plan to keep any ammo longer than this going forward, but I think this is a non-issue...28 years without special storage conditions and 100% without failure is good enough for me...
All it would take is the roof leaking or the gutters to back up
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