Most hunters and shooters choose the best ammunition and guns because they do understand that the better quality, the more enjoyable it is to shoot. However, like we all know, ammo does not last forever, especially if it is stored improperly and in the wrong conditions.
Good ammo cost serious money so you need to store it right. Proper storage of ammunition is just as significant as properly storing the gun that fires it. The maintenance and care of your ammo will determine your gun’s functioning. Neglecting your ammunition is not just wasting money but can also be dangerous due to the possibility of malfunctions and severe deterioration. Like proper maintenance of your weapon is necessary for proper functioning, proper storage, and maintenance of your ammo is also necessary for weapon functionality.
Doing the basic steps in storing your ammunition shall keep it in a decent condition when the time comes to use it. Here are a few tips for storing your ammunition:
Contents
1. Humidity Control
The main cause of ammunitions’ deterioration in humid temperatures. High moisture can result in corrosion of the brass primer and casings of the ammunition that can be risky to fire. Make sure that the level of humidity is low when storing your ammunition. A good option is to store your ammunition in an airtight storage, particularly if you have great quantities that are prone to humidity trapped in the packaging.
Keep your ammunition uncovered and stored in a safe for just a short time can aid in extracting extra moisture and prime it. Before sealing and storing your ammunition, make sure that there is zero moisture in ammunition cans. Consider using a desiccant and dehumidifier packets, for longer-term ammo storage in order to keep it in good conditions.
2. Cool Temperatures
The most common and best way to store ammo is to put it in a plastic bag, keep a rubber sealed ammunition box and place it in a dark and cool area. Rounds may be defective if they are exposed to heat and this is what you must avoid at all cost. This is because the heat degrades your rounds’ performance so be sure to find a dark and cool place that is also not damp to keep the moisture out.
3. Label and Rotate
Using and storing your ammunition should be like using and storing any stockpiled items that are perishable. After purchasing your ammo, make sure that you label it with the purchase date. In times when you will be needing ammo, always use the oldest ammunition first and keep your ammo stock efficiently rotating. Always keep your ammo stores fresh for optimum performance.
Also, when storing your ammunition, make sure to mark all containers with the ammo’s caliber to separate different calibers. This is an effective and safe organization of ammunition supplies.
4. Store in Vacuum Sealed Bags
In order to keep out moisture in destroying your precious ammo, using a vacuum sealed bag as the packaging would do the trick. Squeezing the air out of plastic bags that you will use to package your ammo seems a good idea and works decently, however, using vacuum sealed bags will guarantee that there is zero air, therefore zero moisture will ever touch your precious ammo. This is particularly useful if you have hundreds of rounds that you need to store in one bag.
5. Frequently check for any signs of corrosion
You need to be always vigilant when it comes to your ammunition storage. After packaging your ammunition carefully in a vacuum sealed bags and placing it on an anti-humidity safe, do not simply forget about it and wish that it will last for 5 decades. Make sure to create a schedule for checking your ammunition in order to ensure that your rounds are not exposed to heat or corroding. It is ideal to use a transparent plastic for vacuum sealing so that you will not have to undo all the hard work in order to seal it from the outside world.
6. Secure Storage
How you give careful and thorough treatment to your gun’s storage should be the same as your ammo’s storage. You need to keep your ammunition in a secure and safe environment in order to be protected from humidity and tampering. There are many gun safe and vaults that are temperature-controlled that can also be a good place to store your ammo. Also, the same responsibilities and precautions with a gun are also extended to live ammunition. You should always keep your ammunition locked and away from pets, kids and tough environments.
Conclusion:
Ammunition storage is as important as gun storage, not only for good security practice but this serves as a safety to people you have at home or your storage area. Keeping that ammo alive and secured is the ultimate thing to a gun owner; either you’re an avid gun enthusiast, a hunter, a sportsman, or a prepper, without giving threat to anyone at home.
By Following our basics tips rest assured you are on the right way of storing your ammunition.
