This is a discussion on So how do you store your SHTF stockpile? within the Carry & Defensive Scenarios forums, part of the Defensive Carry Discussions category; I kind of hate to post this in the Tactical Scenerios column, but this is my follow up question to "Let's say the S just ...
I kind of hate to post this in the Tactical Scenerios column, but this is my follow up question to "Let's say the S just HTF, how much ammo do you have?".
With some of us establishing that we have quite a bit of ammo on hand, I am curious how many here take steps to have it in secure storage. By secure I mean dry, cool, locked up, and protected from fire.
I keep mine in a fireproof gunsafe. My primary fear is that if I have a fire in the house, a pile of unprotected ammo could explode before I evacuated my family out of the house.
I will support gun control when you can guarantee all guns are removed from this planet. That includes military and law enforcement. When you can accomplish that, then I will be the last person to lay down my gun. Then I will carry the weapon that replaces the gun.
I cannot answer the " how many rounds " q real easy , and I keep my ammo in standard ammo cans ( i dump any and all factory boxes into a can ) scattered so far i honestly have no idea .. none buryed or anything tho . Just at home or either place that we own i can ususaly pop a can and have a half a 30 cal can of ammo for any cal that i keep around .
Make sure you get full value out of today , Do something worthwhile, because what you do today will cost you one day off the rest of your life .
We only begin to understand folks after we stop and think .
"I keep mine in a fireproof gunsafe. My primary fear is that if I have a fire in the house, a pile of unprotected ammo could explode before I evacuated my family out of the house."
"What say you?"
As an Army EOD tech for over 20 years and a civlian UXO tech for over 20 more years, i can tell you that your pile of ammunition will not explode unless struck by a nuke. Have burned a couple billion rounds of small arms ammunition, mostly in huge pits. Yep, thats billion with a b. It makes a sound like very noisy popcorn. Cases and bullets usually fly less than 15 feet. When burned in an Army ammunition can the bullets seldom penetrate the can.
Steel cased ammunition is a little more dangerous than the brass cased stuff when burned. It pops louder and pieces of the case sometimes fly a little farther.
Here's is a photo of myself standing in a burn pit with about 15 million rounds of 7.62mm and 5.56mm Army ammo that are to be burned. Destroyed all the unserviceable Army ammo from Desert Storm.
Good Question. Right now everything just sits in boxes. I've though of vacuum packing it with little dessican't pouches. I knows the vauccumed plastic will eventually let Oxygen in. I've also wondered if the vacuum will pull distillates out of the powder or perhaps the primer out of the casing.
Another Idea I've thought of is to put ammo and stuff unto sealed drums with a tap to admit nitrogen from a bottle. This could be left connected through a regulator to maintain 1/2 psi or so. This way, any leak only lets Inert nitrigen out, not Oxygen or moisture in. Just my thoughts on it. Way overboard for long term storage?
Storing ammunition in a fireproof gun safe is no doubt prudent, from both a safety and security standpoint. However, the danger from exploding small arms ammo in a house fire is overrated. Sure, it will "explode" when exposed to the heat & flames, but the "danger zone" won't extend beyond a few feet. Cartridge cases will rupture and propellant will burn (not explode), and bullets will travel only a very short distance, since they lack velocity and stabilization.
Ever toss a .22 LR cartridge into a campfire?
Edited to add: Sig210 posted while I was typing this. I agree with him.
Last edited by Captain Crunch; June 3rd, 2007 at 05:25 PM.
Reason: Agree with Sig210's post
When you’re wounded and left on Afghanistan’s plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Just roll to your rifle and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier.
Yup, no worries about exploding ammo. It might cook off, but wont explode.
I store mine in a converted stairwell closet. I used "greenboard" and plywood instead of standard drywall for the walls. I also use a small dehumidifyer to make sure everything stays dry. The door is a steel exterior door with a deadbolt, and a cheapo alarm. (more for kids rather than burglers)
For the most part, ammo stays in surplus ammo cans except those that I go through a lot. (.45 ACP 9mm and .22) All long term storage is in cans. I used to keep it all in a spare gun safe, buts no longer a spare.
Best to say it is good to have some ammo (and firearms) in more than one location in case of fire or the gravest of emergencies.
Most is in Locked metal cabinet, inside airtight steel ammo crates, so other than a major fire they will be ok. The majority of the SHTF ammo is in a single mil surp rocket type container somewhere close. Some is not.
Some dire emergency ammo and firearms in locations other than my house and/or property.
We burned several million rounds of ammo while I was in Afghanistan - mostly 12.7mm and 14.5mm Soviet HMG. One hell of a fireworks show, with all the tracers and everything cooking off. None of the rounds "exploded," but they did send some pieces-parts flying out of the pit... Good times.
A man fires a rifle for many years, and he goes to war. And afterward he turns the rifle in at the armory, and he believes he's finished with the rifle. But no matter what else he might do with his hands - love a woman, build a house, change his son's diaper - his hands remember the rifle.
I was thinking of the more cooking off and adding fuel to the fire like what sig210 and others described. Not an earth shattering, window blowing explosion that would rock the neighborhood. Expolode was just what came to mind when I was typing, becaus in effect they do explode. Just not with a catastropic effect.
Of course, after gaining some more information from some other members here, I guess I should not have to be as concerned about the ammuniton being a fuel. Still I am happy to store it this way because it also secures my ammo and keeps it safe from elements such as fire, etc.
Ok back to the program.
Last edited by SonofASniper; June 3rd, 2007 at 10:40 PM.
I will support gun control when you can guarantee all guns are removed from this planet. That includes military and law enforcement. When you can accomplish that, then I will be the last person to lay down my gun. Then I will carry the weapon that replaces the gun.
I wish I could say all of mine is sorted and boxed and stored properly, but I still haven't unpacked it from moving six months ago. Basically what is not in magazines for daily carry is either in a range bag, a duffle bag or in zip locks in a couple of milk crates in the garage.
One more important side trip if I may. If you store black powder for muzzle loaders, it WILL EXPLODE. Other propelants won't. Sorry for the interuption.
I wish I could say all of mine is sorted and boxed and stored properly, but I still haven't unpacked it from moving six months ago. Basically what is not in magazines for daily carry is either in a range bag, a duffle bag or in zip locks in a couple of milk crates in the garage.
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Originally Posted by mcp1810
