[PEF]

What do you use to hermetically seal your ammo?

I have my ammo in the basement, where the temp ranges from about 68 - 74 all year round. Normal humidity. I would like to store the ammo in plastic or metal crates as an extra measure.

I have a lot of ammo, so I'm looking for something cheap. By "cheap" I mean maximum storage volume per unit cost.

Anyone have experience with MTM crates? Something like this:

Amazon.com

Any other recommendations? I have some of the old fashioned 50 cal and 30 cal metal ammo cans, but those are relatively expensive. These crates would loaded, stored, and rarely moved.

Thanks

 

[Mike in Texas]

Vacuum seal and put in cheap plastic ammo boxes. I have a few stored that way. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer you can get oxygen absorbent packs cheap enough.

 

[CWOUSCG]

I’ve got a couple of those ammo boxes but have not had them long enough i.e. years, to know how well they work. I do know the 50 cal and 20mm military cans work long term.

 

[OldVet]

Presuming you have mostly "commercially loaded" ammo, I'd keep it in the boxes rather than dump it into bags as some do. If you happen to run across a recall on your type of ammo, without the boxes and lot numbers, you won't know if you're affected. I don't do anything special with my ammo except keep it inside in the AC. My son has a ton of it in Mil ammo cans in my S. FL garage and it doesn't seem to be affected either. I think the concern for what "might" happen is greater than what does happen.

As an afterthought, if one insists on bagging rounds so that the container reaches hernia weight, bag by individual boxes and cut the lot number off the boxes and drop it in the baggie.

 

[patkelly4370]

I use the 50 cal ammo cans. Factory and my reloads. Kept in the garage with ambient temperature swings (100°f summer to winter). Important thing is it's kept dry.
Never had an issue in over half a century.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

 

[Velocitor]

What do you use to hermetically seal your ammo?

I have my ammo in the basement, where the temp ranges from about 68 - 74 all year round. Normal humidity. I would like to store the ammo in plastic or metal crates as an extra measure.

I have a lot of ammo, so I'm looking for something cheap. By "cheap" I mean maximum storage volume per unit cost.

Anyone have experience with MTM crates? Something like this:

Amazon.com

Any other recommendations? I have some of the old fashioned 50 cal and 30 cal metal ammo cans, but those are relatively expensive. These crates would loaded, stored, and rarely moved.

Thanks

I have 4 of these, they lock tight and have a rubber seal Tactical Ammo/Utility Box (harborfreight.com) I don't use the removable tray

and I put one of these in each box Dry & Dry 100 Gram [3 Packets] Food Grade Orange Indicating(Orange to Dark Green) Mixed Silica Gel Packets, Dehumidifiers, Silica Gel, Desiccants - Rechargeable Moisture Absorbers, Silica Gel Packs: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

I also have 4 of these, same thing rubber seal, 0.30 Caliber Ammo Box (harborfreight.com) they are stackable

the boxes go on sale for $9.99 and $3.99

 

[dangerranger]

I use military ammo cans. Most I have picked up free or paid a dollar at a yard sale. I also have three mobile medical crates. they are air tight, aluminum, and about pallet size. they stack and lock together. the down side to them is they take a forklift to move them, or at least a pallet jack..
Again I got them at a yard sale for $10 ea.
I used to use food grade plastic buckets, but even in a garage they degrade starting at about 10 years. At first it was the handles breaking off, then the buckets split. I have just about gotten rid of the buckets. I still have a few buckets of lead bullets, and sorted range brass. DR

 

[Rockymonster]

I prefer the MTM plastic ammo boxes because of their lighter weight while still retaining an air tight seal. I include desiccant packs in each however. The ammo stays in original packaging, I do not bulk pack unless said ammo was purchased that way. My usage patterns of the ammo boxes does not require them to be extremely tough, so I do not concern myself with the fact that they might be less durable than metal GI cans. ymmv…..

 

[5lima30ret]

Presuming you have mostly "commercially loaded" ammo, I'd keep it in the boxes rather than dump it into bags as some do. If you happen to run across a recall on your type of ammo, without the boxes and lot numbers, you won't know if you're affected. I don't do anything special with my ammo except keep it inside in the AC. My son has a ton of it in Mil ammo cans in my S. FL garage and it doesn't seem to be affected either. I think the concern for what "might" happen is greater than what does happen.

^^^THIS!^^^

 

[Velocitor]

Steel ammo boxes are better than the plastic ones.

why do you say that ?

 

[Velocitor]

I prefer the MTM plastic ammo boxes because of their lighter weight while still retaining an air tight seal. I include desiccant packs in each however. The ammo stays in original packaging, I do not bulk pack unless said ammo was purchased that way. My usage patterns of the ammo boxes does not require them to be extremely tough, so I do not concern myself with the fact that they might be less durable than metal GI cans. ymmv…..

I don't take my ammo storage boxes to the range, I just take a couple boxes of each caliber in my range bag when I go to the range.

 

[Tinyman]

Pick up a 'don't work no more' refrigerator -- may even find one on the road side.

 

[PEF]

Pick up a 'don't work no more' refrigerator -- may even find one on the road side.

That might be a bit much... weight, smell, and gawd knows what else... But points for thinking "outside the box."

 

[PEF]

I have 4 of these, they lock tight and have a rubber seal Tactical Ammo/Utility Box (harborfreight.com) I don't use the removable tray

and I put one of these in each box Dry & Dry 100 Gram [3 Packets] Food Grade Orange Indicating(Orange to Dark Green) Mixed Silica Gel Packets, Dehumidifiers, Silica Gel, Desiccants - Rechargeable Moisture Absorbers, Silica Gel Packs: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

I also have 4 of these, same thing rubber seal, 0.30 Caliber Ammo Box (harborfreight.com) they are stackable

the boxes go on sale for $9.99 and $3.99

That's pretty close to the price per cubic inch of storage as the big one I found on amazon.

 

[edr9x23super]

For the bulk ammo, I buy military surplus ammo cans wherever I find them, drop all the ammo in there and a reusable desiccant pack with it And close it up. That ammo will keep for decades stored like that. For the other stuff I use MTM ammo boxes they are reasonably priced on ebay; Those boxes get stored in either Husky or Dewalt large plastic tool boxes (whatever I can grab at Home Depot) that have O-ring seals around them, again with the same reusable desiccant packs. My ammo stores quite well using those storage mediums.

 

[Havok]

how much would the large mtm case weigh when full? It says it has a 90lb rating which doesn’t seem like a lot for ammo for that size case.

I just use plastic 30 cal ammo cans. It’s easy to just grab a whole ammo for each caliber that I plan to shoot that day.

 

[PEF]

how much would the large mtm case weigh when full? It says it has a 90lb rating which doesn’t seem like a lot for ammo for that size case.

I just use plastic 30 cal ammo cans. It’s easy to just grab a whole ammo for each caliber that I plan to shoot that day.

I would not plan on moving them. Long term storage, crack them open when I need more boxes of ammo.

 

[Snub44]

I've been using 5 gal vinyl paint buckets for storage 30+ years...they have a robust rubber seal in the lid...stack well, and in TX hot/cold temps in an uninsulated, unheated garage...no problems.If you know a painter/remodeler/builder and can get him to part with some...they used to go for $1 including lid in the paint/box stores...I've seen 8 per bucket and 5 more for lid...everyone's storing "things" since Covid and unrest. My paint store can't even get enough to sell extras...same with 1 gal w/lid. More people than you'd think are stocking up on dog food, rice, and boolits!

If you find some fresh ones on the curb...great...most don't toss them anymore...not so hard to clean out if you peel most of it out before getting corners clean. Dumpsters at apartments are a good source, around the end of the month. I got a truckload about 30 years ago outside a bakery...marshmallow cream comes in them, too...hose out nicely.

 

[OldVet]

I've been using 5 gal vinyl paint buckets for storage 30+ years...they have a robust rubber seal in the lid...stack well, and in TX hot/cold temps in an uninsulated, unheated garage...no problems.If you know a painter/remodeler/builder and can get him to part with some...they used to go for $1 including lid in the paint/box stores...I've seen 8 per bucket and 5 more for lid...everyone's storing "things" since Covid and unrest. My paint store can't even get enough to sell extras...same with 1 gal w/lid. More people than you'd think are stocking up on dog food, rice, and boolits!

If you find some fresh ones on the curb...great...most don't toss them anymore...not so hard to clean out if you peel most of it out before getting corners clean.

With all the home construction going on around me, I could fill a garage with buckets and lids. The paint and sheetrock mud washes right out. They just toss them in the dumpster for the taking.

 

[Snub44]

We always washed ours out in the yard after work...didn't hurt a thing. I predict availability and price to go crazy as more folks realize we might need to store some munchies.