Long Term Ammo Storage 201 - Stopping Humidity

[PaulR]

ok, we know the basics. Dry area, and/or desiccants, etc.
I'm looking for detailed tips tricks and long term success stories.

Situation:
If someone has 5-10 years of ammo they know they won't shoot.
Very heavy fireproof container that has to sit in new, unheated, concrete floor garage.
Would like to retain original boxes.
Also ammo cans.

Questions:
Is a desiccant in a non-air tight container enough for 5-10 years?
Frequency of changing Desiccants?
Should ammo be sealed?
Sealed with desiccants?
Cellophane good?
Do Freezer bags work?

Tips, tricks, advice, stories, thank you.

Will be back in an hour..........

 

[xtry51]

Yes, in a quality sealed military can a palm sized desiccant is adequate. Never open can and you never replace desiccant.

Things to do:

Use only military metal cans.

Do not stack directly on concrete floor. Place wood down to insulate and prevent condensation.

Before closing:
1) Bring ammo in house, open for a day to let temp stabilize
2) place desiccant in can.
3) Use a hair dryer on low heat for 2-3 minutes to heat up the inside of the can and ammo.
4) close lid while still hot.

This will create a vacuum in the can when it cools.

 

[StevieP]

My locked ammo storage cabinet is elevated on a table in a 'store room' in my basement that also houses my oil burning furnace/boiler. Maybe 10 x 10 room with some other storage shelving with luggage, totes containing holiday decorations, etc. It's a very dry space. The room door also locks.

I run a de-humidifier in the whole basement when it's humid. I put a Goldenrod on my Christmas list.

Other than that I don't take special precautions. I have a few cans but not enough. Otherwise it's original boxes on shelves in the locked metal cabinet.

 

[Doogz]

Vacuum seal and store in metal ammo cans with dessicants. Done.

 

[Snora]

Will 5-10 years harm ammo? I just shot some 20 year old 9mm that was just sitting in it's original packaging without any issues.

 

[Sawicki1991]

Will 5-10 years harm ammo? I just shot some 20 year old 9mm that was just sitting in it's original packaging without any issues.

People are still shooting ammo from world war 2 without issue. 20 years is nothing. If you buy it in spam cans I wouldn't be surprised if it last a century.

 

[PaulR]

Will 5-10 years harm ammo? I just shot some 20 year old 9mm that was just sitting in it's original packaging without any issues.

I have a larger garage, floor "sweats" like a mofo in the spring. Been there for 6 years, my tools in their drawer have seen ~significant spot rust. I wipe them with Never-Dull and leave the sheen on them so they don't rust......mostly sockets I may not use for extended periods.

 

[drumenigma]

I actually had good luck with just storing ammo in plastic MTM boxes for years without any dessicant in them. Although I did have big dessicent cans sitting nearby that I recharged regularly. I have since moved to military style cans and still no dessicant in them.

Best case scenario as already said though is likely mil-spec can with a dessicant pack in it. Set it and forget it.

 

[PaulR]

Are the Federal XM855 ammo cans we all buy our 5.56 ammo in considered "good quality" for the method Xtry described above?

Looks like I'll be needing a source for a bunch of cans for my 9mm and .22.

 

[01SVTvert]

I have had ammo in original packing (9mm) sit in an ammo can for about 20 years before shot, no special provisions. In a cellar. I have also had boxes of 9 in my cellar in a cardboard box for maybe 15 and had no issue. FYI my cellar is relatively dry but get humid just like every other unfinished cellar.

I have com block surplus ammo from the 50s I still shoot and have shot GI surplus 45 from ww2 this year that was not stored in cans with no issue. I think sometimes storage gets over thought.

 

[Red Moon]

I use a combination of metal ammo cans and the large MTM plastic ones. They both work great, but the MTM holds much more. As long as the seal is still good, don't see any problems with long term storage.

 

[pjw9658]

While my storage area (basement) is generally pretty dry, I still use desiccants (which is probably overkill). A good/inexpensive alternative to store bought desiccants I've been using (in both my safes and my ammo storage areas): kitty litter crystals (silica crystals) and wedding/party favor bags (cost me about $20 and still using the same box/bag for last 3 years, and only make it half way through the crystals). I've read that you can even recharge the silica by tossing it in the microwave, but have yet to try that...

 

[xtry51]

Are the Federal XM855 ammo cans we all buy our 5.56 ammo in considered "good quality" for the method Xtry described above?

Looks like I'll be needing a source for a bunch of cans for my 9mm and .22.

Yes.

 

[Pinion]

Keep it off the concrete floor. Air circulation is your friend.

 

[Chet0729]

When I first got into shooting I received some ammo from a friend that had been stored in his cellar in an open cabinet since the 70's, most had Spag's stickers. It all looked fine and shot fine. If you are really worried about it and you shoot on a regular basis just rotate your stock.

 

[Palladin]

four years ago, I shot a 200lb pig with a 35Rem, the ammo was sitting in my basement, in a Remington box with a 1966 date on it. it went bang.