Ammo storage question

[Pester]

I dont have the ability to store anything in the house but I can store guns/ammo in the garage. The temp ranges from 45-95 degrees through out the course of the year and is relatively dry. (No rust found on any cleaned cold rolled steel that I keep in there.)

Is that temperature fluctuation going to be a problem for ammo I reload? I have checked Federal and a number of other manufacturers and I dont see any recommendations on temp ranges.

Any information is greatly appreciated on this for my upcoming reloads.

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: Ammo storage question

Extreme heat is bad on stored powder and ammo over extended periods of time. Cold, I'm not sure, but 45deg isn't bad.
My condolences on your situation, no guns in the house.

 

[Pester]

Re: Ammo storage question

Milo -2,
Actually, its not so much that I am not allowed to keep them there as much as it is that our home is not all that big.

The wife always seems to have room to keep her SW M&P inside however.

Mostly I was trying to see if the swing in temps, lets say 50 degrees over the course of the year, would be bad for the ammo if it never got above 90 or so.

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: Ammo storage question

90 deg is getting warm. Glad to hear humidity isn't bad there.
Today's guns with ss barrels and paint jobs are ok, but the old high glass blued guns never took much to get rust started. My worry about garage storage of guns is more about theft than storage. Alot of theives will enter your garage but never open the door to the house, so make sure you have deadbolts and hopefully a safe.

 

[Pester]

Re: Ammo storage question

The garage is deadbolted for the side door with a bar across top and bottom. One of the garage doors can only be opened from the inside and I generally lock the other garage door once we come back in for the day or travel. The safe is only big enough for the guns, important papers and a little ammo.

Not sure if this would work but I took a used Knaack job box and lined it with almost 2" of heat rated sheet rock all the way around. All said and done I only have about $200 in a 2x2x6' box to store ammo in. If the 90 degree summer temps is not a problem for the ammo then I think it should be ok.

I know its not ideal but its what the budget allows for these days.

Any thoughts on the temp for the ammo?

Thanks....

 

[Smokerroller]

Re: Ammo storage question

Pester, with temp changes I am concerned in moisture and condensation build up. Sounds like you did a nice job on the jobox. Have you considered a safe type dehumidifier for the box or regular dehumidifier for the garage? Are you going to be reloading in the garage? Storing powder by the several pounders or just cartridges? I wouldn't worry about the cartridges but i would about bulk powder. I would ask myself this question. Is every square foot of the house filled up with more valuable items than what I have invested in my shooting equipment? If not, the other stuff would find the garage. But I understand your situation since I work away from home and mostly live in a camp trailer.

P.S. I do reload and have (enough not to mention online) powder, with enough bullets and primers, stored away in the darkest coolest most steady temperatured room of the house.

 

[Pester]

Re: Ammo storage question

Finding space in the house to store a gun safe and something to store ammo is pretty tough to do. I would have to build another room to make the space.

I see what you are saying about the temps and pulling in moisture now. I did not think about it that way....

Great suggestion on dehumidifiers and I dont have one. I will get one for the safe, job box and the garage. And I can put the safe in the part of the garage that does not get sun in the summer.

Any recommendations on dehumidifiers?