Storing Powder / Primers

[Icallem]

We have had someone move into a place near our home. They have an eighteen year old son that was hauled in last night for stealing. His dad came by the house and told me about it, telling me this was not the first time, but that he never took things from friends or neighbors. I was not comforted much with that statement so......

What is something I could get to lock up powder, primers, bullets, brass and ammo? I would buy another safe, but I have heard that is not the best place to store powder.

I have not been to Lowe’s, Home Depot ...... or anyplace to see what is available. If anybody has something that is working I would welcome any ideas.

Thanks

 

[Victor N TN]

Most of my powder is stored in a plywood cabinet with a hasp and lock on the doors. Primers are stored in some kind of ammo can with a big piece of sidewalk chalk baked dry to act as descant inside each one. Ammo cans, brass and ammo are stored inside a metal wall locker like the janitors at work used to keep mops and brooms in. Sing on the outside of the doors saying "Cleaning Supplies". But it does have a lock on it as well.

As to how to handle the weight. I cut shelving boards and glued with Liquid Nails to the under side of each shelf. Then I started on the floor and measure and cut 2 X 8 pieces to also glue and screw with drywall screws vertical from shelf to shelf, to transfer the weight to the floor instead of letting it bend the shelves. I have made several of these for friends. They do work.

My adopted nephew has been in prison a couple of times. I want EVERYTHING out of sight. I don't really trust anyone.

 

[Icallem]

I know I can't make this where it can't be stolen, but maybe I can make it where it will take longer than they want to be a place.

 

[Anvil_X]

I personally go with room security. though it may not be an option for you, I leave my ammo and supplies on open shelves in my arms room and put a heavy-ass door with a couple of deadbolts on. also planning on putting a huge cabinet in front of the window to prevent entry, and the window is already wired to the security system.

 

[Cascade_Sherpa]

If you have a spare room, office, or reloading room you can buy solid interior doors and install it with a combination door lock. A builder friend of mine made the corner room in his daylight basement into his reloading and gun room by sheathing the interior walls with 3/4" CDX plywood and sheetrocking over them. The door knob isn't too bulky or awkward looking, its discrete and has two rows of simple buttons, its not powered, and he's able to get into the room with a simple combo that his wife knows also of course. The door feels heavy like one that goes between the garage and the interior of a house and the hinges are on the inside and also beefy. His philosophy is that it will keep out snoopy kids and a burglar in a hurry....and the rest is what the insurance policy is for.

 

[Victor N TN]

I forgot to mention that the garage / workshop where this is stored is under a different monitored alarm from the house. The police will be there within 3 minutes. I only live 4 blocks from the police station. Being a deputy and a past paramedic, I know a lot of the city cops.

 

[Jayne]

I personally go with room security.

I'm doing that when we get a real house. The wife is already on board with me turning an extra bedroom into a jumbo sized safe/safe room. I get all my goodies protected and she gets to not look at my "gun crap" scattered around the house.

 

[Jayne]

Primers are stored in some kind of ammo can with a big piece of sidewalk chalk baked dry to act as descant inside each one.

How do you "bake" the chalk? Are we talking just grabbing some of those 1" thick colored chalk sticks I see the neighborhood kids drawing on the road with and tossing them (the chalk sticks, not the kids) in the oven at 200F for an hour? or a dehydrator? Does colored vs white make a difference, ie does the color leach out as they absorb moisture?

 

[Icallem]

When we built our garage we used walk through trusses, so 1/2 of that is my reloading room. I might put up a wall with a good door that I can lock in addition to the house being locked.

 

[Anvil_X]

How do you "bake" the chalk? Are we talking just grabbing some of those 1" thick colored chalk sticks I see the neighborhood kids drawing on the road with and tossing them (the chalk sticks, not the kids) in the oven at 200F for an hour? or a dehydrator? Does colored vs white make a difference, ie does the color leach out as they absorb moisture?

depending on the substance, if it's calcium bicarbonate, throw it in the oven and bake it at around 300 for an hour. this sheds one of the carbonates, turning the powder into calcium carbonate. of note- you can do this to baking powder and get similar effects. the cool thing is, if you mix this with flour, you can make some kickass ramen noodles.

Another easy dessicant is to just crumble up some drywall. or rice.

 

[Victor N TN]

I forgot to mention that the garage / workshop where this is stored is under a different monitored alarm from the house. The police will be there within 3 minutes. I only live 4 blocks from the police station. Being a deputy and a past paramedic, I know a lot of the city cops.

 

[Victor N TN]

How do you "bake" the chalk? Are we talking just grabbing some of those 1" thick colored chalk sticks I see the neighborhood kids drawing on the road with and tossing them (the chalk sticks, not the kids) in the oven at 200F for an hour? or a dehydrator? Does colored vs white make a difference, ie does the color leach out as they absorb moisture?

The chalk CANNOT be the dust free that they have at the school supply stores. I use the sidewalk chalk and bake it in the oven at 200 for an hour. Then let it cool to where you can handle it and put it in ziplock bags. Then when you're ready to use it take it out and then seal the bag back up. I usually use one big stick per ammo can.

I have never had any problem with the color doing anything. As it gains moisture it just stays the same. Every now and then I bake off another batch and rotate through the cans and replace the old with the new. You can re bake it several times before it crumbles to dust.

Go to WallyWorld and get the little half gallon plastic buckets in the kids toy section. It's going to be spring and warmer weather soon. They'll be having the buckets of sidewalk chalk for just a couple of bucks.

Good luck.

 

[cmh2007]

I would think a simple flamables storage cabinet would work. it has a lock, its slightly vented, and it is semi sturdy

 

[Lt. Arclight]

I bought a JOB BOX- the type used on construction sites. I have it mounted off the floor on 4x4's and it doubles as a workbench. 2 locks. Granted it isn't airtight and if your powder somehow got hot enough to burn-well you have serious problems. I treat mine as a second safe for other valuables, loaded with my 50BMG reloading supplies it weights about 600 lbs. Available in all types of sizes at the home improvement or industrial supply houses. Around 2-3 hundred dollars. Get two padlocks keyed the same and you'll feel quite secure from the smash and grab type burglars.I have a dehumidifier inside. Works for me.....

On another note. I've been in my house for 28 years. But have had a SECURITY SYSTEM for over 20. My wife and I always use it. It has phone,cellular and vhf radio backup. Fire,CO, Burglar monitoring. Just the insurance discounts pays for the monitoring. I figure, its taken too long to gather my "stuff" and I'd rather not have some deluded,narcissistic prick breaking in for pot money.

 

[E. Bryant]

I would think a simple flamables storage cabinet would work. it has a lock, its slightly vented, and it is semi sturdy

Yep, this would be a decent choice. They frequently show up on craigslist.

Layers of security work well. A locked storage cabinet inside of a locked room that is in a locked structure definitely slows down the process. That being said, in rural areas, it's possible to spend a lot of time "attacking" someone's security without a high probability of getting caught. This is where a decent monitoring system may help.

 

[Kinsman]

Before I moved into my new home, I had my reloading stuff in a large metal building, actually a 12x40 office trailer, with a 18 x 24 ft lean-to on one side. No heat and no A/C, large temp swings. I kept the powder and ammo in the crawl space beneath the house. Not a good solution. Too damp and not a good thing in case of fire.
So, in the corner of the lean-to, I dug a big hole, inserted a 55 gal plastic barrel, filled in around it, and built an insulated lid for it.
I put powder and ammo in that, and a thermometer. Never saw the temperature above 74 degrees, easy access, waterproof, and safe. I kept it covered with misc junk so it would be difficult to stumble onto, but easy to move for access.

What I have now is a basement room about 12 x 16 ft. Two walls are 12" reinforced concrete, the other two walls are 3/8" plywood glued and screwed to both sides of 2x4's, screwed to the floor and overhead floor joists. Steel door, with locks. No windows.
Outside doors and windows locked and wired to a security system that calls ME in case of entry.

I feel safe enough.

 

[dawson08]

I use old non-working refridgerators with but leave the light burning so to knock out dampness. Just put a hasp and lock on it. Kinda redneck but they a mini-fridge will hold about 8K primers and 10-12 one pound pounder kegs